Military plane crashes in northeast Oregon 02:05 PM PST on Friday, March 3, 2006 By kgw.com and AP Staff PENDLETON, Ore. -- A plane from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station has crashed in northeast Oregon, but authorities said all four on board survived. Witnesses saw four parachutes deploy, according to Umatilla County emergency services. The crash happened just before 11:30 a.m. in West Juniper canyon, in the northern part of Umatilla County, authorities said. Oregon State Police said two of the four crew walked away from the plane but the two others were unable to walk to emergency transport. They were taken to St. Anthony's Hospital in Pendleton for treatment of unknown injuries. The aircraft, attached to the Electronic Attack Squadron 135, was flying a routine training mission when the mishap occurred, according to Kim Martin, a spokeswoman for NAS Whidbey Island. The cause of the crash is under investigation, she said. "Something caused the plane to go down, we don’t know what it is," said Pete Wells, public information officer for Umatilla County. A second EA-6 Prowler plane was flying in the area, but was not involved in the incident, he said. Cheryl Seigal, of Umatilla County Emergency Management, said the crash site had been sealed off and a no-fly zone requested at 3500 feet. The emergency operations center in Pendleton also had been activated, she said. The Prowler aircraft provides protection for strike aircraft, ground troops and ships by jamming enemy radar, electronic data links and communications, Martin said. The plane originated from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, and was believed to be headed to a Navy practice facility in Boardman, where military bombers and fighter planes are stored.

Spokane police arrest armed man for bus hijacking POKANE - Police in Spokane arrested a man who allegedly hijacked a Spokane Transit Authority bus at gunpoint and later fired shots in a tavern Friday morning. No one was injured in the incident.The suspect then went into the Special K Tavern and shots were fired. The man came out of the tavern and was arrested by police. Since the bus driver was on a scheduled break, no other passengers were on the bus during the incident. The bus driver said the man knocked on the door of the bus and showed him a gun and told the driver to drive him to the tavern located at Market and Empire. The suspect in Friday morning's bus hijacking forced the STA driver to drive him to the Special K Tavern located at Garland and Market in north Spokane. The man is a regular at the tavern. Tyrene Mellon, a bartender at the Special K Tavern in the city's East side said he showed up with a gun and fired shots. She and other bar patrons disarmed the man and shoved him outside, where he was arrested by police. Mellon said she was friendly with the man and that the behavior was unusual for him. She said he's a cancer patient and had some problems with chemotherapy. "He's a very nice man, very funny... it's really weird, it's not like him..." she said. "The way he walked in, he looked like he hadn't slept, he looked disheveled." She said that when he fired the shots he didn't appear to want to harm anyone. Spokane Transit Authority said crews initated emergency procedures when the hijacking was reported.

Bit early in the year for a bird strike but always a candidate. Sounds like a fairly "normal" ejection versus an "oh shit, we have to get out NOW" ejection.  The EA6 is a twin-engine so both of the suck, squeeze, bang and blow mechanisms had to be non-functional in "close proximity to the ground" for them to elect to leave like that. Always good when everyone gets out and survives.

The Black Ravens used to fly whales so maybe KA3B will have better details from some of his cronies.

The engine on the EA-6B is junk.
That's all I am going to say about that.

Sounds like they were fucking off in the Boardman Oregon MOA and had a problem.

Boardman MOA/R-5706.
Commonly referred to as “the Boardman Bombing Range”, is located 31 NM east of Arlington, OR on the southern bank of the Columbia River.

It takes a college education to break 'em and a high school education to fix 'em clean up the mess.

I just got back from tagging all that shit and securing the crash site.  I'll tell you what, though--those pilots are damned lucky, and punched right at the last minute.  Pretty normal for a crash though, shit everywhere.  Had to make sure hillbillies didn't try and snag the classified shit.

Out in BFE too.

Well, it's been a while since they buried one in the sticks...think the last one was in 2001.  Quite an improvement from the '80's when we had one going down SOMEWHERE about once a year.  I had to go out on one at OLF Coupeville....not a fun site....hinking.gif

Quoted: Well, it's been a while since they buried one in the sticks...think the last one was in 2001.  Quite an improvement from the '80's when we had one going down SOMEWHERE about once a year.  I had to go out on one at OLF Coupeville....not a fun site....

Actually, there have been nine crashes since October of '05, and the entire Naval air fleet is grounded at the moment.

Quoted: "Something caused the plane to go down, we don’t know what it is," said Pete Wells, public information officer for Umatilla County.

.....Duh

Quoted: Bit early in the year for a bird strike but always a candidate. Sounds like a fairly "normal" ejection versus an "oh shit, we have to get out NOW" ejection.  The EA6 is a twin-engine so both of the suck, squeeze, bang and blow mechanisms had to be non-functional in "close proximity to the ground" for them to elect to leave like that. Always good when everyone gets out and survives. The Black Ravens used to fly whales so maybe KA3B will have better details from some of his cronies.

What is the basis for you to write this?  You can't think of another scenario besides a dual engine failure that would cause an aircrew to want to leave the jet?  

Quoted: It takes a college education to break 'em and a high school education to fix 'em clean up the mess.

How do you know who broke what?  

Quoted: Quoted: Bit early in the year for a bird strike but always a candidate. Sounds like a fairly "normal" ejection versus an "oh shit, we have to get out NOW" ejection.  The EA6 is a twin-engine so both of the suck, squeeze, bang and blow mechanisms had to be non-functional in "close proximity to the ground" for them to elect to leave like that. Always good when everyone gets out and survives. The Black Ravens used to fly whales so maybe KA3B will have better details from some of his cronies. What is the basis for you to write this?  You can't think of another scenario besides a dual engine failure that would cause an aircrew to want to leave the jet?

Most EA-6B crashes were due to the shitty engines.
The J-52 was designed for a fucking nuclear missile on a one way trip, the AGM-28 Hound Dog by North American Rockwell.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Bit early in the year for a bird strike but always a candidate. Sounds like a fairly "normal" ejection versus an "oh shit, we have to get out NOW" ejection.  The EA6 is a twin-engine so both of the suck, squeeze, bang and blow mechanisms had to be non-functional in "close proximity to the ground" for them to elect to leave like that. Always good when everyone gets out and survives. The Black Ravens used to fly whales so maybe KA3B will have better details from some of his cronies. What is the basis for you to write this?  You can't think of another scenario besides a dual engine failure that would cause an aircrew to want to leave the jet?   Most EA-6B crashes were due to the shitty engines. The J-52 was designed for a fucking nuclear missile on a one way trip, the AGM-28 Hound Dog by North American Rockwell.

Therefore, both "had to be non-functional" in this case?  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Bit early in the year for a bird strike but always a candidate. Sounds like a fairly "normal" ejection versus an "oh shit, we have to get out NOW" ejection.  The EA6 is a twin-engine so both of the suck, squeeze, bang and blow mechanisms had to be non-functional in "close proximity to the ground" for them to elect to leave like that. Always good when everyone gets out and survives. The Black Ravens used to fly whales so maybe KA3B will have better details from some of his cronies. What is the basis for you to write this?  You can't think of another scenario besides a dual engine failure that would cause an aircrew to want to leave the jet?   Most EA-6B crashes were due to the shitty engines. The J-52 was designed for a fucking nuclear missile on a one way trip, the AGM-28 Hound Dog by North American Rockwell. Therefore, both "had to be non-functional" in this case?

First, I never said that.
Get your quotes straight before you go off.....

I watched an EA-6B crash in 1991 from the outdoor deck of the Chiefs club after it lost one engine.

Went down in the Sound.

Look at the Naval Safety Center web site for aircraft mishaps involving the EA-6B.
Nearly all of the recent ones are "engine failure".

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Bit early in the year for a bird strike but always a candidate. Sounds like a fairly "normal" ejection versus an "oh shit, we have to get out NOW" ejection.  The EA6 is a twin-engine so both of the suck, squeeze, bang and blow mechanisms had to be non-functional in "close proximity to the ground" for them to elect to leave like that. Always good when everyone gets out and survives. The Black Ravens used to fly whales so maybe KA3B will have better details from some of his cronies. What is the basis for you to write this?  You can't think of another scenario besides a dual engine failure that would cause an aircrew to want to leave the jet?   Most EA-6B crashes were due to the shitty engines. The J-52 was designed for a fucking nuclear missile on a one way trip, the AGM-28 Hound Dog by North American Rockwell. Therefore, both "had to be non-functional" in this case?   First, I never said that. Get your quotes straight before you go off..... I watched an EA-6B crash in 1991 from the outdoor deck of the Chiefs club after it lost one engine. Went down in the Sound. Look at the Naval Safety Center web site for aircraft mishaps involving the EA-6B. Nearly all of the recent ones are "engine failure".

Dude, I'm not going off, but you may be.  Relax.  The other guy wrote they had to be non-functional.   I commented.  You responded.  Read the thread again.  

While many mishaps may be engine related in the Prowler, can we agree that it's a little early to be writing things like both engines had to be out?  Again, can't folks think of other reasons a crew might want to get out of the jet?    If you are familiar with the website you mentioned, it's not hard to come up with another reason.  Unless your mind is already made up of course.  

Agreed?

Navy orders aircraft grounded for safety review


The Associated Press
WASHINGTON – Plagued by a series of helicopter and jet crashes in recent months, the Navy said Friday it will ground all its aircraft for half a day next week for an internal safety review.

The safety stand down will affect 3,800 aircraft and thousands of naval aviation personnel, including aircraft on 12 carriers around the world. It is the first time since September 1997 that such a pause in flight operations across the Navy has been ordered.

Grounding the flights is not related to any specific equipment or flying problem, the Navy said, but rather is a way to refocus on safety, risk management and other procedures.

Since Oct. 1, there have been nine major crashes that resulted in loss or life or of the aircraft. Nine aircraft were destroyed and 10 naval aviators were killed. During the same period a year ago, there were eight major crashes.

All naval aviation squadrons will be required to complete the safety review by the end of next week, but no particular day is being designated.

The most recent accident occurred Friday when a Navy jet crashed in the remote northeastern corner of Oregon. The pilot was rescued after ejecting (note: "they" -- the media ---never can get it right, right??? ALL FOUR made it out of the aircraft --- as per the local news update. But then, do THEY have it right?? ) In early February, another Navy pilot was rescued after his F/A-18 Hornet jet crashed into the water near Key West. And in late January, a Navy pilot and his student were killed when their training plane crashed just south of Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in Texas.

I FIGURED it was nine NAVAL aircraft (NOT nine Prowlers) that had been lost in the last several months. The Prowlers are getting "long in the tooth", and they have been flying the hell out of them since the EF-111 went away.  They also have other problems besides engines....they have been grounded in the past for cracks in the wing box sections.  There were some airframe upgrades proposed back in the late '80's/early '90's that would have made them more manuvuerable, but got "shot down".  They have to milk them until they get the EF-18 (Growler), several years down the road yet.

Quoted: Dude, I'm not going off, but you may be.  Relax.  The other guy wrote they had to be non-functional.   I commented.  You responded.  Read the thread again.   While many mishaps may be engine related in the Prowler, can we agree that it's a little early to be writing things like both engines had to be out?  Again, can't folks think of other reasons a crew might want to get out of the jet?    If you are familiar with the website you mentioned, it's not hard to come up with another reason.  Unless your mind is already made up of course.   Agreed?

You put my name in YOUR quote.
I said get your shit together and don't respond like it's my quote.
Period.
YOU need to relax.

We can agree?
What, you have a mouse in your pocket?

Please tell me what your experinces are with the EA-6B and the J-52 engine are.
Please tell me what your experinces are with Naval aircraft mishap investigations are.

Maybe they paid the extra $45 / day for the insurance and wanted to see if it really would pay off the aircraft.  I forgot. . . the Enterprise agency on NAS Whidbey Island does not rent Prowlers.  My bad.

How much is anyone willing to bet that the last ten seconds or so on the cockpit voice recorder involve one or more of the following phrases:

a.) "Watch this shit!"
b.) "FUCK!!!"
c.) "Aww, shit!"
d.) "Fuckin' J-52 piece of shit!"

Quoted: Quoted: Dude, I'm not going off, but you may be.  Relax.  The other guy wrote they had to be non-functional.   I commented.  You responded.  Read the thread again.   While many mishaps may be engine related in the Prowler, can we agree that it's a little early to be writing things like both engines had to be out?  Again, can't folks think of other reasons a crew might want to get out of the jet?    If you are familiar with the website you mentioned, it's not hard to come up with another reason.  Unless your mind is already made up of course.   Agreed? You put my name in YOUR quote. I said get your shit together and don't respond like it's my quote. Period. YOU need to relax. We can agree? What, you have a mouse in your pocket? Please tell me what your experinces are with the EA-6B and the J-52 engine are. Please tell me what your experinces are with Naval aircraft mishap investigations are.

You're embarassing yourself.  You still can't think of another reason to get out of the jet other than engines?  Did you ever look at the EP's section of the NATOPS?   I guess if all you have is a wrench every problem is an engine.  

Quoted: Quoted: Please tell me what your experinces are with the EA-6B and the J-52 engine are. Please tell me what your experinces are with Naval aircraft mishap investigations are. You're embarassing yourself.  You still can't think of another reason to get out of the jet other than engines?  Did you ever look at the EP's section of the NATOPS?   I guess if all you have is a wrench every problem is an engine.

Still haven't answered my questions.
Please tell me what your experinces are with the EA-6B and the J-52 engine are.
Please tell me what your experinces are with Naval aircraft mishap investigations are.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Dude, I'm not going off, but you may be.  Relax.  The other guy wrote they had to be non-functional.   I commented.  You responded.  Read the thread again.   While many mishaps may be engine related in the Prowler, can we agree that it's a little early to be writing things like both engines had to be out?  Again, can't folks think of other reasons a crew might want to get out of the jet?    If you are familiar with the website you mentioned, it's not hard to come up with another reason.  Unless your mind is already made up of course.   Agreed? You put my name in YOUR quote. I said get your shit together and don't respond like it's my quote. Period. YOU need to relax. We can agree? What, you have a mouse in your pocket? Please tell me what your experinces are with the EA-6B and the J-52 engine are. Please tell me what your experinces are with Naval aircraft mishap investigations are. You're embarassing yourself.  You still can't think of another reason to get out of the jet other than engines?  Did you ever look at the EP's section of the NATOPS?   I guess if all you have is a wrench every problem is an engine.

No, your the one embarassing himself. First of all, I was the one who said both engines had to be out close to the ground for a twin engine jet to auger in. Second, it sounds like it was the most likely scenario based on the information at the time. Thirdly, something like 80% of all A-6/EA-6 accidents have been due to engine failure of some sort. Except for the ones where the wings came off or the pilot flew it into the ground in bad weather/night low-level flight.

I'm with KA3B. What's your experience there wise guy? How many accidents have you investigated? Besides this is a fucking internet forum and your a newbie here to boot. You have no idea who we are, what we know or what kind of experience we've had.

Quoted: Navy orders aircraft grounded for safety review The Associated Press WASHINGTON – Plagued by a series of helicopter and jet crashes in recent months, the Navy said Friday it will ground all its aircraft for half a day next week for an internal safety review. The safety stand down will affect 3,800 aircraft and thousands of naval aviation personnel, including aircraft on 12 carriers around the world. It is the first time since September 1997 that such a pause in flight operations across the Navy has been ordered. Grounding the flights is not related to any specific equipment or flying problem, the Navy said, but rather is a way to refocus on safety, risk management and other procedures. Since Oct. 1, there have been nine major crashes that resulted in loss or life or of the aircraft. Nine aircraft were destroyed and 10 naval aviators were killed. During the same period a year ago, there were eight major crashes. All naval aviation squadrons will be required to complete the safety review by the end of next week, but no particular day is being designated. The most recent accident occurred Friday when a Navy jet crashed in the remote northeastern corner of Oregon. The pilot was rescued after ejecting (note: "they" -- the media ---never can get it right, right??? ALL FOUR made it out of the aircraft --- as per the local news update. But then, do THEY have it right?? ) In early February, another Navy pilot was rescued after his F/A-18 Hornet jet crashed into the water near Key West. And in late January, a Navy pilot and his student were killed when their training plane crashed just south of Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in Texas. I FIGURED it was nine NAVAL aircraft (NOT nine Prowlers) that had been lost in the last several months. The Prowlers are getting "long in the tooth", and they have been flying the hell out of them since the EF-111 went away.  They also have other problems besides engines....they have been grounded in the past for cracks in the wing box sections.  There were some airframe upgrades proposed back in the late '80's/early '90's that would have made them more manuvuerable, but got "shot down".  They have to milk them until they get the EF-18 (Growler), several years down the road yet.

Yeah, four dudes punched, all survived.  Four man crew for the Prowler.  One couldn't walk, everyone else could I believe.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Dude, I'm not going off, but you may be.  Relax.  The other guy wrote they had to be non-functional.   I commented.  You responded.  Read the thread again.   While many mishaps may be engine related in the Prowler, can we agree that it's a little early to be writing things like both engines had to be out?  Again, can't folks think of other reasons a crew might want to get out of the jet?    If you are familiar with the website you mentioned, it's not hard to come up with another reason.  Unless your mind is already made up of course.   Agreed? You put my name in YOUR quote. I said get your shit together and don't respond like it's my quote. Period. YOU need to relax. We can agree? What, you have a mouse in your pocket? Please tell me what your experinces are with the EA-6B and the J-52 engine are. Please tell me what your experinces are with Naval aircraft mishap investigations are. You're embarassing yourself.  You still can't think of another reason to get out of the jet other than engines?  Did you ever look at the EP's section of the NATOPS?   I guess if all you have is a wrench every problem is an engine.   No, your the one embarassing himself. First of all, I was the one who said both engines had to be out close to the ground for a twin engine jet to auger in. Second, it sounds like it was the most likely scenario based on the information at the time. Thirdly, something like 80% of all A-6/EA-6 accidents have been due to engine failure of some sort. Except for the ones where the wings came off or the pilot flew it into the ground in bad weather/night low-level flight. I'm with KA3B. What's your experience there wise guy? How many accidents have you investigated? Besides this is a fucking internet forum and your a newbie here to boot. You have no idea who we are, what we know or what kind of experience we've had.

There are many reasons to want to leave the jet, including fire, catastrophic failure of hydraulics, control surfaces, etc.  It's really not that hard to come up with other reasons, is it?  I am not so concerned with your experiences and training if you jump to conclusions.  Naval aircraft mishap investigations typically take many months.  

Still haven't answered my questions.
Please tell me what your experinces are with the EA-6B and the J-52 engine are.
Please tell me what your experinces are with Naval aircraft mishap investigations are.

Quoted: Still haven't answered my questions. Please tell me what your experinces are with the EA-6B and the J-52 engine are. Please tell me what your experinces are with Naval aircraft mishap investigations are.

Sorry buddy, comparing resumes with you isn't in the cards tonight, although I suspect you'd be pleasantly surprised.  Discussing facts or lack thereof is more important to me than our resumes.  

Bottom line: there are many reasons to want to leave the jet and it's more than premature to pipe off about engines failing.    

Have a nice evening, gentlemen.  

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Troll has left the building......

Wow, I always thought you were supposed to present your qualifications before you spouted off??  That would be the same as me giving legal advice when you dont know if I'm a lawyer or not.  BTW I'm not so you can put your guns away...LOL  But seriously if your not going to give your resume than how do you know we would be surprised??  But hey cut and run.  From what I'm reading your just hiding out whereas the others have ponied up, but hey thats just my .02 worth.

The crash happened a couple of miles from my house.  Between Touchet WA and Helix OR.  We were putting down chemical for seed peas when they went over about 11:30am.   Since I was in a tractor, everybody said there was like a sonic boom and then the dirt cloud.   Talked to my cousin, who lives closer, and he said the planes were flying to low, like normal, and when they came to the ridge one was cutting it pretty close, bunch of windmills in this area.  Went over the hill and boom.   "Hillbillies" at the site said the plane hit the side of one hill and crashed into another.   Not much of the plane, said most of the pieces were the size of your hand.

Tastes great!!  

Less filling!  

Quoted: Quoted: Still haven't answered my questions. Please tell me what your experinces are with the EA-6B and the J-52 engine are. Please tell me what your experinces are with Naval aircraft mishap investigations are. Sorry buddy, comparing resumes with you isn't in the cards tonight, although I suspect you'd be pleasantly surprised.  Discussing facts or lack thereof is more important to me than our resumes.   Bottom line: there are many reasons to want to leave the jet and it's more than premature to pipe off about engines failing.     Have a nice evening, gentlemen.

I'm the only one here expert enough to...

Quoted: The crash happened a couple of miles from my house.  Between Touchet WA and Helix OR.  We were putting down chemical for seed peas when they went over about 11:30am.   Since I was in a tractor, everybody said there was like a sonic boom and then the dirt cloud.   Talked to my cousin, who lives closer, and he said the planes were flying to low, like normal, and when they came to the ridge one was cutting it pretty close, bunch of windmills in this area.  Went over the hill and boom.   "Hillbillies" at the site said the plane hit the side of one hill and crashed into another.   Not much of the plane, said most of the pieces were the size of your hand.

I got a pic of some windmills.  I think the biggest piece was as big as a car door maybe, if that.  It pretty much blew to shit, and the way everything looked pretty much matches up with what you said

I went out to Quillayute back in 1999 as part of an EA-6B crash investigation.
An EA-6B departed controlled flight at 33,000 feet, the crew ejected at about 12,000 feet.

The EA-6B hit the ground at a nose down attitude with the port wing going in first.

It made a smoking hole in the ground about 30 feet across.

The biggest parts left were the engine cores, part of the starboard wign and the port elevator.

The rest of the plane was smashed up like an accordian in that hole, and a lot of it was expelled when the plane exploded.

All four crewmen got out, one guy lost all of the fingers on his right hand because he was out of position when he ejected (command ejection).

Went out on an A-6E crash on the Columbia river just down river from the Rocky Reach dam in 1990.

The crew was doing a low level flight down in the canyon when the Intruder clipped a canyon wall with a wing tip.

It flipped over and nosed down into the water. The impact ripped the wings and tail off of the aircraft, and the fuselage came to rest on the bottom of the river in between some rocks.

Both crewmen died, one had a possible underwater ejection, he was found on the back of the river with his parachute out of the pack.

The other crewman was caught up in the wreckage of the fuselage and was not recovered for about three weeks.

They had to slow the release of the water from the dam so the divers could dive, and when they found the fuselage and body they damn near turned the water off so they could recover the fuselage.

KA-3B,
What were the time frames you were at Whidbey?  I was there from 1976 to 1995....guessing our paths MAY have crossed at some time.  

Quoted: KA-3B, What were the time frames you were at Whidbey?  I was there from 1976 to 1995....guessing our paths MAY have crossed at some time.

89-92, 99-03, still on the rock.

I was attached to SAR my first tour, I took a lot of maintenance crews in the station C-12 all up and down the west coast to fix broke dick A-6's and EA-6B's that the aircrew fucked up.  

I had more experince changing brakes and mainmounts and CSD's than some of the mechs.  

Downed air crew safely at home

By Jessie Stensland
Mar 08 2006

Three men and a woman walked off a search-and-rescue helicopter that retrieved them from Oregon Friday night just hours after they parachuted from an EA-6B Prowler aircraft.

“It was awesome,” said Whidbey Island Naval Air Station public affairs officer Kim Martin, who watched the helicopter land. She was among many Navy officials and residents relieved that the air crew made it home safely.

One of the men had a broken leg and had to be helped off the helicopter, while the others sustained only scratches, bumps and bruises.

Martin said the aircraft crashed Friday morning in a remote area of northeastern Oregon. Investigators are just beginning to piece together what happened.

Following a series of accidents in the last three months, the Navy ordered an aviation safety stand down for the entire force. All aircraft will be grounded to make time for an internal safety review.
“It’s a half-day safety stand down for each squadron no later than Friday,” Martin said, noting that the public likely won’t notice a change in the number of planes flying overhead.

It’s the first time in years that Navy officials have ordered such a stand down. The Navy reported nine accidents involving a loss of life or more than $1 million in damages in the fiscal year.
That includes the Prowler crash Friday. Two Prowler aircraft were practicing “routine section formation maneuvering,” Martin said, over the desert-like area in Umatilla County near Pendleton.

The flight crew in one of the Prowlers watched the other aircraft crash. They reported seeing four parachutes deploy fully and the crew from the downed aircraft walking on the ground afterward, Martin said.

The aircraft was attached to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 135, which is stationed at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station and aboard USS Nimitz.

Martin said the accident occurred along the low-altitude training route between Whidbey and the Boardman weapons training facility in the Columbia basin.

A helicopter left Whidbey after receiving news of the crash. By the time the helicopter arrived, the four members of the Prowler crew were at St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton. The helicopter picked them up and brought them to Whidbey.

Martin said the aviators were treated at the Navy hospital on base and released that night.

The Oregon National Guard help the Navy secure the crash site.

A team of about 36 investigators from the Whidbey base also went to the site Friday. Martin said they will probably spend about a week in Oregon before returning to Whidbey with all the pieces of the aircraft. They will reassemble the Prowler at the base in order to analyze the cause of the crash.

The names of the crew members involved in the crash have not been released. According to the Navy, the EA-6B Prowler is a four-seat long-range, all-weather jet aircraft with advanced electronic countermeasures capability.

VAQ-135, the “Black Ravens,” participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom last year from the Arabian Gulf and Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, providing critical support to ground forces in Iraq.

Quoted: Quoted: KA-3B, What were the time frames you were at Whidbey?  I was there from 1976 to 1995....guessing our paths MAY have crossed at some time.  hr 89-92, 99-03, still on the rock. hed I had more experince changing brakes and mainmounts and CSD's than some of the mechs.  hr

89 I was still at AIMD, 90-93 was haze gray and underway with the WONDERFUL Rooks of VAQ-137 aboard Hotel 66.....