Aircraft carrier on fire

[Lawman]

Well it didn't just happen once, the Forrestal fire was one of only several pretty bad carrier fires in the 60's, the Enterprise and the Oriskany both had pretty bad fires too. The Enterprise one in 1969 was from a Zuni rocket that was set off by stray voltage, just like the Forrestal.

The Company Safety officer down here at Rucker for LSI was a Greenshirt the day it happened.

Whats crazy is the actual weapon safing proceedures that came out of it didnt actually get implemented until a lot later down the road after the investigation had been completed, reviewed, and gone through all the process of being implemented.

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

I lived on the FID for 3 cruises, never really noticed any scorched marks except for that one KA6D that caught fire getting ready to launch on the waist. I grabbed a young airman that was running away from the fire. I told him his home was on fire and he needed to help put it out. We then grabbed a hose to attack the fire.

Good times!

 

[Brett327]

The Company Safety officer down here at Rucker for LSI was a Greenshirt the day it happened.

Whats crazy is the actual weapon safing proceedures that came out of it didnt actually get implemented until a lot later down the road after the investigation had been completed, reviewed, and gone through all the process of being implemented.

Why is this crazy? How could you expect any solution or change to be implemented until an investigation into the cause was completed and thoroughly vetted through the CoC?

Brett

 

[Lawman]

Why is this crazy? How could you expect any solution or change to be implemented until an investigation into the cause was completed and thoroughly vetted through the CoC?

Brett

Because it apparently took years. Like nobody at the boat level said "hey you know what...." and implemented a change on their own. They waited for it to go up and down however many levels it did continuing to do on a day to day basis what had been witnessed first hand as being a terrible idea.

 

[Mumbles]

I lived on the FID for 3 cruises, never really noticed any scorched marks except for that one KA6D that caught fire getting ready to launch on the waist. I grabbed a young airman that was running away from the fire. I told him his home was on fire and he needed to help put it out. We then grabbed a hose to attack the fire.

Good times!

At the time, I was a dumb ass 14 year old and was just in awe of the ship. Maybe I was had...alot of those spaces had really fresh paint, ( the boat had just gone through SLEP) but I'm pretty certain I saw some fire scars. I remember going aboard Indy as well, (after a sailor set the galley on fire in 1983 or so because he didn't want to go on cruise....) and the putrid smell of smoke and fire permeated the boat a week after it happened.
Forgot about the moniker "FID"....First in Defense!
BTW...thank you for attacking that fire AE 606!

 

[Brett327]

Because it apparently took years. Like nobody at the boat level said "hey you know what...." and implemented a change on their own. They waited for it to go up and down however many levels it did continuing to do on a day to day basis what had been witnessed first hand as being a terrible idea.

That's not how the system works. A squadron or ship just can't decide on its own to change established procedures. I don't know the specifics of the mishap investigation, and this may have been an anomaly due to the scale of the mishap, but making changes like that independent of the approval of higher authority is no way to do business. IMO, it sounds like the "green shirt" you were talking to, who would have almost zero knowledge about stores loading or details of the arming procedures, is probably just engaging in hyperbole for the sake of his students. Absent specific details, it's hard to draw any other conclusion than that.

Brett

 

[A4sForever]

....pretty sure the Zuni on the 'stal was set off by the huffer that the plane captain had draped the hose right underneath the A-4 pylon.

If memory serves (and it doesn't, always) that was the 'Big E' ...

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

At the time, I was a dumb ass 14 year old and was just in awe of the ship. Maybe I was had...alot of those spaces had really fresh paint, ( the boat had just gone through SLEP) but I'm pretty certain I saw some fire scars. I remember going aboard Indy as well, (after a sailor set the galley on fire in 1983 or so because he didn't want to go on cruise....) and the putrid smell of smoke and fire permeated the boat a week after it happened.
Forgot about the moniker "FID"....First in Defense!
BTW...thank you for attacking that fire AE 606!

In all seriousness I was too busy to notice. Some crazy thing of working flight ops to flight ops.

 

[SteveG75]

Not a flight deck fire, but the tailpipe came apart while in tension on Cat 3.

 

[SynixMan]

Not a flight deck fire, but the tailpipe came apart while in tension on Cat 3.

Crew bailout or eject?

 

[feddoc]

I lived on the FID for 3 cruises, never really noticed any scorched marks except for that one KA6D that caught fire getting ready to launch on the waist. I grabbed a young airman that was running away from the fire. I told him his home was on fire and he needed to help put it out. We then grabbed a hose to attack the fire.

Good times!

Sort of along those lines.....during my ASO time, one of the mishaps was a fire on the flight line. Hornet, repeat LGEN gripes so the civilian techs were in the process of replacing the generator. Ordies across the hall notice that the LGEN plane is on fire. So, the techs fixing it jumped down/off of the airplane and ran towards the hangar. Ordies ran towards the fire to put it out. HUGE difference in accountability. That mishap turned out to be a huge mess WRT cause and other issues regarding accountability.

 

[SteveG75]

Crew bailout or eject?

Seats are still in the jet and ladders are down. :banghead_

B/N jettisoned the canopy. Knocked a silversuit off the turtleback where he was trying to open the canopy manually (disconnect from hydraulic ram). Crew climbed out. B/N flew the next day, pilot day after.

 

[A4sForever]

What's that round thing under the nose ???

What's that big, big 'penis-y' looking thing on top of the nose ???

Which end is up ???

Why is the aircraft all creamy ???

Who's on first ???

Is that stuff all over the place soap ???

Aren't those guys hot in all those clothes ???

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

What's that round thing under the nose ???

What's that big, big 'penis-y' looking thing on top of the nose ???

Which end is up ???

Why is the aircraft all creamy ???

Who's on first ???

Is that stuff all over the place soap ???

Aren't those guys hot in all those clothes ???

If you weren't new to the forum I'd point this post out to A4s so he could kick your newbie butt!

 

[rondebmar]

...Early '60's cruise on Sara...in the Med...during NATO exercise...everything on the "roof" loaded w/live ordnance...night flight deck crash...we damn near lost her...scary...I'll post more about it later...

Was a nugget flying Spads with VA-35 (CAG 3) in CVA-60 (Saratoga)...1963...as noted above, night flight ops in progress...was in my stateroom as a real serious GQ rings out..."this is not a drill...flight deck crash"...down to the RR...to listen to 20MM cooking off, and stare at the PLAT for hours.

Had an A4 trap aboard in the middle of the "pull forward" preparing for next launch...Fresnel lens system on, no paddles on platform (they were enroute)...A4 driver (O-4) doing practice CCA's lands, #3 wire...pilot OK, but all hell breaks loose...busted up planes, AvGas & JP-4 burning everywhere...cool heads topside push ten (10) loaded or burning A/C loaded with Mk 80 series bombs over the side...no "high order" explosions result...casualties total one fatal, about two serious (AG wire took off limbs)...several burns...

Had b'fast with the ship's DCA next AM...told me ship used 72% of our fog/foam! Our squadron skipper was airborn with a division...bingoed to divert field...told us upon return, the enormous glare of the on-board fire on the black horizon indicated to him boat might not be there for their return!

Normal ops continued the next day...got to drop lots of live ordnance...