Seeking info. on Sabreliner T-39d aircraft

[edhaene]

My brother and four other souls died on Nov. 27, 1974 on a T-39, two-engine, six-seat jet training plane out of Pensacola to Battle Creek, Michigan. My brother hitched a ride on the place to come home for Thanksgiving. I have been researching this plane along with other information. I am particularly interested in images of the cabin of the plane and the seating configuration. Or, a detailed description of what the cabin may have looked like at the time. Any other information forum members may have would be so appreciated.

 

[ChuckMK23]

VT-86 I believe would have been the unit affiliated with a T-39 out of NAS Pensacola of that era.

 

[Griz882]

It was, indeed, VT-10. @edhaene I assume your brother was the lone enlisted man on the flight, Patrick D’Haene. Even after all these years I’m sure the loss still stings. Beyond finding that the aircraft crashed at Kellogg airport under icy conditions, there isn’t a lot more out there. The Navy probably has an accident report and you could reach out to them for a copy if you haven’t already. We probably have a few AW types who trained on the T-39 who could offer a description of the training space on the aircraft and where any pax seats might have been located.

 

[Griz882]

Here is a picture of a VT-10 bird.


As you can see this aircraft is Bureau Number 150548, your brother was onboard 150550.

 

[cfam]

It was, indeed, VT-10. @edhaene I assume your brother was the lone enlisted man on the flight, Patrick D’Haene. Even after all these years I’m sure the loss still stings. Beyond finding that the aircraft crashed at Kellogg airport under icy conditions, there isn’t a lot more out there. The Navy probably has an accident report and you could reach out to them for a copy if you haven’t already. We probably have a few AW types who trained on the T-39 who could offer a description of the training space on the aircraft and where any pax seats might have been located.

Paging @ea6bflyr

I can’t say that the seat configuration remained the same throughout the T-39s lifespan, but here’s a description of what they were like in the mid-2000s, just before the Navy stopped flying them. https://www.navy.mil/DesktopModules/ArticleCS/Print.aspx?PortalId=1&ModuleId=724&Article=2166488

The Ns (used for student naval flight officer radar training flights - both air to ground and air to air) had three seats up front (pilot, student, and instructor jump seat between), another student seat in the back with a radar repeater, and I think 1-2 additional passenger seats if memory serves me correctly. The Gs were primarily configured for passengers. They were flown by VT-10, VT-4, and VT-86 at various points throughout their lifespan.

Edit: here are some interior shots of a T-39N. http://aeroexperience.blogspot.com/2011/01/t-39n-centennial-sabreliner-walkaround.html?m=1

I know that your brother was on a T-39D, but as that was also a radar trainer, the interior might have been similar.

 

[Uncle Fester]

The G's had the same seating configuration up front as the N's - Pilot in the left, SNFO in the right seat with the INFO in a folding jumpseat between. Found it kind of annoying to have the instructor literally looking over your shoulder while you worked, frankly. Standard bizjet type seating in the back for six or seven depending on what seat was fitted in the third row, iirc.

I got to climb into an old T-39D once, had the same cabin config as the Ns.

 

[ea6bflyr]

@edhaene, concur with what @cfam & @Uncle Fester said. The only report I could find was this:

BATTLE CREEK, Mich., Nov. 28 (UPI)—Officials of the Federal Aviation Administrition were searching a runway at Kellogg Airport today for portions of a Navy plane that crashed yesterday, killing all five men aboard.

Airport officials said the plane, on a training mission from Pensacola, Fla., crashed during a second approach.

Killed were Lieut. Lowell Cunningham, 30 years old; Lieut. Leonard Fallon, 28; Lieut. Bruce Orr, 24; Ensign Michael Strole, 24, and E3 Patrick D'Haene, 22.

Other info online states that the plane crashed during icing conditions.

 

[Swanee]

I'm at Battle Creek, I can reach out to the base ops guys on the other side of the field (we don't have airplanes on the ramp anymore) and see if they have any info about the mishap they can share.

 

[edhaene]

VT-86 I believe would have been the unit affiliated with a T-39 out of NAS Pensacola of that era.

Thank you so much! These photos are so helpful.

 

[edhaene]

Here is a picture of a VT-10 bird.

View attachment 41711
As you can see this aircraft is Bureau Number 150548, your brother was onboard 150550.

Thank you so much for this information! It really helps.

 

[edhaene]

I'm at Battle Creek, I can reach out to the base ops guys on the other side of the field (we don't have airplanes on the ramp anymore) and see if they have any info about the mishap they can share.

Thank you so much for this generous offer. I so appreciate it. Any info would be helpful.

 

[edhaene]

It was, indeed, VT-10. @edhaene I assume your brother was the lone enlisted man on the flight, Patrick D’Haene. Even after all these years I’m sure the loss still stings. Beyond finding that the aircraft crashed at Kellogg airport under icy conditions, there isn’t a lot more out there. The Navy probably has an accident report and you could reach out to them for a copy if you haven’t already. We probably have a few AW types who trained on the T-39 who could offer a description of the training space on the aircraft and where any pax seats might have been located.

Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

 

[UMichfly]

I'm at Battle Creek, I can reach out to the base ops guys on the other side of the field (we don't have airplanes on the ramp anymore) and see if they have any info about the mishap they can share.

Let's be real, we probably still have people in the squadron who were on the ramp wrenching on A-37s then 😅

 

[edhaene]

Funniest quote I've seen in a long while. I have a friend who is a retired controller! 😂

"Air Traffic Controllers are whores, treat them as such".

-Best debrief ever...

 

[Swanee]

Let's be real, we probably still have people in the squadron who were on the ramp wrenching on A-37s then 😅

There is definitely a grumpy chief around here who probably had his name on a P-51! 😂