Over 400 military aircraft crash sites located in Arizona, New Mexico and Southern California from WWII through the Cold War.

 

Grumman A-6E Intruder #149941, crashed September 30, 1983 south of Kingman, Arizona

Summary:  This Intruder was assigned to VA-34 (Attack Squadron 34), the Blue Blasters, and had just completed a cruise on the aircraft carrier USS America in May. The plane and crew were with the Atlantic Fleet and stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, but were traveling cross country on a low-level navigation training flight. The pilot, Lt. David McCullough and Navigator, Lt. Nickolus Harman had just departed Yuma MCAS at 4:30 pm and headed north when they impacted Black Mesa just outside of Oatman, Arizona. Not too much is known as the Navy report is heavily redacted. However, what is known is that during a heavy rainstorm the low-flying Intruder skimmed the top of the mesa and barely impacted a small ridge, causing it to skid along the terrain for over a quarter mile, killing both crewmen.

A long hike; the truck is parked by the base of the mountain in the center-right. Standing where the plane first hit, looking into the valley where it came to rest. Outer wing panel.

 

General debris field. This component housed some of the electronic gear. Remarkably good shape for having been in the elements for 25 years.

 

A data tag confirming the plane type. The main spar and landing gear. The survival container found under the ejection seats.

 

Part of the parachute. One of the aircraft's panels. This must be a scope for navigating or sighting in on a target.

 

One of the crewmen's lapboard. A rudder pedal. Canopy release handle.

 

The rear portion of the cockpit. A take off reminder data plate. A thermos holder.

 

One of the Intruder's original crewmen. The other... The Intruder's unique windscreen.

 

The main gear. The Navy painted almost everything with yellow paint to ID this as a known crash. The culprit.

 

Canopy frame with the two rear-view mirrors. Drinking water from the survival kit. The chaff compartment.

 

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