1970 — Aug 3, storm/lightning, Navy P3A Orion turbulence breakup, ~Searchlight, NV– 10
–10 Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. United States Navy… Orion, 03 Aug 1970.
–10 B3A. “Crash of a Lockheed P-3 Orion in Nevada: 10 killed.” Accessed 4-6-2017.
–10 Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (150139 to 156169). 10-29-2011.
–10 Kingsport News, TN. “Lightning Strikes Antisubmarine Plane, 10…Killed.” 8-5-1970, 3.
–10 Nevada Dept. of Cultural Affairs. “Nevada Register of Historic Places Registration Form.”
–10 Nevada State Journal. “Navy Turbojet Crash Kills 10,” August 4, 1970. p. 1.
Narrative Information
On a flight from Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nevada, to North Island Naval Air Station, San Diego, California, the Navy Orion, with a crew of ten, enters an area of thunderstorm activity over Nevada, experiences structural failure, and crashes fifty miles south of Las Vegas.
Aviation Safety Network: “The Orion entered an area of thunderstorm activity and reportedly broke up and crashed.” (ASN. Accident Description. United States Navy Lockheed P-3A-55-LO Orion, 03 Aug 1970. 4-21-2005.)
Baugher: “152159 (VP-17) crashed Aug 3, 1970 50 mi S of Las Vegas, NV after inflight explosion. 10 killed.” (Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (150139 to 156169). 10-29-2011.)
Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs: “Eyewitnesses near the site from this area during this era indicated that they had seen signs of the P3-A Orion military aircraft going down via ‘a lightning flash in a dark cloud followed by burning debris falling to the desert floor.’….
“By official report, the most probable cause of the crash was ignition of fuel vapor in the left wing cell by a lightning strike. This reportedly caused the failure of the left wing in flight and the subsequent inflight break-up of the aircraft….
“Searchlight, which hosts the monument to the crew members that went down with the P3, is a retirement community and small historical mining town about 55 miles south of Las Vegas on Hwy 95. It has a population of about 1,000 with a 3450 foot elevation….The historic mining town sits fourteen miles up hill from the beautiful Cottonwood Cove on Lake Mohave….
“Significant Persons to P3.
“LT. Timothy D. Bailing of Kensington, PA, born 16 October, 1944 in Kensington, PA, entered the Navy in 1966 and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1967. Graduate of Penn State University. He was designated a Command Pilot in P-3 aircraft in April 1970. Entitled to wear the National Defense Medal, Vietnam Services Medal, and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
“LT Norman L. Johnson, born September 2, 1940 in Iron Mountain, MI. Graduate of Michigan Tech. Commissioned at the Officer Candidate School. Served as a Navigation Instructor. Entitled to wear the National Defense Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnamese Service Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
“LTJG Henry J. McGreevey, born in Newark, Ohio, December 20, 1944. Entered the Navy in 1968 and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1968. He was a Naval Academy Graduate. He was undergoing instruction for designation as a copilot in the P3 aircraft. Entitled to wear the National Defense Service Medal.
“ADJ1 Ambrose Ordonia, born in San Francisco, California November 11, 1937. He was a flight
engineer with a total of 3961 flight hours in the P3 aircraft. Entitled to wear the National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Air Medal Third Star, Good Conduct Medal Third Star.
“ADJ1 Johnny D. Shelton, born 31 October 1932 in Chester, MS. Flight engineer trainee for VP-17. Entitled to wear the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal 2nd Star.
“ATN3 Cletus L. Morrison, born 14 September 1946 in Elreno, OK . Attended Oklahoma State
University. Entitled to wear the National Defense Service Medal.
“AW3 John D. Maas, born 16 July 1949 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Radar Operator. Entitled to wear the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Korea).
“AW3 John W. Schmitz, born 18 October 1947 in Madera, CA . Attended Fresno State College. Sensor Operator in VP-17. Entitled to wear the National Defense Medal.
“AW3 Michael A. Silvers, born 11 May 1948 in Oakland, CA. Attended The University of Idaho. Flight Observer. Entitled to wear the National Defense Medal.
“AW3 Bruce E. Weaver, born 8 November 1944 in Englewood, New Jersey. Graduate of Vanderbilt University. Sensor Operator in VP-17. Entitled to wear the National Defense Medal and The Vietnam Service Medal.
“All of the above crew members perished in the crash.”
(Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historic Preservation Office. “Nevada Register of Historic Places Registration Form. Zulu Echo Six Monument in Searchlight, Nevada and the VP-17 P3 Buno 152159 Wreck Site near by.”)
Newspapers
Aug 4, United Press International: “Searchlight, NV — UPI – Ten persons were killed Monday when a Navy antisubmarine warfare plane exploded in flight during a lightning storm 10 miles northwest of this small desert community. The charred wreckage of the P3B Orion, a four-engine turboprop, was scattered over a quarter mile area around a remote ridge. There were no survivors… a foreman at the El Dorado power plant said ‘the plane just exploded in midair and came down in a fiery crash.’
“The Orion, a military configuration of the Lockheed Electra, took off from Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, Nev., at 3:30 p.m. and faded from radar screens at 4 p.m.
“The crew of 10 was bound for their home field at Barber’s Point, Hawaii by way of North Island Naval Air Station, San Diego, Calif.” (Nevada State Journal. “Navy Turbojet Crash Kills 10,” August 4, 1970.)
Aug 5: “Searchlight, Nev. (UPI) – Lightning apparently struck a military antisubmarine warfare plane seconds before it exploded in flight Monday killing all 10 navy men aboard. A spokesman for the Clark County sheriff’s office said the aircraft, a P3B Orion, was on a routine training flight when it encountered a lightning storm. The spokesman said one witness reported the four engine turboprop aircraft was hit by lightning bolt and exploded.
“The charred wreckage of the craft was scattered over a quarter mile area near a remote ridge 10 miles northwest of this small desert community….
“The victims, three Navy officers and seven enlisted men, were not immediately identified….” (Kingsport News, TN. “Lightning Strikes Antisubmarine Plane, 10 Navy Men Killed.” 8-5-1970, p. 3.)
Sources
Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. United States Navy Lockheed P-3A-55-LO Orion, 03 Aug 1970. Accessed 3-3-2009 at: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19700803-1
Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (150139 to 156169). Oct 29, 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries19.html
Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. “Crash of a Lockheed P-3 Orion in Nevada: 10 killed.” Accessed 4-6-2017 at: http://www.baaa-acro.com/1970/archives/crash-of-a-lockheed-p-3-orion-in-nevada-10-killed/
Kingsport News, TN. “Lightning Strikes Antisubmarine Plane, 10 Navy Men Killed.” 8-5-1970, 3. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=75995766
Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historic Preservation Office. “Nevada Register of Historic Places Registration Form. Zulu Echo Six Monument in Searchlight, Nevada and the VP-17 P3 Buno 152159 Wreck Site near by.” Accessed at: http://www.ghspaulding.com/NV%20HISTORIC%20PLACES%20REG%20FORM.pdf
Nevada State Journal, Reno. “Navy Turbojet Crash Kills 10,” August 4, 1970. p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=17286284&firstvisit=true&src=search¤tResult=0