# Navy Plane Missing Off North Carolina



## ccheese (Aug 16, 2007)

*Search continues for 3 aviators missing off carrier Truman *

By LOUIS HANSEN, The Virginian-Pilot 
August 16, 2007 | Last updated 12:44 PM Aug. 16 



> NORFOLK
> The Navy and Coast Guard continue today to search for three crew members aboard a twin-engine Navy radar plane that crashed late Wednesday night while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman.
> 
> The crew of the E-2C Hawkeye from Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 120 went into the Atlantic about 11 p.m. following its launch from the Truman, the Navy said. The Truman is training 150 miles southeast of the Virginia Capes.
> ...


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## FLYBOYJ (Aug 16, 2007)

Wow!

I saw a Hawkeye crash at Point Mugu - I think it sucked a bird. The crew walked away


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## SoD Stitch (Aug 16, 2007)

FLYBOYJ said:


> Wow!
> 
> I saw a Hawkeye crash at Point Mugu - I think it sucked a bird. The crew walked away



"Sucked a bird"? Did it go into the engine? Or just through the prop? Wouldn't it have to get past the prop to get into the turbine?


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Aug 16, 2007)

Wow this sucks! I pray for there rescue.


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## FLYBOYJ (Aug 16, 2007)

SoD Stitch said:


> "Sucked a bird"? Did it go into the engine? Or just through the prop? Wouldn't it have to get past the prop to get into the turbine?


Into the engine and canned it and yes, it got through the prop (but we'll never know if in one piece). 

I happen to be there with VP-65 doing part of my yearly AT. I saw the guy doing touch and goes (I was working on a P-3 engine facing the runway on a B4 stand) and the next thing I saw was a cloud of dust at the end of the north/ south runway (the E2 was heading south). I ran to the edge of the taxiway and by that time every ES person on the base was on scene. Here's the the blurb from the Navy Times for June 2000.

"On 9 May 2000, an E-2C Hawkeye of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 116, operating at its home base of NAS Point Mugu, Calif., was damaged when it struck the ground after a bird strike."


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## ccheese (Aug 18, 2007)

In today's (Norfolk) Virginian Pilot, the Navy has declared the three missing
pilots dead. They were Lt. Cameron N Hall, 30, of Natchitoches, LA; Lt. Ryan
K. Betton, 31, of Collinsville, VA and Lt(jg) Jerry R. Smith, 26, of Greensville,
MA. Betton and Hall were instructors with Carrier Airborne Early Warning
Squadron 120, Smith was a student. 

Charles


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## FLYBOYJ (Aug 18, 2007)




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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Aug 19, 2007)

Yes unfortunatly they were declaired dead and missing. The Search was called off.


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## mkloby (Aug 19, 2007)




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## ToughOmbre (Aug 19, 2007)

These men that protect us and this country are engaged in a very dangerous business. It's much appreciated by those they protect and it is *NEVER* taken for granted.


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## Gnomey (Aug 21, 2007)




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