OJAI, CA, USA
N39843
BELLANCA 17-30A
USN
GRUMMAN F-14A
THE NAVY PILOT HAD RECEIVED CLEARANCE TO DESCEND FROM 9,000 FT TO 5,000 FT ON A SOUTH-EASTERLY COURSE. THE WESTBOUND BELLANCA WAS CRUISING IN LEVEL FLIGHT AT 8,500 FT. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED. WHEN THE TWO AIRPLANES WERE BETWEEN 100-300 FT OF EACH OTHER, THE NAVY PILOT OBSERVED THE TARGET AND ABRUPTLY PULLED UP. THE BELLANCA PASSED BENEATH THE F-14 AND ENCOUNTERED ITS WAKE. BOTH AIRPLANES LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE BELLANCA'S RIGHT WING'S REAR MAIN WOODEN SPAR WAS FOUND BROKEN. AT THE TIME, THE F-14 WAS BEING RADAR CONTROLLED BY A TRAINEE CONTROLLER UNDER DIRECT SUPERVISION. THE SUPERVISOR HAD OBSERVED THE POSSIBLE TRAFFIC CONFLICT, AND HAD DIRECTED THE TRAINEE TO INFORM THE F-14. RESPONDING TO THE ADVISORY, THE PILOT OF THE F-14 OBSERVED THE TRAFFIC AND TOOK EVASIVE ACTION.
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE SUSTAINED BY THE BELLANCA, N39843, AS A RESULT OF ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE DURING A NEAR-COLLISION WITH A NAVY F-14A.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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