P-3 Tanker Crash

Joe Scheil · **Posted:** Fri Apr 22, 2005 3:09 pm

On Wednesday Tanker 26, an Aero Union P-3A tanker was destroyed during a practice/crew qualification flight north of Chico, California. All three crewmembers were killed. Spare a thought for the mechanics and pilots in this industry that is currently fighting for its very survival against daunting Federal opposition.

Does anyone have a Bu breakdown of all P-3's that have gone to the civil side as both flyers and parts birds?

TimAPNY · **Posted:** Fri Apr 22, 2005 3:31 pm

I read that, really sucks. My prayers to the family.

And the Ground Crews. I know how much it sucks when you loose an A/C and a life with it. There is that horribly needed CYA going on and the Question "Did I Screw up?" in the back of your mind. Not a fun time for the wrench turners (or box swappers as was my case).

Shay · **Posted:** Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:00 pm

My feelings and prayers go out to the familys, friends and co-workers. I've lost several co-worker friends in the past fews years. I know what they're feeling and it never gets easy. I wish them all my best.

Shay

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:03 pm

Does anyone know the Bu No??? I wonder if it was one of our VP-69 birds? We had the oldest birds in the Navy all a models from the mid 60s.

Scott Rose · **Posted:** Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:26 pm

Tanker 26 is this aircraft:

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/orionreg ... 52731.html

My condolences to the families and friends of those lost.

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Fri Apr 22, 2005 11:07 pm

not to much different from restored flying warbirds that are on the airshow circuit, these fire bombers are old too, period, except that they take a tremendous amount of abuse / massive g- force enducing manuevers while fighting fires. airshow warbirds make a couple of low slow, & straight passes to the ooohs & ahhhs of the paying crowd of attendees. the structural stresses of these ww 2 to vietnam birds while fire bombing can only be imagined, bottom line.... nothing is built to last forever!!! god bless the crash victims. regards, tom

Joe Scheil · **Posted:** Sat Apr 23, 2005 1:49 am

respectfully, very different. Like not in the same species. Comparing apples to Plymouth Superbirds for example.

airnutz · **Posted:** Sat Apr 23, 2005 3:35 am

Yup, Joe's right...Aero Union..by anything I've ever read or heard is a top-
notch professional outfit. Full maintainence, repair, and engineering
expertise. The cart is a bit before the horse..as the NTSB has yet had
the chance to render any word on the circumstances of this unfortunate
event. So we oughta' wait before we surmise the causes.

There is an additional tragic note to this story. The pilot..Paul Cockrell of
the P-3, was the brother of the pilot of the last accident Aero Union
suffered back in 1995! Gary Cockrell, while piloting a DC-4 during the
Anza/Borrego fire in 1995 was involved in a collision with a Beech
"spotter aircraft", which resulted in the death of himself, his co-pilot, and
the Beech driver. Truly sad for the Cockrell family....their second loss in 10 yrs...sad for all the families involved....as well as the Aero Union family.

My condolences....
Jim

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Sat Apr 23, 2005 6:43 am

i stand partially corrected, my point being the age / longevity factor of fire bombers as they are usually surplus & often war weary. on the grand scale there are very little accidents over the past years, a real tribute to the top notch work done by the a & e mechanics. regards, tom

Joe Scheil · **Posted:** Sat Apr 23, 2005 10:04 am

The ultimate P-3 reference!

http://home.wxs.nl/~p3orion/p3alr.html

I don't know where this came from but it has them all! Save it to excel>

The P-3 Tankers

150510 N917AU parts? 5036
150513 N920AU #20 5039
150516 ex Spanish Navy, now Chico
151372 N923AU #23 5085
151387 N922AU #22 5100
152731 N926AU #26 5171
151391 N900AU #00 5104
151369 N927AU #27 5082
151385 N921AU #21 5098
151361 N925AU #25 5074

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P-3 Tanker Crash

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