Phoenix Air Learjet crashes near San Clemente Island

a reply to: Zaphod58

Seen two of their jets last year used as mimicking missiles at white sands.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: M5xaz

Off the top of my head there was an A-6 during RIMPAC in the 90s, and a Lear in Taiwan. Both were cases of the wrong target being tracked.

If such incidents are known repeated occurrences, isn't "friendly fire" the much more likely cause of the destruction of TWA Flight 800, given that it was flying through a Navy live fire exercise ?

The center tank BS "theory" for TWA 800 was, is and always will be BS:
- Never occurred in any other 747
- Never occurred in any other Boeing
- Never occurred in any other airliner from any other manufacturer in any country
- Never occurred in any military jet
- Never occurred in any other airplane since the Wright brothers

a reply to: M5xaz

No, because live fire exercises take place away from busy air routes, and there are NOTAMs in place well beforehand. There were no NOTAMs found about a live fire in that area, and someone pointed out the ships supposedly involved didn’t show in that area.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: chris_stibrany

I'm sure that was it, and it had nothing to do with the fact that they tow targets for live fire training, which is crazy dangerous.

I was in 10 AA Regiment South African Defence Force. One day (1989 or 1990, I forget) we were at Black Rock (False Bay, Western Cape) with our 35mm Oerlikons and a bunch of eggheads (SA and Swiss) testing a new computerised radar to gun automated target acquisition that the Swiss had given us (defying the arms embargo, but that's another story).
Anyway a Dakota, Skymaster or airforce Learjet (I think it was a Lear) used to tow a drone for us to fire at (basically a huge black windsock type thing with metal threads woven in). This day it was a Dakota, and as it was towing the target (about a 1km behind), our radar locked on and opened fire. Unfortunately, the radar locked onto the plane and not the drone.
The pilot reported he had just taken a round through the fuselage (round didnt explode for some reason), told us to f-off, dropped the tow, and headed back to Ysterplaat (Wester Cape).

The Coast Guard has suspended the search for the missing crew. They searched for over 24 hours before suspending the search.

The aircraft was one of two participating in a Navy exercise as FENIX01. They departed Pt Mugu, and ADS-B shows them climbing to 15,000 feet normally. Approximately 24 minutes after takeoff, ADS-B shows changes in ground speed, and a descending left turn down to 8,000 feet was noted, followed by a right turn. The aircraft descended to 2500 feet and began another turn at 2,000 feet. The last ADS-B ping showed them at 1100 feet, 267 knots, with a -2000 fpm descent rate. Unconfirmed reports say that the aircraft had an IFE and was attempting to land at San Clemente, 17 miles north of their last reported position.

Who wer the 3 men

Who wer they married too??

Who wer they suing

Where did they work

Did they own patents??

So many more questions

a reply to: Dyax-

Right, because the only time planes ever crash is when They are trying to kill someone.

originally posted by: deltaalphanovember

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: chris_stibrany

I'm sure that was it, and it had nothing to do with the fact that they tow targets for live fire training, which is crazy dangerous.

I was in 10 AA Regiment South African Defence Force. One day (1989 or 1990, I forget) we were at Black Rock (False Bay, Western Cape) with our 35mm Oerlikons and a bunch of eggheads (SA and Swiss) testing a new computerised radar to gun automated target acquisition that the Swiss had given us (defying the arms embargo, but that's another story).
Anyway a Dakota, Skymaster or airforce Learjet (I think it was a Lear) used to tow a drone for us to fire at (basically a huge black windsock type thing with metal threads woven in). This day it was a Dakota, and as it was towing the target (about a 1km behind), our radar locked on and opened fire. Unfortunately, the radar locked onto the plane and not the drone.
The pilot reported he had just taken a round through the fuselage (round didnt explode for some reason), told us to f-off, dropped the tow, and headed back to Ysterplaat (Wester Cape).

This is why I love ATS.

Phoenix Air confirmed that all three on board were employees of the company. The victims were identified as Eric Tatman, Spencer Geerlings, and Shane Garner.