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Contact Info
Home Town Corsicana
Date of Passing Jun 18, 1972
Location of Interment Oakwood Cemetary - Corsicana, Texas
Narrative:
On June 18, 1972, F-111A s/n 67-0082 crashed shortly after takeoff, in Choctawtchee Bay, Florida, three miles from Eglin AFB. A fuel fire caused by an open fuel cap on the top of the fuselage was believed to be the cause of the crash. The fuel ran back along the fuselage and was ignited by the afterburners. The fire caused loss of control.
The ejection occurred at 5,484 feet above water. The Ejection system did not work because, somehow, the deployment chute was still in shrink wrapped and placed in the chute bay, not hooked up. The capsule came off but never slowed down and the module impacted the water. Both crew members, Col. Keith Brown and Lt Col James Black, sustained fatal injuries.
F-111A s/n 67-0082 had accumulated 237 flights and 609.4 flight hours.
Aircraft/Missile Information
Model General Dynamics F-111F Aardvark Length 73.49 ft | 22.40 m Width 62.99 ft | 19.20 m Height 17.13 ft | 5.22 m Engine(s) 2 x Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-111 turbofan engines generating 25,100lbs of standard thrust each. Empty Weight 47,840 lbs | 21,700 kg MTOW 100,002 lbs | 45,360 kg Max Speed 914 mph | 1,471 km/h | 794 kts Max Range 2,900 miles | 4,667 km Ceiling 57,907 ft | 17,650 m | 11.0 miles Climb Rate Not Available Hardpoints 5 Armament 1 x 22mm cannon
Mission-specific ordnance can include any of the following:
* F-111A - Initial Production Model Designation; 23 pre-production models produced; Total of 158 at production end fitted with 18,500lb TF30-P-3 powerplants; 42 converted to EF-111A Ravens. * F-111B - Cancelled Fleet Defense Variant of which 5 pre-production models were produced. * F-111C - Australian Export Models of which 24 were produced. * F-111D - 96 Production Models fitted with TF30-P-0 powerplants generating 19,600lbs of thrust each. * F-111E - 94 Production Models of this type. * F-111F - 106 Production Models of this type fitted with TF30-P-111 capable of 25,100lbs of thrust each. * EF-111A "Raven" - Electronic Warfare Model Designation based on converted F-111 "A" models; retired in 1998. * FB-111A - Strategic Model Designation of which 76 were produced; fitted with 2 x additional hardpoints, increased wingspan and TF30-P-7 powerplants generating 20,150lbs of thrust; improved electronics. * F-111G - Converted FB-111A Models for European Theater use; RAAF usage of this model as well. * EF-111A - Electronic Warfare Conversion Models of F-111A series; 42 converted in this way.
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