USAF Corsair II Down (Indianapolis, US) (1987)








Channel: News
Uploaded: February 29, 2008 at 4:36 am
Author: nighthawk006

Length: 00:01:45
Rating: 5.00
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Webmaster Video Comments: On the morning of October 20, 1987, a United States Air Force A-7D Corsair II piloted by Major Bruce L. Teagarden was en route to Nevada after departing Pittsburgh International Airport earlier in the day. At 9:11 a.m., Teagarden notified controllers at Indianapolis International Airport that his aircraft had sustained some sort of engine failure approximately 15 miles southwest of the city and he was returning to Indianapolis to attempt an emergency landing.Controllers at Indianapolis routed Teagarden to Runway 5L, but due to the low cloud ceiling and poor visibility conditions over Indianapolis, Teagarden was at 3100 feet MSL when he came to the threshold and was forced to make an alternate plan to land on Runway 32 instead.Teagarden made a right turn to head east away from the airport, but continued to drop from 3100 feet to 2000 feet just to the east of Interstate 465 at the eastern edge of the airport where controllers lost him from the radar.As his altitude dropped, Teagarden was forced to eject from the aircraft 500 feet above ground, and the plane made a slight left turn towards the Park Fletcher business development. It struck the Bank One branch in the 5600 block of Bradbury Avenue, bounced off the roof, flew across the street and hit an embankment, went 25 feet airborne, and then crashed into the front of the Ramada Inn.As the plane crashed into the Ramada Inn, the cockpit and engine went into the lobby, killing nine people. The wings went into the upper floors of the top of the carport and upper floors of the hotel. The jet fuel on board ignited on impact, causing a fireball that covered the entire front of the hotel up to the fourth floor.Indianapolis Airport crash trucks arrived on the scene a minute after impact and started to use foam to extinguish the fire, which was under control within the first four minutes. Other elements of the Airport fire department were assigned to search and rescue of the building, while assistance was requested from the Indianapolis Fire Department and the Decatur Township Fire Department.Meanwhile, the hotel was evacuated completely by Ramada Inn staff and guests.Major Teagarden was assigned to the 4450th Tactical Training Group which was involved with the development of the Stealth Fighter.
MerryChristmas2You (November 14, 2008 at 9:26 pm)
brings back memories.i had an apartment about 3 blocks east of where the ramada was.i worked about 3 blocks west of the crash.the bank that was clipped was the primary branch i went to at the time.
Snowman374th (September 30, 2008 at 12:02 am)
I thought it was a british made harrier jump jet that crashed though. Hmm. I was young too.

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