NAS Patuxent River, Md. –
A lieutenant commander instructor pilot and his ensign replacement pilot (RP) briefed for the new pilot’s first night training flight in an E-2 Hawkeye. A complete brief was conducted, the aircraft was signed for and preflight performed. The Hawkeye launched from home plate and proceeded to a nearby airfield. The RP was in the left seat, the instructor in the right.
Nearing the vicinity of the airfield, a tactical air navigation approach was conducted. Following the approach, the E-2 was cleared into the night visual flight rules landing pattern. Eleven approaches were flown with various flap configurations: full, two-thirds, one-third and none. Of these, eight were terminated with touch-and-go landings.
Approximately one hour after takeoff and still in the pattern, the aircraft reported the abeam position with three down and locked for a touch-and-go, with the port engine simulated out. This pass was completed as a simulated single-engine landing with a takeoff using power on both engines.
Following this approach another single-engine approach was flown to a touch-and-go landing. Liftoff was accomplished with one engine simulated feathered to emulate a single-engine bolter (the procedures for a single-engine waveoff or bolter are identical). After performing the proper procedures, a single-engine climb was accomplished and the E-2 commenced a turn downwind for another simulated single-engine approach. Abeam the runway, the E-2 reported, “Three down and locked, touch-and-go.”
During the approach, a jet in the pattern, also conducting touch-and-go operations, distracted both pilots. The single-engine approach was flown fast and the instructor noted the aircraft tended to float in close.
As the Hawkeye neared the touchdown point, the instructor added power to the starboard engine (simulated feathered) and told the RP, “Take both engines and let’s go.”
Immediately an explosion was noted in the starboard engine. The RP reacted by reducing power in order to keep the aircraft on the runway. The starboard propeller contacted the runway, followed immediately by the port propeller. The aircraft had landed gear up on the centerline, approximately 2,500 feet down the runway, and departed it to the left.
The plane came to a stop left of the runway, a little past midfield. The starboard side of the E-2 was in flames as the pilots exited via the overhead hatch. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The instructor was not wearing flight gloves and suffered minor burns on his hands.
