REVIEW OF STATUS ON TACKLE AIRCRAFT LOSS 21 JUNE 1966

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP68B00724R000100070005-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 16, 2002
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: June 23, 1966
• Content Type: BRIEF

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23 June 1966
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BRIEFING MEMORANDUM FOR THE DD/S&T
SUBJECT: Review of Status on TACKLE Aircraft Loss 21 June 1966
1. TACKLE U-2 number 384 departed 21/02002
on a routine training mission. Primary purpose of the flight was a long
range (5. 5 hour) high altitude training mission to validate fuel consumption
data.
Prior to this flight he had logged a total of 3, 208 hours flying time, of
which 230 hours were in the U-2. He had completed six operational over-
flight missions in the U-2. A full complement of systems, including new
lightweight B and tracker cameras, was aboard.
2. Pilot of the aircraft was
gave the first indication of trouble.
The firstlI chirp revealed DC and AC generators out, RPM below 75
per cent and autopilot disengaged. The last =chirp occurred sixteen
seconds after report of initial failure and indicated cockpit pressurization
above 35, 000 feet. A pressure sensitive switch should have disabled the
SSB transmitter and terminated =transmissions at that time.
4. Any of the four failures noted above would have triggered"
however, all appeared on the first chirp, indicating they occurred
simultaneously or in very rapid sequence. Since the DC generator should
function until RPM approaches 35 per cent, it appears that engine rundown
may have been rapid. This could occur with engine seizure or disinte-
gration. Teardown and inspection of the engine by the Board of Investi-
gation should assist in determining the exact cause of failure.
5. At 0642Z Okinawa lost radar contact with the aircraft at a
point approximately 165 NM from Naha Air Base (see attached map) and
apparently did not thereafter regain contact. Although the aircraft IFF
ceased to operate after 0638Z, thus reducing the capability of the radars
Ezck dad iron aubsallc
do+vn.^rclin~ and
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to paint the aircraft, no logical explanation has yet been provided as to
why the radars were unable to skin-paint the aircraft during the approxi-
mately twenty minutes the aircraft was approaching Naha. It appears
that the pilot attempted a power off landing on Okinawa and that he had
full control of the aircraft until he ejected.
6. Eye witnesses state that the aircraft approached the point of
impact (Keraina Island) franY tie wcst and that it vv,-,.s "v_:-:?y cjuic:"
(aircraft was without power). At appro.xln atei;y 3 O feet altitude the
pilot was observed to eject through the canopy of the aircraft. His chute
partially deployed and then wrapped around his body. He impacted the
water in this condition. Local fisherman recovered the body and a USAF
helicopter removed it to Naha.AB, Okinawa.
8. After the pilot ejected, the aircraft spir:alled slightly to
the right, struck the water and broke up very near the shoreline of
Kerama Island. Recovery of the wreckage is being accomplished by a
US Army tug under control of the 313th Air Division, Okinawa. Wreckage
will be moved from Naha Navy Pier to the secure end of Naha AB and
then
n transported to
this weekend`
via USAF C-124, probably not
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9. An Accident Investigation Board has been convened and is
scheduled to arrive on June 25. We expect that approxi-
mately two weeks will be required to complete the investigation. U-2
aircraft at 0 have been grounded until the investigation has been
completed and corrective actions, if any, accomplished. Based on past
experience, it can be assumed that will require at least two addi- 25X1A
tional weeks for refresher training and restoration of pilot confidence
in the aircraft prior to resumption of operational activities (approximately
1 August 1966).
10. Loss of Article 384 reduces the Agency/SAC inventory to
sixteen U-2 aircraft. SAC now has ten aircraft, two of which are at
Lockheed undergoing convc sion to the J-75 configuration, and not avail-
able for operational activities. CIA now has six U-2 aircraft of which
five are operationally ready. Their locations and status are listed as
follows:
HANDLE VIA
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Edwards AFB
Edwards AFB
Edwards AFB
Lockheed
Operationally Ready
Operationally Ready
Operationally Ready
Out of Commission
348
349
381
359
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Article 359 is being modified, to accept Systems 20 and 22 and will be
used for the operational testing of those systems, now scheduled for
late July 1966.
11. I I are operationally ready in the TACKLE U-2
aircraft with a total of ten missions left in their combat tour. Two other
pilots have completed their U-2 training at
and are scheduled to begin training in the J-75 configured U-2 on 5 July
1966. In order to speed up their type conversion, we are considering
completing their training at Edwards AFB in our unit there. It is antici-
pated that they will be operationally ready between 15 August and
1 September 1966.
Attachment:
Map
Addendum
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DD/OSA/JACunningham. Jr:dbt (5684 - 23 June 1966)
Distribution:
#1 - DD/S&T
#2 - DD/S&T
#3 - D/R/GIA
#4 - C/ FE Div
#5 - DD/OSA
#6 - DD / OSA
#7 -' RB/OSA
#8- D/FA/OSA
#9 - SAL/OSA
#10-ID/OSA
#11-IDEA/OSA
CONTROL SYSTEM
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