I do, I was under the tree next to it, when it hit, was the first person to get to the pilot..Plane went into a thousand pieces. still haunts me to this day..

Also that same pilot had crashed an A-10 only a week before that in the ocean, just wasn't his plane to be flying..

I was curious about that crash so I googled it today and it landed me here.

I remember that exercise. I think we're talking somewhere between September and November of 1979.

I was a Spec 4 in HQC 4/40 Armor, TDY from Ft. Carson. We had old M60A1 tanks. The operation involved the testing of the new MILES training equipment and as A10's flew by we'd all get turns hitting them with lasers and if you hit one you could set off a light on the plane. They got their turns to light us up too.

The day of the crash, it was afternoon and I was on top of my tank turret unscrewing the antennea at the motor pool. A10s were always flying in low overhead and I didn't see it happen but boy we all felt that crash. Later the next day some of the guys and I went walking over and checked out the crash site. Pieces of aluminum and debris were scattered everywhere, in a line that seemed to go on for quite a walk. The only thing I saw in one piece was the ejected canopy. I was also told that the pilot had ejected directly into the ground.

I was also in 4/40, Bravo Co. I got popped right when the battle started, prolly not one minute into the battle. Just waiting around for the battle to end, when it hit that tree. I was within 50 feet of that tree. There was a tank under the tree that it hit. Also, I was in 4/40 for three years.

Anyone still here, I also was under one of the trees the A-10 hit. I was the truck driver who hauled some kinda Soviet anti aircraft tank.

What's up man, The funny thing about you saying you were pulling some Soviet equipment is, my very first day in the field, I was driving the tank that ran into a Soviet vehicle. Crazy!

Have you read any of the replies?

That's funny, I was in BCo 4/40, stayed in that same unit my entire time in the military. When I left the Army, I had been in that unit longer then anyone else. I had been killed the first minute of that battle, so was just sitting there watching it unfold, saw it coming low, and was in shock when it hit and blew up. Our tank crew all got out and found the pilot, it was a sad thing to see, but he was still alive when we got to him. They said he died on the way to the hospital.

I also decided to Google it today. I was wondering what really happen or the cause of the crash. I see someone above said he clipped a tree. From what I remember we didn't hear any engine noise. All these years I though it was a mechanical problem? I was the first one to the cockpit bathtub when we were looking for the pilot, I really didn't want to look into the cockpit!

The pilot was not in the cockpit, I'm not ever sure I even saw the cockpit, but when I got to the pilot, he was on the ground, with his chute deployed. The plane was actually diving to low, to kill the tank that was under the tree. He was just to low. I also heard he had did the same thing in the ocean a week before that, to low to the water, and hit it? Not sure how true that part is, but I seen the other unfold with my own eyes, less then a 100 yards away. As a matter of fact, I am sure the other tank had been hit, but was not considered dead, just not mobile at the time. Sometimes we were hit, but not killed during those battles. My tank was hit at the very beginning of the battle. Sometimes the tanks would have a bead on us, and when the battle would start, they would get a few of us from the beginning..LOL

I was in a staging area and under the 2nd tree he skipped across the top of, the 3rd tree was were it blew up, from what I remember. actuall one of the engine covers and other debris were all around the area of my tractor trailer. When that fuel ignited it burnt everything for what seemed like a couple football field long.

I remember that, even thought I was getting smoke inhalation while we were looking for him.

Next I'm going to look for the official cause of the crash. It was the 2nd pass over the staging area and all this time I thought he knew we were there and road it out to try and clear us. I always assumed he stayed with the aircraft to the last minute to try and save all us in the staging area. My thoughts are, if its true we should find his family on Facebook or something and thank them. I remember when you guys found the pilot and I was thankful it wasn't me!

I actually was never afraid to fly, until after that day, I can't even get on a plane anymore. I'm sure, if he had any family they would like to here that theory. I'm thinking he was a young single guy? Maybe he still has parents alive, or siblings? Would be a nice thought for them to hear.

I was at Ft. Hunter Liggett for about 14 months, I liked it so much there, I stayed in the rear attachment. Even started hanging out with the lifeguards at the pool, dated the young girl at the little snack bar, hated leaving that place, and going back to Colorado. LOL, but I eventually started like it there also, even married a girl from Colorado Springs.

I was there on TDY from ft ord i was in the back when i saw the air craft go down saw everything. please respond back to me.

Dave

I was there also i was in the back loaded with jp 4 can you get back to me.

Dave.

My email is zzzzcooks@gmail.com please get back to me to confirm this i was there.

Dave.

Yes...I was there also... Instrumentation Company Direct Support Team Bravo ...pulled 24 hour guard duty on the crash site until an investigation team arrived. Wreckage was scattered for miles.

I was there also... Instrumentation Company Direct Support Team Bravo... we had to pull guard duty on the crash site.

As i was telling the other guys that witnessed the accident it flew right over me next thing i know clipped the tree and spun around ejected the pilot right into the ground i still have flash backs. There was another accident involving one of our drivers from our company that ran over a jeep full of soldiers from signal due your know anything about that?

Besides the A-10 crash.. the only other accident I vaguely remember hearing about involved an APC and some guy being injured and/or crushed ? not sure

I just went there this weekend and took pictures of the crash site, nice try you guys from bravo company, you were on the other side of the road, the ZSU 23-4 was under the tree he hit. The battle had just begun and the tanks from alpha company had just left the quiet area where the accident occurred, I recall seeing the jet flying just feet off the tank trail to my right just before we heard the cease fire, freeze over the radio. I took pictures of the crash site, the tree was reduced to ruble recently by a lighting strike, fitting end I guess. It being Memorial Day Iike to honor all who passed in affording us the freedom we enjoy, this pilot is not forgotten and that data gained in TASVAL has shaped how the planes are deployed today. Thanks all, xray nine out!

Hmmmm???? So I guess you are just going to call me a liar? Well, I am so sorry that you remember it different then I do, But I was in B 4/40th and I was in the closest tank to the tank under the tree that was hit. Sorry that you feel like you knew exactly where everyone in the battle was at? My tank was killed the second the battle started, and it is where we went to everyday, to wait on the battles to start. I was the very first person to get to the pilot, So please if you are going to call someone a liar, well you need to have your facts straight.

Can you send me photos in respect of the pilot they will not be published in any form or fashion. Can you send wreckage photos.

Brave Co. S n T 7th Div Ft Ord Ca.

I was assigned to 704th Maint co with 4/40 Armor the commander was Lt Col Barry Roller. I witnessed the crash and I was on the recovery team for body and aircraft. The VA keeps denying my claim for PTSD, the test was called TASVAL and we were there 9 months fortesting. When it started they had tanks flying and a10 in the tank park. Please contact me for phone or address to help my claim. Thanks

I was a crew chief on one of the A-10s.

We brought 8 jets up from Nellis for a 6 month TDY and went home with 6. It wasn't suppose to go that long but kept getting delayed, we were briefed that the tanks had problems in the field due to weather, mud, etc...

We mounted lasers on the Gau-8 which simulated firing the gun. The pilots were initially allowed a 50 foot ceiling to enable them to get closer to the tanks. At the time we were having problems with the engines flaming out due to accumulation of residue from the gun gases and had to clean the blades quite frequently. The particular jet, the first jet to crash, apparently needed a cleaning but didn't get it. At a given angle of attack the engines could stall. The pilot was on landing approach and didn't have the speed or altitude to restart the engines so had to eject. The aircraft broke into several large pieces and was gathered up for shipment back to Nellis. A week later the same pilot was tasked to fly again, with a 50 foot ceiling. The pilot fixated on a tank and went in to strafe it. A known problem, commonly refered to as "target fixation", can occur with pilots when flying combat missions at low altitude. At any rate, this particular pilot lost sight of a tree that happened to be above his ceiling. The wing tip caught the tree and spun the aircraft into the ground. The pilot never knew what happened. He did not initiate the ejection sequence. The impact caused the seat to be jettisoned. The aircraft exploded into what seemed like a million pieces. The remains were brought back to one of the hangars at Lamore, investigations started, we continued with the testing, the pilots were restricted to a ceiling of 200 feet for the remainder of the mission, then we went home. The rest is history.

SgtFox's is the most accurate here so far. I can provide some verification and maybe other details. I was the air operations officer for a six week TDY that ended just before this accident. The TASVAL air ops officer was a USAF pilot in a strike fighter-type aircraft who sat in the main instrumentation trailer during each trial. At the time I was an O-2 flying the A-7D. We basically provided range "air traffic control" for the A-10s. Approaching the holding point off-range, they would call, and the air ops officer would advise them on whether the trial would start as scheduled, etc. Once the trial was underway, I would advise the A-10 flight lead, and clear them into the range airspace. Unfortunately, we were "trapped" in the trailer, so we couldn't come out and see the aircraft (A-10s and Cobras).

A year later my unit was changing to the A-10, and I went on to accumulate about 1200 hours in the A-10, mostly as an instructor pilot. The TASVAL accident was very well publicized. The time of this accident was during the Carter years which were brutally tough on us. There was no money for aircraft parts or training. It was common to come into work and find the scheduling board bloody red with aborts and CNDs (could not deliver). Flying low and tactically effectively requires training. At that time, we were all only checked out to 500' min altitude (or maybe 300'). The ZSU-23-4 and especially the SA-8 required much lower for suvivability. That these TASVAL A-10 pilots were checked out to 50' min altitude was extraordinary ... and we all knew, dangerous. But we also knew that was what was necessary to survive and do the job.

A reality was that even the GAU-8 round did not have a high PK (probability of kill) outside of about 2000' slant range on a Soviet T-72 tank. That meant you had to get in there close on low-angle strafe. The "quad 4" (ZSU-23-4 AAA) was a highly respected threat (nevermind how we got our hands on one), therefore a high value target.

The pilot who perished that day was "fighting that war" as realistically as possible. TASVAL exisited for two reasons: to develop JAAT tactics and measure survivability. IMHO, the ground was always a huge threat in that day. Understanding that reality was dramitically evident in that tragic accident that day. And I can tell you that low-altitude tactics and subsequent training were definately affected by that event in the A-10 community from that time on. So that pilot did not die in vain. We owe him much.

BTW, Wednesday nights at the O'Club at Hunter_Liggett during TASVAL were a lot of fun for a single young buck like myself. Needless to say, there was guest (spectator) entertainment that night of the week. ;-) Bought a lot of drinks for Army commrades on those nights. :-)

Many thanks Sir for the clarification and your insight regarding this tragic event. As a young Army private fresh out of BCT, this was my very first (of many) experience with loss of life of a fellow warrior. May he rest in peace.