ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, February 23, 1996 TAG: 9602230068
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Los Angeles Times
The Navy grounded its entire fleet of F-14 warplanes for three days Thursday after one of the twin-engine fighters crashed into the Persian Gulf, the third crash of the sometimes-controversial jet in less than a month and the 32nd by an F-14 since 1991.
A Navy spokesman, Lt. Greg Geisen, said both crewmen survived the crash of the ``Tomcat'' during air operations off the aircraft carrier Nimitz. Although the Nimitz is helping to enforce the ``no fly'' zone over Iraq, the F-14 involved in the incident was engaged in routine training not directly related to the aftermath of the Gulf war.
The accident followed the crash off the California coast on Sunday of an F-14 from the carrier Carl Vinson and a crash of another F-14 near Nashville, Tenn., late last month. All four crewmen were killed in the earlier crashes.
``In light of the three recent mishaps involving both F-14 As and Ds, the Navy has ordered a 72-hour stand-down,'' Geisen said. ``It is prudent to temporarily suspend routine flight operations for all F-14s in order to assess available information and determine if any procedural or other modifications to F-14 operations are warranted.''
Geisen described the grounding as a ``collective deep breath'' to allow the Navy to review procedures, operations and training.
Each of the three planes to crash was based at Miramar Naval Air Station near San Diego, although they were from different squadrons.
The $32 million F-14 has been the mainstay of carrier-based aviation for more than two decades. Although the warplane has long attracted criticism, it remains the Navy's most effective air superiority fighter, providing air cover for the carrier battle group and for ground-attack aircraft.
LENGTH: Short : 42 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Map by AP.by CNB