Hydraulics to Blame for ’88 Tomcat Crash in El Cajon, Navy Says

The crash of an F-14A fighter jet that killed one person and injured four others in El Cajon last year was “mostly likely” caused by a failure in the aircraft’s hydraulic system, a Navy report has concluded.

The report also commended Lt. Cmdr. James R. Barnett, the pilot of the crippled Tomcat, for taking “courageous actions” to attempt to steer the plane into an isolated area moments before he ejected.

“When Lt. Cmdr. Barnett did find himself losing control of the aircraft, he stayed with it longer than he should have, at great personal risk to himself and to Lt. (j.g.) Randall L. Furtado,” the report said.

“He did this in an attempt to steer the aircraft away from residential areas. He ejected at the last possible minute and only after he did everything he could to aim it in an unpopulated direction.”

A summary of the report, which investigated the Sept. 12, 1988, air crash, was obtained Wednesday and shows that Navy investigators pinpointed the cause of the accident that claimed the life of Furtado, a student pilot, and resulted in injuries to Barnett and three civilians on the ground at Gillepsie Field.

‘Complete Hydraulic Failure’

“It is clear that this mishap was the result of complete hydraulic failure,” said the report, signed by Vice Adm. John H. Fetterman Jr., commander of the Pacific Fleet Naval Air Force.

Fetterman said the investigating officer had concluded that the total failure was the result of a series of related events triggered by the failure of a relief valve and compounded by some unrelated independent material failures on the aircraft.

He added that the investigation raised the possibility that entrapped air, introduced into the hydraulic system through minor system maintenance, may have contributed to the ultimate system failures that caused the accident.

“I concur that it is the most likely scenario given the available evidence,” Fetterman said.

Although Fetterman said officials could not find a direct link between the hydraulic problem and the aircraft’s maintenance program, he said that any deficiencies in the maintenance program “must be corrected” nationwide.

Rep. Jim Bates (D-San Diego), who said he has reviewed the report, said in a telephone interview Wednesday that he will ask for a review of the entire F-14A fleet.

“This report does identify the hydraulic system failure, and it requires a redesign of that system,” the Democratic congressman from San Diego said. “I’m going to be asking that the 400 other F-14As be retrofitted with this design change.”

Senior Chief Bob Howard of the Naval Air Pacific Command in San Diego said any recommendations in the report will be taken seriously.

Routine Training Flight

“We’re concerned about anything that affects air safety or has an impact on naval aircraft, and we study everything,” he said. “Last fiscal year was our safest year for naval aircraft nationwide. And there’s no such thing as an acceptable number of accidents. We want every day to be error-free and as perfect as possible.”

In the report, Fetterman said the two-man crew of the jet fighter, assigned to the Miramar Naval Air Station, was on a training flight off the coast of Southern California when the plane lost its hydraulic system.

Barnett “turned immediately toward home,” the report said. About 10 minutes from Miramar, the hydraulic pressure fell to zero, but Barnett still managed to control the jet and continued to Miramar.

“Three minutes later, while approaching the field from the southeast, the aircraft began uncommanded movements and the flight controls began to stiffen,” the report said.

“While over the city of El Cajon, he totally lost control, the aircraft rolled violently and the air crew ejected.”