Navy Crashes May Be Linked to Afterburner

A Navy investigation into a series of recent F-14 crashes is focusing on a possible afterburner problem, a defense official said Tuesday.

The Navy last week ordered a total ban on the use of engine afterburners on F-14B and D models. The ban initially applied only to altitudes below 10,000 feet.

The defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was “reasonable to infer” from the extended ban that the probe is focusing on the afterburner.

“We have not found any similarities in the three most recent crashes to date,” the defense official said. “But we did see similarity between one in February in California and one two years ago in the Persian Gulf. They were both going at high speeds at low altitude.”

The B and D models carry F-110-GE-400 turbofan engines with afterburners. The engines are built by General Electric Co.

Mounted on the rear of fighter jet engines, afterburners provide extra thrust by mixing additional fuel with hot exhaust.