San Bernardino Mountains A-4E Skyhawk 5-2-09

On 9/8/70, the A-4E Skyhawk BuNo 150089 crashed into a canyon in the San Bernardino Mountains . The Marine pilot, Captain Patrick G. Carroll was on a navigation training flight when the Sky ...

2009-08-22T09:51:50Z

Joe Idoni
On 9/8/70, the A-4E Skyhawk BuNo 150089 crashed into a canyon in the San Bernardino Mountains . The Marine pilot, Captain Patrick G. Carroll was on a navigation training flight when the Sky ...

We had a good idea where the crash site was located, but the short and easy route to the site was blocked by private property. By driving around, we were able to locate an area where we coul ...

2009-05-05T11:31:12Z

Joe Idoni
We had a good idea where the crash site was located, but the short and easy route to the site was blocked by private property. By driving around, we were able to locate an area where we coul ...

After hiking about an hour, we reached the area the Skyhawk went down. Looking into this canyon, we could see some large pieces of wreckage at the bottom and a lot of smaller pieces scattere ...

2009-05-05T11:31:50Z

Joe Idoni
After hiking about an hour, we reached the area the Skyhawk went down. Looking into this canyon, we could see some large pieces of wreckage at the bottom and a lot of smaller pieces scattere ...

Zoomed in on some of the wreckage at the bottom of the canyon.

2009-05-03T12:31:01Z

Joe Idoni
Zoomed in on some of the wreckage at the bottom of the canyon.

First piece we came upon.

2009-05-04T11:09:27Z

Joe Idoni
First piece we came upon.

We were finding a lot of small pieces as we hiked down.

2009-05-03T12:43:00Z

Joe Idoni
We were finding a lot of small pieces as we hiked down.

This piece had some tubulators on it.

2009-05-03T12:38:25Z

Joe Idoni
This piece had some tubulators on it.

Another view of the same piece shows some red color.

2009-05-03T12:40:22Z

Joe Idoni
Another view of the same piece shows some red color.

Must be part of the insignia.

2009-05-03T12:41:10Z

Joe Idoni
Must be part of the insignia.

Ryan checking out some of the wreckage. There was a lot of small pieces on this slope.

2009-05-05T11:35:26Z

Joe Idoni
Ryan checking out some of the wreckage. There was a lot of small pieces on this slope.

A piece from a fuel cell.

2009-05-03T12:45:45Z

Joe Idoni
A piece from a fuel cell.

Looks like a piece from the fuselage.

2009-05-03T12:46:09Z

Joe Idoni
Looks like a piece from the fuselage.

Electronic part.

2009-05-05T11:36:48Z

Joe Idoni
Electronic part.

When we reached the bottom, we decided to check the slope on the other side of the canyon before looking at the larger pieces at the bottom. From the top, we saw what looked like a section o ...

2009-05-03T12:48:21Z

Joe Idoni
When we reached the bottom, we decided to check the slope on the other side of the canyon before looking at the larger pieces at the bottom. From the top, we saw what looked like a section o ...

This is the first part I found on the slope, tag said that it's a longitudinal servo.

2009-05-05T12:33:58Z

Joe Idoni
This is the first part I found on the slope, tag said that it's a longitudinal servo.

Looks like a rib from a control surface.

2009-05-05T11:48:51Z

Joe Idoni
Looks like a rib from a control surface.

We were looking for part numbers to confirm that this was an A-4. We didn't find any, but we found lot of pieces that we recognized as coming from an A-4.

2009-05-05T12:34:33Z

Joe Idoni
We were looking for part numbers to confirm that this was an A-4. We didn't find any, but we found lot of pieces that we recognized as coming from an A-4.

Fuselage bulkhead.

2009-05-05T11:53:02Z

Joe Idoni
Fuselage bulkhead.

AN fittings on the bulkhead.

2009-05-05T11:53:26Z

Joe Idoni
AN fittings on the bulkhead.

This looks like a heat exchanger, there was a lot of aluminum tubing wraped on it.

2009-05-05T11:54:56Z

Joe Idoni
This looks like a heat exchanger, there was a lot of aluminum tubing wraped on it.

This is the piece we thought looked like a piece of a wing. Turned out to be a section of the horizontal stab.

2009-05-03T12:50:31Z

Joe Idoni
This is the piece we thought looked like a piece of a wing. Turned out to be a section of the horizontal stab.

Front view of the stab.

2009-05-03T14:20:00Z

Joe Idoni
Front view of the stab.

Close up of some bolts on the stab.

2009-05-04T12:36:17Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of some bolts on the stab.

Me with the stab.

2009-05-03T12:50:54Z

Joe Idoni
Me with the stab.

AN fittings.

2009-05-05T12:01:27Z

Joe Idoni
AN fittings.

This bulkhead looks like it's part of the fin mount.

2009-05-05T11:55:47Z

Joe Idoni
This bulkhead looks like it's part of the fin mount.

Blade from the engine.

2009-05-03T14:20:28Z

Joe Idoni
Blade from the engine.

Smashed piece with BNC connectors on it.

2009-05-04T12:45:46Z

Joe Idoni
Smashed piece with BNC connectors on it.

Close up of the conectors.

2009-05-04T12:46:03Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of the conectors.

Ryan looking at some of the wreckage in the canyon.

2009-05-04T12:47:35Z

Joe Idoni
Ryan looking at some of the wreckage in the canyon.

Looks like the engine's tailpipe. This piece was the start of the wreckage in the canyon. We started up the canyon and work our way down.

2009-05-04T13:20:32Z

Joe Idoni
Looks like the engine's tailpipe. This piece was the start of the wreckage in the canyon. We started up the canyon and work our way down.

Control cable.

2009-05-04T13:26:44Z

Joe Idoni
Control cable.

Part of a wiring harness.

2009-05-04T12:50:10Z

Joe Idoni
Part of a wiring harness.

A partly buried section of wing.

2009-05-05T11:59:18Z

Joe Idoni
A partly buried section of wing.

Opening on the wing section.

2009-05-04T13:29:18Z

Joe Idoni
Opening on the wing section.

Hinged access door.

2009-05-04T13:29:50Z

Joe Idoni
Hinged access door.

This piece had a few control cable pulleys on it.

2009-05-04T13:30:40Z

Joe Idoni
This piece had a few control cable pulleys on it.

Closer look at the broken pulley.

2009-05-04T13:41:59Z

Joe Idoni
Closer look at the broken pulley.

another piece from the wing.

2009-05-04T13:42:26Z

Joe Idoni
another piece from the wing.

This piece caught my eye.

2009-05-05T12:00:13Z

Joe Idoni
This piece caught my eye.

Taking a closer look could tell it was a piece from the windshield frame.

2009-05-04T13:43:54Z

Joe Idoni
Taking a closer look could tell it was a piece from the windshield frame.

Large section of wing.

2009-05-05T12:04:34Z

Joe Idoni
Large section of wing.

Close up of the wng.

2009-05-04T13:45:17Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of the wng.

Bottom view of the wing section. This was one of the larger pieces at the site.

2009-05-03T14:22:13Z

Joe Idoni
Bottom view of the wing section. This was one of the larger pieces at the site.

More wreckage from the wing. Looks like the Skyhawk crashed at high speed.

2009-05-05T12:05:39Z

Joe Idoni
More wreckage from the wing. Looks like the Skyhawk crashed at high speed.

Fiberglass

2009-05-04T13:47:19Z

Joe Idoni
Fiberglass

Looking back up the canyon.

2009-05-04T13:49:42Z

Joe Idoni
Looking back up the canyon.

Looks like a piece from the fuselage.

2009-05-05T12:06:51Z

Joe Idoni
Looks like a piece from the fuselage.

Same piece turned over showing a short section of tubing attached to it.

2009-05-05T12:07:41Z

Joe Idoni
Same piece turned over showing a short section of tubing attached to it.

Think this might be a piece from the cockpit.

2009-05-04T13:50:32Z

Joe Idoni
Think this might be a piece from the cockpit.

This is a section of the fuselage where the front and rear sections join up.

2009-05-04T12:52:20Z

Joe Idoni
This is a section of the fuselage where the front and rear sections join up.

One of the bolts that attach the tail end of the fuselage to the forward section.

2009-05-04T12:52:20Z

Joe Idoni
One of the bolts that attach the tail end of the fuselage to the forward section.

Other side of the same piece.

2009-05-04T12:52:20Z

Joe Idoni
Other side of the same piece.

This piece had part of the insignia on it. Could barely make out part of the star.

2009-05-04T12:52:20Z

Joe Idoni
This piece had part of the insignia on it. Could barely make out part of the star.

Another piece from the fuselage.

2009-05-04T12:52:20Z

Joe Idoni
Another piece from the fuselage.

Another piece fron the wing.

2009-05-04T12:57:00Z

Joe Idoni
Another piece fron the wing.

This piece has a cable attached.

2009-05-04T13:51:08Z

Joe Idoni
This piece has a cable attached.

A piece of electrical equipment.

2009-05-04T12:59:40Z

Joe Idoni
A piece of electrical equipment.

Another view of the same part.

2009-05-04T12:57:46Z

Joe Idoni
Another view of the same part.

Half of a brake disc.

2009-05-04T13:00:09Z

Joe Idoni
Half of a brake disc.

Another fuselage bulkhead.

2009-05-05T12:09:40Z

Joe Idoni
Another fuselage bulkhead.

This was a good find, it's the lower section of the rudder. A fixed trim tab can be seen at the bottom.

2009-05-04T13:01:49Z

Joe Idoni
This was a good find, it's the lower section of the rudder. A fixed trim tab can be seen at the bottom.

The rudder is constructed from a honeycomb sheet about a quarter inch thick with reinforcing aluminum ribs on the outside. This is the first time I got to see how the rudders on the Skyhawks ...

2009-06-23T22:34:40Z

Joe Idoni
The rudder is constructed from a honeycomb sheet about a quarter inch thick with reinforcing aluminum ribs on the outside. This is the first time I got to see how the rudders on the Skyhawks ...

Maybe the tail end of the fuselage, didn't take a good look at it.

2009-05-04T13:14:24Z

Joe Idoni
Maybe the tail end of the fuselage, didn't take a good look at it.

This looks like a counter weight for one of the control surfaces. It was heavy as lead, but then I remembered someone saying that Shyhawks used depleted uranium for counter weights. We joked ...

2009-05-05T12:11:43Z

Joe Idoni
This looks like a counter weight for one of the control surfaces. It was heavy as lead, but then I remembered someone saying that Shyhawks used depleted uranium for counter weights. We joked ...

Another piece of fuselage with the joint between the front and rear sections.

2009-05-04T13:16:23Z

Joe Idoni
Another piece of fuselage with the joint between the front and rear sections.

Same piece turned over.

2009-05-04T13:16:37Z

Joe Idoni
Same piece turned over.

Another piece from the engine.

2009-05-04T13:17:19Z

Joe Idoni
Another piece from the engine.

Close up of some of the blades.

2009-05-04T13:17:38Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of some of the blades.

Ryan with one of the flaps.

2009-05-04T13:18:01Z

Joe Idoni
Ryan with one of the flaps.

Closer look at the flap.

2009-05-04T13:52:49Z

Joe Idoni
Closer look at the flap.

Hinge

2009-05-04T13:53:13Z

Joe Idoni
Hinge

This was one of the last pieces of wreckage we found in the canyon.

2009-05-04T13:53:44Z

Joe Idoni
This was one of the last pieces of wreckage we found in the canyon.

Hiking up out of the canyon.

2009-05-04T13:54:09Z

Joe Idoni
Hiking up out of the canyon.

We were still finding stuff as we hiked out.

2009-05-05T12:14:49Z

Joe Idoni
We were still finding stuff as we hiked out.

This piece has some lettering on it. It's the NES from the word MARINES.

2009-05-04T12:52:20Z

Joe Idoni
This piece has some lettering on it. It's the NES from the word MARINES.

One more piece form the wing.

2009-05-04T13:55:37Z

Joe Idoni
One more piece form the wing.

Close up of one of the access covers. The Skyhawks have a lot of these on the wings.

2009-05-04T13:56:31Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of one of the access covers. The Skyhawks have a lot of these on the wings.

Think this might be part of one of the airbrakes.

2009-05-04T13:57:20Z

Joe Idoni
Think this might be part of one of the airbrakes.

Up near the top, Ryan found the A-4s landing gear. The top one is one of the mains with the nose gear next to it.

2009-05-04T13:59:55Z

Joe Idoni
Up near the top, Ryan found the A-4s landing gear. The top one is one of the mains with the nose gear next to it.

No idea what this is. It's about two feet long and heavy.

2009-05-04T14:00:57Z

Joe Idoni
No idea what this is. It's about two feet long and heavy.

The other main gear was nearby.

2009-05-04T12:52:20Z

Joe Idoni
The other main gear was nearby.

Hard to tell by this photo, but we think that this is the impact spot. There is a lot of tiny pieces scrattered here. Glad to finally be able to visit this site. I tried getting to it last y ...

2009-05-05T11:16:24Z

Joe Idoni
Hard to tell by this photo, but we think that this is the impact spot. There is a lot of tiny pieces scrattered here. Glad to finally be able to visit this site. I tried getting to it last y ...

We drove by this place of the way in and out.

2009-05-05T11:18:01Z

Joe Idoni
We drove by this place of the way in and out.

It's the remains of a Rutan VariViggen. Looks like the property owners don't like visitors.

2009-05-05T12:18:36Z

Joe Idoni
It's the remains of a Rutan VariViggen. Looks like the property owners don't like visitors.

Zoomed in on the name and S/N, wish I knew the history of this one. I read that Rutan sold over 600 plan sets for the VariViggen to homebuilders and about 20 were built. Fewer than five are ...

2009-05-05T12:19:16Z

Joe Idoni
Zoomed in on the name and S/N, wish I knew the history of this one. I read that Rutan sold over 600 plan sets for the VariViggen to homebuilders and about 20 were built. Fewer than five are ...