The ship’s crew takes advantage of the pilot’s navigational error and makes sure their mistake does not go unnoticed by properly branding the visiting aircraft before departure.
Actually, quite a few pilots have landed on the wrong carrier. It’s not that hard to do. When that happens, US Naval tradition dictates that the crew members do their absolute best to remain discreet and not embarrass the pilot. But what actually happens is the ship’s crew takes advantage of the pilot’s navigational error and makes sure their mistake does not go unnoticed by properly branding the visiting aircraft before departure. Imagine returning to your Boat with all the markings of your misadventure displayed on your aircraft.
This is exactly what happened to an A-7 Corsair II from USS Kitty Hawk that in the 1970s mistakenly landed on USS Hancock.
‘During a tour of duty on Yankee Station in the 1970s, an A-7 pilot from one of the KITTY HAWK’s air wing entered the landing pattern of HANCOCK, a much smaller ship with different types of aircraft than KITTY HAWK embarked,’ recalls Doug Connell, former Captain, Air Wing Commander, Fleet Chief of Staff at United States Navy (1969-1997), on Quora. ‘All calls from HANCOCK on its frequency went unanswered by the A-7, which was still on KITTY HAWK frequency. The Air Boss on HANCOCK assumed that the A-7 was battle-damaged and unable to communicate on HANCOCK’s radio frequency. The arresting gear and optical landing system (meatball) were set for the A-7, which landed safely and taxied out of the arresting gear without incident. Then the fun started.
‘While the visiting A-7 pilot was being interviewed by the Air Boss and Captain aboard HANCOCK, the A-7 received a customized paint job, was then refueled, and sent on its way to KITTYHAWK, where the squadron commander, air wing commander, and ship’s commanding officer eagerly awaited their own interview.
‘Following the squadron’s return from the combat cruise, the errant pilot decided to become a real estate agent.’
These other aircraft that mistakenly landed on the wrong carrier suffered a similar fate to that of the A-7 Corsair II of the story told by Connell.
Photo by U.S. Navy and Crown Copyright
