Collision Between Airwest Flight 706 and a U.S. Marine Corps F-4B (N9345)

Flight Details and Initial Departure Airwest Flight 706, a DC-9, was scheduled to operate from Los Angeles, California (LAX) to Seattle, Washington (SEA), with intermediate stops at Salt Lake City (SLC), Boise (BOI), Lewiston (LWS), Pasco (PSC), and Yakima (YKM). The aircraft departed Los Angeles at 18:02. At 18:09, the crew reported leaving flight level 120, and Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center cleared them direct to Daggett. The source does not provide the aircraft's registration or the date of the incident. ## Marine Fighter Operations A U.S. Marine Corps McDonnell F-4B Phantom, identified as 151458, departed Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Fallon at 17:16 for a flight to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Toro at low altitude. The aircraft experienced several technical difficulties, including an inoperative transponder and a leak in the oxygen system. Due to deteriorating visibility northwest of Palmdale, the crew climbed to 15,500 feet. Shortly after level-off, the aircraft was 50 miles from MCAS El Toro. The pilot executed a 360-degree aileron roll at this time, which took approximately 3 seconds to complete. The Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) estimated that the true airspeed in the climb and after level-off was 420 knots. ## Collision and Aftermath The F-4B collided with the Airwest DC-9 about 1 minute and 20 seconds after the roll, at 15,150 feet. After the collision, the F-4 began to tumble violently about the lateral axis. The RIO waited about 5 seconds, and, after seeing numerous warning lights in the cockpit, he ejected from the aircraft. The ejection was successful, and he parachuted to the ground without injury. The other F-4 crewmember did not survive the accident.