What happened
During an aerial combat simulation conducted over the Pacific Ocean, the crew was performing low-altitude gunnery exercises. While utilizing the onboard 20 mm cannon for practice, several rounds ricocheted off the ocean surface and struck the engine nacelle of the aircraft.
Following the impact, the crew initiated an emergency descent to reach land. The aircraft successfully performed an emergency landing approximately 200 miles southwest of Cape Flattery, Washington State. Although the aircraft was destroyed during the incident, there were no fatalities among the crew members, all of whom were safely rescued.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine damage was the ricochet of 20 mm cannon rounds off the water's surface during low-level flight.