Marine officials say they have recovered a 1,000-pound tactical jamming system pod that fell off an EA-6B Prowler aircraft while it flew a mission over a military air station in Arizona.
A Marine Prowler jet was flying over Marine Corps Air Station Yuma on Oct. 13, when a 15-foot-long, 3-foot-high ALQ-99 pod "departed" the aircraft, according to a report from the Naval Safety Center. It landed in an unpopulated area about 30 miles east of Yuma that was designated as restricted, said Mike Barton, a spokesman for 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Nothing on the ground was damaged by the falling pod, he said. After it fell off, the Prowler halted its mission and returned to the air station, Barton said. The pods can be used to locate the source of enemy communications and jam radio or weapons systems.
The Prowler, attached to Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 2, out of Cherry Point, North Carolina, was conducting defense tactics aboard MCAS Yuma, Barton said. Four personnel were on board at the time.
The incident was designated a Class A mishap, indicating military property damage of $2 million or more. The aircraft sustained damage when the pod fell off, he said, but the extent has yet to be determined.
The Aviation Mishap Board is investigating the incident, Barton said.
The Prowler incident is one of three Marine Corps Class A aviation mishaps this month alone. On Oct. 1, an MV-22B Osprey crew chief, Cpl. Jordan Spears, was lost at sea after bailing out when the aircraft suddenly lost power over the Persian Gulf. The pilot ultimately regained control of the aircraft and was able to land it safely.
On Oct. 14, a rotor brake fire damaged an AH-1W Super Cobra at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, while it was in pre-flight checks.
By comparison, there were only six total Class A aviation mishaps for the Marine Corps in the previous 12 months.
