MISHAPs: 00 SEP 97 A/C: EP-3E LOCATION: Souda Bay, Crete TYPE: Ran Off Runway SRIKE: Yes DEATHS: 00 Minor Injuries In VQ-2 Incident...A VQ-2-based EP-3E Aires II ran off the runway at Souda Bay, Crete, during the early morning hours Tuesday during a routine training mission. Only minor injuries were reported among the 24 servicemembers aboard. The aircraft sustained damage to the port side wing and engine number one. The cause of the incident was unknown at press time, but is under investigation. The EP-3E Aires II is a surveillance aircraft based on the P-3 Orion airframe. Though VQ-2 is based in NS Rota, Spain, the squadron deploys aircraft to Souda Bay, where the incident occured..." Rota Coastline News Thursday, 25 September, 1997 WEBSITE: http://www.omeganet.es/coastline/current.html

"...Aircraft veered off the runway at Souda Bay, Crete, left wing clipped a sand pile after it veered off the runway. The impact caused its nose to grind into the ground and the plane caught fire. All crewman excaped with minor injuries..." - In response to a number of inquiries about a P-3 accident - here is the latest I have..." Contributed by HERNDON, AMHC John D. Retired herndonjohn@hotmail.com [Photo's Updated 16SEP2002 | Photo's Updated 13SEP2002 | 18OCT98]

"...EP-3E #157320 after recovery from the crash site (photo: unknown)...The struck EP-3E (crashed in Crete) airframe is now in storage a Raytheon Systems Company facility in Waco (Texas), pending funding of a replacement aircraft to donate mission systems and components to..." Contributed by Marco P.J. Borst p3orion@wxs.nl WebSite: http://p3orion.nl/index.html [17APR99]

"...Impressive transport of P-3 fuselage...Two photos of EP-3E 157320 "the morning after" at Souda Bay...Whenever you crash your P-3 anywhere in the world...these photos prove that your plane can be taken home for repairs. The C-5B Galaxy does the job!! (all photos: photographer unknown)...See ALL Photo's at: http://p3orion.nl/news.html..." [26MAR2000]

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"VQ-2 Mishap Summary Page"

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