| Date: 22 September 1972 |
| Aircraft type: F-4E Phantom |
| Serial Number: 67-0385 |
| Military Unit: 34 TFS, 388 TFW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Korat |
| Name(s): |
| Capt Gerald A Lentz (Survived) |
| 1Lt Nicholas J Holoviak (Survived) |
| On returning from a CAP mission over North Vietnam, the aircraft landed during a thunderstorm. It was a moonless night with strong winds and heavy rain making visibility poor. The aircraft began to hydroplane immediately upon touchdown, and the winds began to push the aircraft off the right side of the runway. Even though the pilot jettisoned the drag chute and tried to takeoff again, the winds continued to push the aircraft off the right side of the runway. Still hydroplaning, the aircraft departed the right side of the runway, striking the concrete stand holding the runway arresting cable. The impact turned the aircraft left, and it went back on the runway. Still hydroplaning, the aircraft was sliding sideways down the runway and heading toward the left side of the runway. As it was evident the aircraft was going to depart the left side of the runway and the speed was still in excess of 150 knots, the WSO initiated ejection taking both crew members out of the aircraft. Reaching the soft soil on the left side of the runway, the nose gear broke off and the aircraft tumbled and blew up. There was very little left of the aircraft. The pilot was injured during the ejection and was fortunate his parachute collapsed upon landing. The WSO was dragged 6000-7000 ft down the runway before his parachute collapsed. He had no injuries.
Nick Holoviak, Col., USAF (Ret) corrected our original entry and provided additional details. In addition, he added, "Capt Lentz was MedEvac’ed back to the States. I continued my tour completing 203 missions. I then went to pilot school and USAF Fighter Weapons School. I stayed in the Air Force for 28 years flying 23 of those. I flew F-4 C/D/E and all the USAF F-16 models starting with Blk 1." |
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