--- title: "The Most Replayed Carrier Crash In History Happened 70 Years Ago Today" description: "This F9F Panther ramp strike incident provides a graphic reminder of the risks involved in early jet operations from aircraft carriers." date: "2021-06-23" modified: "2021-06-23" authors: - name: "Thomas Newdick" job_title: "Staff Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick" url: "https://www.twz.com/41251/the-most-replayed-carrier-crash-in-history-happened-70-years-ago-today" categories: - "Air" - "History" - "Military Aviation History" - "Naval Aviation" - "Navies" - "News & Features" - "People" - "Sea" - "U.S. Navy" tags: - "aircraft accidents" - "Aircraft Carriers" - "F9F Panther" - "F9F-5" - "George Chamberlain Duncan" - "Korean War" - "US Navy" - "USS Midway" --- # The Most Replayed Carrier Crash In History Happened 70 Years Ago Today ![]() *www.twz.com* Exactly 70 years ago today, U.S. Navy Commander George Chamberlain Duncan escaped from one of the most dramatic and widely publicized carrier aviation accidents of all time. Watching the footage today, it’s almost miraculous that the naval aviator, a two-time World War Two ace, was pulled from the blazing hulk of his Grumman F9F [Panther]() jet fighter with only burns — and that he would be flying again within six months. Back in the early 1950s, military aviation was [an especially risky profession](), even outside of the [Korean War](), and operating jets from aircraft carriers, which were little changed from World War Two, was [especially so](). Carrier decks were a lot smaller than they are today and [angled decks]() and [steam catapults]() were only starting to be introduced, as were other features to aid safety for faster, heavier aircraft, such as [mirror landing aids](). ![message-editor%2F1624485174570-f9f-2\_panthers\_vf-51\_over\_korea\_1951.jpg]() *A pair of F9F-2 Panthers from VF-51 over Korea, in 1951-52, flying from the aircraft carrier USS *Essex* (CV-9). The pilot of the aircraft in the background is future astronaut Ensign Neil Armstrong., *U.S. Navy** As of June 23, 1951, [Commander Duncan]() was a test pilot at the Naval Air Test Center in Patuxent River, Maryland, assigned to Fighter Squadron 51 (VF-51), and was proving out the F9F-5 version of the Grumman jet aboard the aircraft carrier USS *Midway* — a vessel completed at the end of World War Two — during a cruise off the Virginia Capes in the Atlantic. The F9F-5 was the latest version of the straight-wing Panther, which had first flown in 1949 and soon bore the brunt of Navy and Marine Corps jet fighter operations during the conflict in Korea. Having been moved onto the carrier by crane, Duncan’s assigned F9F-5, Bureau Number 125228, successfully launched, and then recovered, aboard the *Midway* on the first attempt. https://youtube.com/embed/SIy1wRXXxYY On the second attempt to land, Duncan was expecting to catch the third arrestor wire when an apparent downdraft suddenly interrupted the approach, just feet away from the end of the deck. The Panther sunk below the level of the flight deck as the pilot pulled back on the stick in an effort to recover. It seems Duncan probably did just enough to avoid slamming into the stern of the warship. Still, an instant later, the jet had impacted the edge of the deck, known as the round-down, and was torn in two, breaking apart behind the cockpit, and bursting into flames in the process. ![message-editor%2F1624484898181-duncanf9fpantherblaze.jpeg]() **U.S. NAVY** ![message-editor%2F1624485425740-f9f\_ramp\_strike\_aboard\_uss\_midway\_cvb-41\_1951.jpg]() *A series of photos of Duncan’s June 23, 1951, ramp strike., *U.S. NAVY** With Duncan still strapped into the cockpit, the forward fuselage of the Panther hurtled down the wooden deck of the carrier, rolling over several times as it went. The other half of the jet, including the engine and wings, meanwhile continued after it, spewing colossal flames in the process. ![message-editor%2F1624484916786-duncanf9fpantherburningdeck.jpeg]() **U.S. NAVY** By the time the front end of the jet had skidded to a stop, Duncan’s helmet had been torn off, but he was alive, albeit burnt. Deck crew pulled him out of the cockpit and brought him to the sickbay, where his injuries were found to be limited mainly to scorched ears. ![message-editor%2F1624484937696-duncanf9fpantherwreckage.jpeg]() **U.S. NAVY** Since cameras were recording the incident, Duncan’s crash became a familiar learning aid for other naval aviators and went onto find a much wider audience, too, after it was [used in films]() including Korean War drama *Men of the Fighting Lady* (1954), *Midway* (1976), and even [*The Hunt for Red October*]() (1990). In the latter, the 1950s-era Panther stood in for the considerably more modern [F-14 Tomcat](). https://youtube.com/embed/JxhvK4ABoVU https://twitter.com/_/status/979888984863248384 https://youtube.com/embed/QrnlF73r6ms Duncan’s later career saw him command VF-51 and Carrier Air Group Five during the Korean War, head up VF-101, and then captain the aircraft carrier USS *Ranger*. He finally retired from the Navy in 1968 and, after working as a lawyer, he died of natural causes in December 1995, aged 78. ![message-editor%2F1624484724051-duncan\_george\_c.jpeg]() *Captain George Chamberlain Duncan as commander of the aircraft carrier USS *Ranger*, during 1962-63., *U.S. Navy** As for the Panther, it survived in frontline service until 1956, having also provided the first jet equipment for the [Blue Angels]() demonstration team, and continued to perform second-line duties into the early 1960s, by which time [much more capable equipment]() was available to operate from a [new generation of carriers]() tailored for them. The F9F ramp strike was just one of several crashes that George Chamberlain Duncan survived during his peacetime career as a naval test pilot. His was a dangerous job at a time when all kinds of technological and performance barriers were being pushed, extracting a heavy toll on aviators’ lives. While carrier operations today are much safer in comparison, Duncan’s accident continues to remind us that in this [unique working environment]() things [can still go wrong]() in a fraction of a second. *Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com* ## Author Thomas Newdick is a staff writer at *TWZ*, where he covers military aviation, defense technology, weapons systems, and international security. Based in Berlin, Germany, he reports on conflicts, military modernization efforts, and emerging aerospace technologies around the world, with a particular interest in airpower and its role in contemporary warfare. His reporting is informed by deep expertise in modern and historical airpower, particularly in Europe, with a focus on military aviation, air campaigns, and aerospace developments across the continent and beyond. Over a journalism career spanning more than 25 years, Thomas has become known for making complex defense and aerospace topics accessible to a broad audience. His reporting combines technical expertise, historical context, and a focus on the real-world operational and strategic implications of military developments. ### Author social links [Twitter]()