Key Points and Summary on F-14 Tomcat Fighter Accident During the F-14 Tomcat’s inaugural carrier qualifications aboard the USS Enterprise in June 1974, a single landing mishap damaged four of the brand-new fighters—nearly 10% of the Navy’s entire Tomcat fleet at the time.
-While attempting to land in difficult sea conditions off the California coast, a pilot overcorrected, causing his F-14’s wingtip to strike three other parked Tomcats.
-Though no one was injured, the embarrassing incident was a stark introduction to the challenges of operating the large and powerful new fighter from a carrier deck and served as a crucial, if bruising, lesson for the naval aviation community.
One F-14 Landing Mishap Once Damaged Almost 10% of Tomcat Fleet
It was supposed to be a routine carrier qualification.
Back in June 1974, the U.S. Navy’s brand-new F-14 Tomcat fighter jet made its inaugural carrier landings on the USS Enterprise, using Air Wing CAG-14. Sadly, the story was not a simple one.
One pilot’s fumble resulted in the damage of a whole quad of Tomcats in one.
A Rocky Start For F-14 Tomcat
The Enterprise aircraft carrier had recently left Alameda, stationing itself just off the coast of northern California. The area is known for the “Monterey Swell”—a sea state that can heave a carrier deck up and down by several feet and throw in a healthy dose of sideways roll for good measure.
For seasoned pilots, it’s tough. For an air wing getting used to a brand-new aircraft with a 64-foot wingspan and twitchy handling? Even tougher.
That night, the deck was restless and the air wing a little rusty. Many hadn’t flown from a carrier in months. Worse, they were flying the Tomcat—an impressive but still unfamiliar beast.
Then came Lieutenant Joe “Jumping Joe” Brantuas, lined up in his F-14, callsign Bullet 205.
As he called the ball—Navy talk for starting his landing approach—it looked like things might go smoothly. But he drifted slightly off centerline, then over-corrected. Too late for a wave-off. Too fast to fix.
Joe’s right wingtip struck the arresting wire, then swung wide—right into three parked F-14s along the edge of the deck. One of them belonged to CAG Furlong himself, who had just fired up the engines. The wingtip sliced through the nosecones and radar domes, missing cockpits by feet.
Thankfully, no one was hurt. But when the dust settled, four Tomcats—nearly 10% of the Navy’s entire F-14 fleet at the time—were out of commission.
Tough Decisions
Captain John “Hawk” Smith, one of the Navy’s most respected landing signal officers and a major figure in naval aviation at the time, was on the platform backing up the LSOs. He knew the risks and felt the weight of every decision.
That mishap haunted him—but it also drove him. Over the coming months, he pushed the air wing harder. By the time USS Enterprise launched on her around-the-world cruise in September, the difference was clear. Landings were tighter.
Crews were sharper. The mistakes of Monterey weren’t repeated.
In the end, that bad night off the California coast became a turning point—not just for CAG-14, but for the Tomcat program itself.
It was a bruising introduction to the realities of carrier aviation—but it set the stage for what would become one of the Navy’s most iconic fighter aircraft.
About the Author:
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
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