In military aviation, some stories are too strange to believe. One involves the Grunman F-14 Tomcat, a jet that accidentally shot itself down. This isn’t an isolated case—other fighter jets have also accidentally brought themselves down.
Here’s how the F-14 Tomcat and other fighter jets were involved in bizarre incidents showing that high flying speeds can lead to unexpected self-inflicted hits.
What Is the Grumman F-14 Tomcat?
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a powerful supersonic, twin-engine, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. Developed by Grumman Aerospace for the United States Navy in the late 1960s, it became operational in the 1970s and remained in service until 2006.
Known for its versatility and advanced technologies for its time, the F-14 Tomcat was primarily used as an air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor, and tactical reconnaissance platform.
Features of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was renowned for its advanced design and cutting-edge features that made it a dominant force in aerial combat.
- Variable-Sweep Wings: One of its most distinctive features, the F-14’s wings could change their angle mid-flight to adapt to different flight conditions.
- For high-speed pursuits or dogfights, the wings would sweep back to reduce drag, while for slower speeds, they would extend outward for increased lift, giving the Tomcat excellent agility and control at various speeds.
- Twin Engines: Powered by two Pratt & Whitney TF30 or General Electric F110 turbofan engines, the Tomcat could reach speeds exceeding Mach 2 (about 1,500 mph).
- The twin-engine design not only provided high speed but also redundancy in case of engine failure, enhancing the aircraft’s survivability.
- Advanced Radar and Weapons Systems: The F-14 was equipped with the AWG-9 radar, which allowed it to track up to 24 targets simultaneously at long range. It could engage multiple enemies at once, using AIM-54 Phoenix long-range air-to-air missiles, which were specially designed for the F-14.
- Additionally, it could also carry AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, along with a M61 Vulcan 20mm rotary cannon for close-range dogfights.
- Two-Person Crew: The Tomcat had a pilot in the front seat and a radar intercept officer (RIO) in the rear seat.
- The RIO operated the radar and weapons systems, allowing the pilot to focus on flying the aircraft. This division of labor was critical in the complex and fast-paced environment of aerial combat.
F-14 Tomcat Accidentally Shoots Itself Down
Pilots Pete Purvis and Bill “Tank” Sherman were flying an early model of the F-14 off the coast of Southern California during a test flight. They tested firing an AIM-7 Sparrow missile, which was attached underneath the plane instead of on the wings.
When the pilot pressed the trigger, the missile’s explosive bolts released it, causing it to drop free.
During this 1973 test, things didn’t go as planned. Flying at 728 mph and 5,000 feet, the missile didn’t leave the plane properly and started spinning, releasing debris that was sucked into the F-14’s engine.
The engine caught fire, forcing the pilots to eject, and the plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean.(ref)
This test showed why the Navy requires thorough testing of its airborne weapons. What works in theory doesn’t always work in practice, and even though the F-14 had tested the same missile system before, this incident proved the need for multiple tests.
The F-14’s crash in 1973 showed that a plane could accidentally shoot itself down with a missile, and it wasn’t the only time this happened.
Legacy & Retirement
The F-14 even gained worldwide recognition in popular culture, particularly through its starring role in the 1986 movie Top Gun, where Tom Cruise’s character, Maverick, flew the aircraft. This helped cement the Tomcat as one of the most recognizable fighter jets in the world.
Despite its incredible capabilities, however, the F-14 was retired from the U.S. Navy service in 2006. This was largely due to high maintenance costs and the introduction of newer, more cost-effective aircraft like the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, which could perform many of the same roles. (ref)
But the F-14’s legacy remains—with its sleek design and impressive combat record still admired by aviation enthusiasts. The Iranian Air Force continues to operate F-14s, as Iran purchased a fleet before the 1979 Iranian Revolution.(ref)
There are More Pilots Shooting Themselves out of the Sky
It’s not just the F-14 Tomcat; the first time a pilot accidentally shot down their own aircraft happened in September 1956. Thomas Attridge Jr. was flying an F11F-1 Tiger at 20,000 feet when he fired his 20mm cannon during a dive.
Believing he’d hit a bird, he didn’t realize he had actually hit his own bullets. The bullets struck the plane, causing the engine to fail and leading to a crash a few miles from the runway.
Attridge survived with broken bones, and it was found that the bullets hit the plane because they were still falling at high speed. (ref)
In 2019, a Dutch pilot flying an F-16 accidentally flew into their own bullets, damaging their aircraft and forcing an emergency landing. (ref) This incident shows that, over 60 years later, pilots are still making the same mistake.
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Nancy Maffia
Nancy received a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.
