Crash site could be 18 years old

Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2002 | 10:39 a.m.

Nellis Air Force Base officials believe a crash site discovered in May might be from a nearly 18-year-old plane wreck.

Master Sgt. Richard Covington, a base spokesman, said the crash most likely involved an A-7 Corsair from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., that went down May 23, 1984. The plane was discovered June 17 by two U.S. Wildlife Service employees.

There are no immediate plans to go out to the site in the Delamar Mountains about 71 miles north of Nellis, which Covington said is unreachable by off-road vehicle. To reach the site, investigators would have to travel by pack mule, he said.

This site is just one of what Covington said is "hundreds" of planes that have crashed near Nellis, another being an F-16 that was discovered in June.

"We find crash sites all the time," he said.

The main reason for crews to go out to the site is to recover weapons from the plane and possibly unexploded munitions, Covington said.

The cause of the 1984 crash was most likely pilot error, Covington said. The body of pilot 1st Lt. Eddie J. Torrez was discovered shortly after the crash, he said.