Aircraft Information
Aircraft Make: Grumman
Aircraft Model: OV-1
Aircraft Nickname: Mohawk
Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane ME Turboprop
Category: Airplane
Class: Multi Engine Land
Engine Description: Twin Engine
First Flown Information
Sequence First Flown: 23
Date First Flown: 03/31/1986
Location First Flown: NAS Patuxent River, MD
Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Chris Wheal, USNTPS Instructor
Aircraft Experience
As of: 05/09/2020
Number of Hours Flown: 175
Number of Times Flown: 11
Other Aircraft Models Associated: OV-1B and OV-1D
Recollections:
–I’m one of the few (maybe only) Fixed Wing Syllabus students at TPS who flew the Mohawk as one of their “Group airplanes”. I flew the OV-1 instead of the A-4 because my Fam 1 in the A-4 I just did NOT fit in the machine. This was early in the year for me and I was sure I was going to get kicked out of the school. Instead, they dual-qualified me in the OV-1 AND the T-38. Along with (like everybody else) the T-2. I flew ALL THREE airplanes ALL YEAR. Lemonade out of lemons.
–My first flight in the Mohawk was with Chris Wheal. Chris was one of the finest pilots I ever flew with. Not everybody got along with him…he could be demanding. And impatient. But, if he liked you, you were golden. And he liked me. Every flight with him was a huge learning experience. My first four flights with Chris were in the T-38, NU-1B (2 flights), and the OV-1. Guess I didn’t scare him too badly.
–My relationship with the Mohawk was a “love/hate” relationship. I loved how unique it was (ejection seat Army airplane, left seat flew left-hand on stick with right hand on throttle; fully aerobatic twin engine prop machine, unique flight control system with springs and other unusual features.
–And I hated it because it killed two of my classmates, Captain Scott Paul, USMC and LT John “Mike” Yandell, USN. They died when the OV-1 they were flying got a small piece of “stuff” in the oil system, plugging the auto-feather oil supply line (which was used to “sense” or “determine” if an engine was running…in this case the engine was running just fine but the partially-blocked oil line told the auto-feather system the engine was bad and the system feathered a perfectly good engine), right as they were taking off from NAS Norfolk. They were unable to control the full asymmetry and we lost them. July 15, 1986. Many who heard about the mishap thought it was me in the airplane, because I (with my classmate Dave Porter) were the only ones on the schedule that morning in a Mohawk…Scott and Mike had “added on” and so when people checked the schedule to see “who was in the OV-1?” the answer was “Stoney/Porter”. Dave and I got a radio call from the Duty Officer (who had better SA on what had happened) to “Return to Base immediately”. I was sure we’d done something wrong and were in trouble. When we pulled back into the line, we learned the terrible news. That loss motivated in many of us a passion for safety, to honor Mike and Scott with our actions, that lasts to this day. While that passion is good…it was not worth the cost.
Filed Under: Airplane ME Turboprop, 1-25
Capt. Scott Paul was my Uncle. A great man with a passion for flying.
Brian: I’m sorry that I’m just NOW (July 2026) seeing your comment. You’re right, Scott was a fantastic classmate and just love flying. Please contact me if you’d like to discuss further.
Bob, Class 91 had just started 6 months behind Class 90 and were all devastated when this mishap happened. Especially me, as I was Mike Yandell’’s alternate and had known each other due to our E-2Squadroins interactions…He was a great Mission Commander, Naval Flight Officer, mentor and example of a fine Naval Officer. I had the most respect for him before his selection to Cl;ass 90 and the brief time we were together before hew met his untimely demise……it affected the school so much that shortly after the deadly mishap, Class 91 and beyond never got to experience the OV-1 and they were sent back to Army Aviation Command. Every time i see an E-2 flying, i think of my friends that were lost in the community and he is one of the first i think of…..and as an aside, without him in the pipeline to be a test flight officer, the community lost a great talent…….Fair Winds my friend!!!!
Wow…I was not aware of your relationship with Mike. Honestly, so much of it is a blur now, so I appreciate you reminding me. We all lost so much. Thank your for the tribute to Mike.
Scott was a squadron mate in HMA-269 and a good friend. I was in Class 89 and was Scott’s sponsor/POC when he got to Pax. I remember that day all too well.
I flew the OV-1 as the T-2s were having problems (as I recall) with availability and since I had done the T-2 transition in Kingsville prior to TPS I asked to get checked out in the Mohawk to experience a different aircraft. I flew my checkout with Les Scott and Vic Thomas. Didn’t get to fly with Chris Wheal – I heard he was a master of that machine.
Jim: I had forgotten that piece of the story. It affected so many of us in so many ways. Thank you for the memories. Chris Wheal was pretty much the master of everything he flew.
It was Vic Thombs not Thomas. Vic and I cruised together. Autocorrect got me – it is my worst enema!
I knew Vic well, serving as his XO during his CO tour at TPS. Great American
Hi Bob. Great website. I can tell it was a labor of love.
During the early 70’s I was an Army SP4, assigned to the 661st Transportation Company at Fort Meade, MD. Part of our mission was to be a parts supply channel for the Army aircraft at Pax River. As often as I could, I would hitch a ride on the company’s H-model Huey when a delivery of parts was needed. I had a buddy, Slemp Honacker (yes, that’s his name, he was from West Virginia which may explain the unusual name), a ‘Nam vet and OV-1 crew chief who was assigned to Pax River to maintain the OV-1’s. So, while parts were being cataloged and checked in, he and I would grab a cup of coffee and shoot the shit.
I think I may have related this to you when we both worked at SACO, but with this website you gave me a chance record it in writing. It pains me to now know the OV-1 was a source of tragedy, but it was indeed one hell of an airplane.
Rich: Aviation is such a small world. 2
Degrees Of separation, not 7!