Mission Plan :

N42RF will fly an operationally-tasked SFMR mission into Tropical Storm Erin as it makes landfall in Texas. It will leave MacDill AFB, FL at 5:30 AM EDT, and recover at MacDill AFB, FL at 2:30 PM EDT.

Mission Summary :

Mission cancelled enroute due to storm already being over land (~11:24 Z) while aircraft was approx. half and hour (190 mi) from IP and 270 mi short of storm center. On return, in order to burn excess fuel, work was completed around buoy at 26° 02' N, 85° 53' 30" W. A figure 4 at 10,000 ft. and one at 5000 ft were completed with circumnavigation of fixed point at 30° roll in clear air and another circle with 15° roll to be used for calibration of SFMR. Takeoff from MacDill AFB, FL at 05:41 AM EDT and returned to MacDill AFB, FL at 11:05 AM EDT.

Mission Data

Problems :

Flight was not cancelled by NHC, even though T.S. Erin was forecast to be ashore before flight could arrive.