Ormakammen air accident

On 7 January 1953 at 11:40 two Norwegian Republic F-84 Thunderjet fighter aircraft collided and crashed at Ormakammen in Holtaheia in Strand Municipality, Ryfylke in Rogaland during formation flying under low cloud cover. It is assumed that the aircraft touched each other and both ended up hitting the ground in an attempt to get below the cloud cover. RI-J hit and came to rest on Grødheimsmyrane at Ormakammen, while RI-I continued 5 km southwards and came to rest at Gramsfjellet. Both pilots were killed.

In connection with the rescue operation, the air force's rescue boat 'Blue Bell' (LKV 30) ran aground on the shoal Raunane off Jørpeland the same evening. The crew were rescued by other boats and 'Blue Bell' was pulled off later in the night, without catastrophic damage.

Those killed in the accident

Lieutenant Audun Nesheim, pilot. Turned 34 a week before the crash. Born 1919 in Evanger in Hordaland. Attended flight school at Little Norway (Toronto, Canada) in 1941. After flight school he served at several military institutions in Canada until in June 1944 he was assigned to active service in Squadron 333. After a short time he was transferred to Squadron 330 and remained there until after the war. In 1952 he started at Squadron 334 at Stavanger Airport, Sola. At the time of the accident Nesheim was one of those with the longest experience on the Thunderjet.

Second Lieutenant Per Kristoffer Fjeld, pilot. Born 1928. Trained in the USA in 1950/51. Was in training on the Thunderjet, but had flown the Vampire and other aircraft types. Attached to 334 Squadron at Sola.

About 100 Norwegian pilots lost their lives during the 1950s, many of them in Thunderjets.