▁managed ▁to ▁free ▁himself ▁and ▁was ▁picked ▁up ▁by ▁a ▁hel ic opter . ▁The ▁next ▁loss ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁when ▁T A - 4 G ▁ 8 7 9 ▁crash ed ▁into ▁the ▁sea ▁while ▁conduct ing ▁a ▁practice ▁attack ▁on ▁Melbourne ▁off ▁the ▁south ▁coast ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁killing ▁the ▁pilot . ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁May ▁the ▁next ▁year ▁A - 4 G s ▁ 8 7 0 ▁and ▁ 8 7 2 ▁coll ided ▁while ▁flying ▁near ▁Jer vis ▁Bay ; ▁ 8 7 2 ▁crash ed , ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁its ▁pilot , ▁but ▁ 8 7 0 ▁managed ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁Al bat ross . ▁ ▁The ▁other ▁six ▁A - 4 G ▁losses ▁occurred ▁during ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁ 8 7 0 ▁suffered ▁an ▁in - fl ight ▁tur bine ▁failure ▁and ▁crash ed ▁near ▁Bra id wood , ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ; ▁its ▁pilot ▁was ▁res cu ed ▁by ▁a ▁RA AF ▁hel ic opter . ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁May ▁that ▁year ▁ 8 8 8 ▁ran ▁off ▁the ▁flight ▁deck ▁of ▁Melbourne ▁after ▁an ▁arr ester ▁wire ▁sn apped ▁during ▁a ▁landing ▁near ▁Jer vis ▁Bay . ▁Its ▁pilot , ▁a ▁US ▁Navy ▁exchange ▁officer , ▁surv ived . ▁On ▁ 2 4 ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 9 ,