In 1987, US navy pilot Lt (JG). Timothy Dorsey shot down a US air force reconnaissance aircraft in an exercise. Instead of simulating the firing of a missile, he fired a live missile. The subsequent investigation found that it was not accidental, but a deliberate act. When one missile failed to fire, he fired another one. Dorsey knew that his missiles were live. He claimed to have correctly obeyed the instruction to "fire" (meaning, in the context, simulate the firing of) a missile, despite being shocked at the instruction. He did not query it. He showed no regret, & claimed to have done nothing wrong.
The two crew members of the USAF aircraft ejected & survived, but the pilot has had to have seven operations for the back injuries he received from the ejection, & is in constant pain.
Lt Dorsey remained in the US navy, though he was barred from flying. He is now a captain in the US navy reserve. Last year he was put up for promotion to admiral by the US navy. This involved a hearing by a US senate committee. He sent a letter of apology to the injured officer after the hearing had been scheduled, after showing no remorse for the previous 25 years.
The US navy omitted to mention the incident in the nomination papers, although the US senate armed services committee expects nomination papers to include full information, including anything adverse.
Timothy Dorsey is the son of James Dorsey, who at the time of the shooting down was a rear admiral & commander of the aircraft carrier USS America, & was promoted the following year to vice admiral.