A not uncommon happenstance, you would think the Navy would have figured out how to fix the problem by now. It's common for the radar to lock onto the frag burst instead of the target, as it is sometimes a larger radar signature.
The fire control computer has a little error built in for such shoots, so the drogue doesn't get shot all to pieces, just getting close enough is enough.
We fired a shoot with five inch guns in anti-aircraft mode, controlled by the radar and fire control computer. When the tow plane approached, the Fire Control Technician cranked in the necessary error IN THE WRONG DIRECTION!!
The first VT frag shell blew close to the target, and then the radar locked on to the burst, tracked in the direction of the offset, and fired again. Of course five inch guns, even six of them in three twin mounts, do not fire very fast, so as the bursts walked closer to the tow plane it became quite obvious to the persons observing that the problem was occurring, and manual intervention succeeded in averting the otherwise tragic consequence.
I just dearly love watching those CIWS fire - BUURRRPPPP! and it looks like a handful of gravel thrown at the water. We used to tow targets for fighter planes once in a while and when those Vulcan Voodoos came in for a pass there was ALWAYS a crush of sailors on the fantail trying to get pictures.