THE 456th FIGHTER INTERCEPTOR SQUADRON

THE PROTECTORS OF  S. A. C.

 

 

+ Larger Font | - Smaller Font

 

Click on Picture to enlarge

58-0787

But She Did Fly Again!

Click on Picture to enlarge

The aircraft on display at the Air Force Museum (S/N 58-0787) was involved in an unusual incident. During a training mission from Malmstrom AFB on February 2, 1970, it suddenly entered an uncontrollable flat spin forcing the pilot to eject. Unpiloted, the aircraft recovered on its own, apparently due to the balance and configuration changes caused by the ejection, and miraculously made a gentle belly landing in a snow-covered field near Big Sandy, Montana. After minor repairs, the aircraft was returned to service. It last served with the 49th Fighter Interceptor Squadron before being brought to the Museum in August 1986.

Three F-106s were on a ACM (Air Combat Maneuvers) that day when 58-0787 went into a flat spin and according to procedures, Captain Gary Faust bailed out at 15K feet. One of the accompanying F-106 pilots, IP Major Jimmy Lowe, observed the ejection and also observed 58-0787 straighten out right after ejection and reportedly transmitted "Gary - you'd better get back in it!".  Major Wolford got a call from the sheriff about an airplane sitting in a field with the engine running and wanted to know how to shut it off. The sheriff was advised to just let it run out of fuel. The plane was resting gear up, engine running, on a small amount of snow, with a slight downhill grade and as the snow melted under the aircraft, it would creep forward some, which had the sheriff rather excited.  A depot team from Sacramento Logistics Center, McClellan AFB came in, took the wings off, put everything on a railroad flatcar (a railroad set of tracks was conveniently located about a mile from the landing site), and shipped it to McClellan AFB, CA where it was repaired. Colonel Wolford said he'd like to have flown it out of there but after the aircraft was lifted up, the under side damage was greater than thought.  The Stable Table had exited the bottom through the 05 panel area and crunched its way back to the rear of the plane ruining the armament bay doors.  The wings were in perfect shape.

Courtesy of The Air Force Museum

 

Article From April 2009 "Air Force Magazine"

 

58-0787 lands Pilot-less in a field in Montana

F-106A 58-0787 of the 71st FIS landed without a pilot in a field in Montana on 2 Feb 1970 after pilot Captain Gary Faust ejected.  The tail markings belonged to the 71st FIS out of Malmstrom AFB at the time of the landing, however the 71st FIS was later changed to the 319th FIS, Malmstrom.  Retired Colonel Wolford (Major at the time) was the Chief of Maintenance at the 71st FIS at the time.  His name was stenciled on on the side of 58-0787 as the pilot, however, Major Wolford wasn't flying the bird at the time of the incident.

 

Account by Col Wolford

     Three F-106s were on a ACM (Air Combat Maneuvers) that day when 58-0787 went into a flat spin and according to procedures Captain Gary Faust bailed out at 15K feet.  One of the accompanying F-106 pilots, IP Major Jimmy Lowe, observed the ejection and also observed 58-0787 straighten out right after ejection and reportedly transmitted "Gary - you'd better get back in it!".  Major Wolford got a call from the sheriff about an airplane sitting in a field with the engine running and wanted to know how to shut it off.  The sheriff was advised to just let it run out of fuel.  The plane was resting gear up, engine running, on a small amount of snow, with a slight downhill grade and as the snow melted under the aircraft, it would creep forward some, which had the sheriff rather excited.

     A depot team from Sacramento Logistics Center, McClellan AFB later came in, took the wings off, put everything on a railroad flatcar (a railroad set of tracks was conveniently located about a mile from the landing site), and shipped it to McClellan AFB, CA where it was repaired.  Colonel Wolford said he'd like to have flown it out of there but after the aircraft was lifted up, the under side damage was greater than thought.  The Stable Table had exited the bottom through the 05 panel area and crunched its way back to the rear of the plane ruining the armament bay doors.  The wings were in perfect shape.

 

Account of the incident by the other IP pilot on the flight, Tom Curtis

     "I was the other IP in that flight. The mission was a 2V 2 ACT training flight.  My wing man, Larry Mc Bride, aborted when his drag chute deployed on the ramp prior to take off.  So it turned out to be a 2V 1, me being the one [Tom Curtis].

     We took off as a flight of three.  Gary Foust was leading with Jim Lowe in the chase position.  We then split up I went to one end of the training air
space and they proceeded to the other end of the air space. We had about a twenty mile separation. The controllers turned us into each other so we passed head on with a thousand feet separation. The ROE (rules of engagement) were we had to pass head on with no tactical advantage to either flight.  After passing the fight was on.  The object was to gain a tactical advantage on the opponent and maneuver in to valid firing position. After landing we would review the film and try to reconstruct the engagement.  Of course, this was a big ego thing. who was the winner etc.

     I figured I could handle Gary pretty easy but I did not trust Jimmy. I figured he would probably break off and come after me. With this thought in
mind, I came at them in full afterburner I was doing 1.90 mach when we passed. I took them straight up at about 38,000 ft. We got into a vertical
rolling scissors. I gave him a high G rudder reversal. He tried to stay with me, that's when he lost it. He got into a post stall gyration. This happens
just prior to a stall. The aircraft violently rolls left and right and sometimes swaps ends, a very violent maneuver. His recovery attempt was
unsucceful and the aircraft stalled and went into a flat spin which is usually unrecoverable.

     The aircraft looked like the pitot tube was stationary with the aircraft rotating around it. Very flat and rotating quite slowly. Well,. Gary rode it
down to about 15,000 feet. All this time Jimmy Lowe was giving the spin recovery procedures. Part of the spin recovery procedures is to actuate the take off trim button. This trims all the control surfaces to a take off setting, which is a bout the same as for landing. So when Gary ejected the
aircraft was trimmed wings level for about 175 knots a very nice glide setting.

     When he ejected the aircraft straightened out and glided toward a perfect landing. I couldn't believe it ! Jimmy sez "get back in there."
The aircraft landed in a snow covered field and Gary landed in the mountains. This was in February in Montana. Our concern was Gary's safety.
However, the Indians got him out ok on their snow mobiles. The sheriff climbed upon the wing of the aircraft, engine still running and the radar
still sweeping. when the air craft started to slid forward a bit he got down off the wing. He said when the rotating beacon went off he figured the
engine ran out of fuel.

     Pat, this has been a long story but an experience I will never forget. There are people who don't believe it."  (Tom Curtis, 26 Jan 2005)

 

58-0787, The Famous "Cornfield Bomber" as told by F-106 Forums member 'Viper Pilot', 18 March 2009

     In 1970, while assigned to the71st FIS at Malmstrom AFB, Montana, its pilot ejected during an inflight emergency. The pilot somehow got himself in a flat spin -- this is considered generally unrecoverable in an F-106 and the book says to get out.

     After the pilot did just that, 58-0787 recovered itself from this unrecoverable position. In a vain attempt to recover, the pilot had trimmed it to takeoff trim and engine throttle back. After it recovered itself, it flew wings-level to the ground and made a near-perfect belly landing in a farmer's snow-covered field.

     When the local sheriff arrived on the scene, the engine was still running. On a slight incline, the F-106 would move slightly as the snow under it melted which got the sheriff quite energized. See the attached photos.

     A depot team from McClellan AFB recovered the aircraft and it was eventually returned to service. When the 71st FIS was disbanded in 1971, 58-0787 went to the 49th FIS, my first squadron. Some considered it a lucky ship, others a jinx ship. We all referred to it as the "Cornfield Bomber".

     We would occasionally run into ex-71st FIS guys at William Tell and ragged them unmercifully about the "emergency" so dire the plane landed itself. 58-0787 is in its 49th FIS markings at the USAF Museum and I have been to see this old friend several times. As pleased as I am to see the 49th FIS Eagle immortalized for millions to see, a part of me wishes they would paint one side in 71st FIS markings to ensure visitors know it wasn't the 49th that abandoned this perfectly good airplane.

Courtesy of Pat's World

 

 

 

 SYRACUSE, N.Y. Friday, JUNE 5, 1981

AIR FORCE PANEL TO PROBE CRASH OF GRIFFISS PLANE

ROME- Air Force officials say they will convene a board of officers to learn what caused Thursday's crash of a F-106 fighter-interceptor jet during major East Coast maneuvers.  The pilot ejected to safety.

The smoldering wreckage of the $15 million aircraft was located Thursday morning, about nine hours after the 1:30 a.m. crash, in the rugged Tug Hill Plateau 14 miles northwest of here.  The plane reportedly smashed into thick woods two miles northwest of where Capt. John Kane, 27, was found hanging from his parachute in a hemlock tree, 40 feet above the ground near the town of Annsville.

The site is 14 miles northwest of GRIFFISS Air Force Base, where Kane is assigned to the 49th Fighter Interceptor Squadron.   A flare Kane had fired attracted rescue units, who rescued him at about 4 a.m. Kane, a Sodus native, was taken to the base hospital for treatment and released.  He was described in good condition with a bruise under his right eye.  No injuries to area residents were reported.

Air force Sgt. John Pitzeruse said Kane triggered explosive charges under his ejection seat and was hurtled from the aircraft about 4,000 feet above the ground.  His parachute backpack opened and dropped him into the arms of the tree.  The aircraft reportedly went into a series of rolls and lost power before crashing.  An Air Force response team was assisted by state police, county Sheriff's Department personnel and Taberg Fire Department volunteers, Pitzeruse said.

The rescuers trudged through knee deep mud in the swampy, mosquito ridden area.  A 15-man Air Force search team located the wreckage in an area known as the 46 Corners, where a number of dirt roads meet in thick woods.  Pitzeruse said he did not know whether the plane had been coming in for a landing when it crashed.  He said the fighter was taking part in the Amalgam Chief exercise, a two day East Coast event that began Wednesday night.

In Washington, Air Force officials said Amalgam chief is part of a series that runs six times a year, alternating between the East and West coasts.  "Many dozens" of aircraft from Maine to Florida were involved in this week's exercise, the Air Force said.  Planes are scrambled to intercept simulated "enemy" aircraft that try to breech the nation's radar defense screen.

Click on Picture to enlarge

The exercises are conducted at night, when civilian air traffic is lightest.  Overall control of the exercise is assigned to the North American Air Defense Command in Colorado Springs, Colo., with aircraft participating from theTactical and Strategic Air Commands, the Marines and the Navy.   The Air Force said Thursday night's Amalgam Chief flights would go on as scheduled.   No other incidents were reported.  Pitzeruse said Kane's fighter was on a route approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Delta Dart fighter was one of 20 F-106 aircraft of the 49th fighter Interceptor Squadron.  F-106 aircraft were put into service in 1959.  The last crash of a Griffiss F-106 occurred in 1975 without loss of life.  Three other planes went down in 1973 in unrelated accidents, and two of those planes' pilots were killed.

An eyewitness to Thursday's crash described it as "a big red fireball."  Kane, a 1976 graduate of the Air Force Academy, was assigned to the squadron in September after serving in Florida.   One searcher, Sgt. Robert Saunders of the Oneida County Sheriff's office, said Kane joked with his rescuers when he was found.  "I'm just hanging around," Kane reportedly told them.

 

 

TRANSCRIPT OF RECORDED COMMUNICATIONS

The following is a portion of the mishap mission taped on 04 June 1981. RAPCON is Griffiss AFB, NY, Radar Approach Control, KH 05 is the mishap aircraft, KH 07 and KH 01 are other aircraft in the pattern.

0526    RAPCON KH 05, turn left heading 330.

            KH 05         And 05 will also make a full stop.

            RAPCON Roger.

            RAPCON KH 05 turn left heading 300.

0528    KH 05        05 left to 300.

            RAPCON Base flight check. Base flight check. KH 05 for an ILS. May be a full stop, depends on what his fuel state is when he gets there and that will be the same for 07 who is about 8 miles in trail.

(Transmission to tower) .

0529      RAPCON KH 05 turn left heading 240, descend and maintain 3,000.

                KH 05 out of 4 for 3 understand 250 for 05?

                RAPCON 240 for 05.

0530         KH 05 Roger.

0530.28 RAPCON KH 05, turn left heading 170 and descend, maintain 2.600 until established on the Localizer course. You are 12 DME northwest, cleared ILS approach.

053037 KH 05 05.

                RAPCON KH 07, turn left heading 270.

                KH 07 270.07.

                RAPCON 01. Will you definitely be a low approach or are you a possibility of a full stop also?

                KH 01 01, planning on a full stop right now.

                RAPCON Copy.

                RAPCON KH 07, continue left turn heading 240.

0531.00 NOTE: Eme for beacon on now.

                KH 07 240, 07. (This transmission at same time as locator beacon).

                RAPCON 05, I see you in a right hand turn, where are you going?

                RAPCON (A transmission was made by RAPCON to KH 07 at this point but was covered by ELT).

                KH 07 His position to me?

                RAPCON Alright you're 10-o'clock for 5 miles.

                RAPCON Mode C shows (unintelligible) 3100 feet.

                KH 07 Understand proceeding to the runway?

                RAPCON I just lost him on the scope 12, 13 northwest.

                RAPCON I think we have a crash here (Intercom).

                KH 07 And emergency locator beacon or something, I thought I heard something in the background.

0531.55 RAPCON Yes, I have a strong ELT and the target to you would be at 12 o'clock now, 240 about 4 miles.

                KH 07 Roger.

0532        RAPCON KH 01, make a circle to your right

                KH 01 01, Say his Mode C.

0532.05 RAPCON No Mode C. I lost his target completely.

                KH 07 OK. I'd like to be cleared for the approach, and like to contact company.

                RAPCON KH 07, roger. And I've got to protect this area for just a second. Turn right 300.

                KH 07 300. Do you have any raw data on your scope?

                RAPCON Nothing at all. Disappeared. I had an emergency squawk (garbled) and that's it.

0532.36 KH 07 Standby. I have a contact 3 miles on my nose.

                RAPCON OK.

                RAPCON 01, continue orbiting right (garbled)..

                KH 01 01.

                RAPCON Watertown, Griffiss. I think we just had a crash here at Griffiss. Keep you advised. OK, that's 29 miles on a 151 heading off of Utica (intercom).

0533.02 KH 07 I got, I had a contact. It's gone off my scope now, I mile.

NOTE: ELT never heard @l@ain.

                RAPCON 07, (was the contact) on the ground or in the air?

                KP 07 It appeared to be about co-altitude but I couldn't really tell.

                RAPCON OK, I've got nothing here at all myself.

                KH 07 Say that vector you want again, 300?       

                RAPCON Yeah, well. let's see I just show you left of the localizer now and turn left now to 240. I've got to wait just a second here to see if I can pick up any kind of target at all.

                KH 01 Approach what was his altitude at the time. Do you know that?

                RAPCON 07, say again?

                KH 01 01. What was his highest altitude at the time.

                RAPCON Nobody's (garbled). Standby a minute.

                KH 01 Are you getting a beacon mark.

0534        RAPCON OK, now 07, the altitude I had when the 77 came on was 3,000 feet. He was turning towards the localizer. Then he diverted (garbled) to the northwest and as the mode C went down to 26, it just disappeared.

                KH 07 ok I'm getting an ELT here.

                RAPCON OK right. Do you want to make a turn to your left then? (Garbled)

                RAPCON You just want to hold in the area where I just lost the target. So if you want to come back to. that, it will be a heading of about 120.

                KH 07 Roger. I'm getting a strong ELT there.

                KH 01 OK. 01 is steady. Over to company?

                RAPCON, 01, roger.

                KH 07 Bring me back 180 right. Just came over.

                RAPCON Ok.

                RAPCON 07, turn left heading 090.

                KH 07 I'd like to descend to 3,000.

                RAPCON Ok, descend and maintain 3,000.

                KH 07 Request 2,500.

                RAPCON KH 07, 1 can give you 2,600 right now sir.

                KH 07 get a little bit lower I'm 0535 OK, I'd like to breaking out.

                RAPCON 07, say again.

                KH 07 I say I'm breaking out here, where am I. Disregard. I think there is a fire over there.

                RAPCON Garbled (intercom).

                KH 07 Am I on a 180 to where I was?

                RAPCON About now, turn right to about 120 that will put you right about where he was.

0535.30 KH 07 Ok. I've got a tally ho out here on something.

                RAPCON Ok. That would probably be it. That is about where I lost the airplane.

                KH 07 Roger this is definitely a fire. I'd like to go to company freq. right now.

 

Loring AFB
Click on Picture to enlarge
An F-106 Aircraft Crash Landing & Fire  7 September 1965		Looking at a F-106 making a crash landing from the inside of a P-2. (Armed Forces Day 1968)

 

Click on Picture to enlarge

F-106B S/N 57-2509, was involved in a landing incident on 01 July 72 at Hamilton AFB, CA.  It is shown here after it slid from the runway and through a maintenance area just missing several objects and buildings.  The left wing had to be  replaced after the left main landing gear had punched through the wing.

 Courtesy of Erv. Smalley

Click on Picture to enlarge

456 FIS 59-0144 was a Class A mishap (no landing gear hydraulics), occurring at Castle on 19 Jan 62. However, it did not result in the loss of the aircraft. The aircraft was repaired, and eventually was transferred to McChord where it was involved in 4 other Mishaps; 2 in 64, 1 in 67, and 1 in 70 before being destroyed on 29 May 78 at McChord AFB when the engine failed on take-off (main bearing installed incorrectly).       COURTESY DOUG FAHNLANDER

Click on Picture to enlarge
	A Long Ride To Depoe  59-0100

PICTURE COURTESY OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE MUSEUM

Click on Picture to enlarge

F-106A 59-0010 had several close calls while serving at 5th FIS, Minot AFB, ND. Above photos show the damage after a mid-air with 57-0236 on 17 Sept 79. Both aircraft recovered and both were repaired by Sacramento ALC. After a new nose was put on at Minot by a Sacramento team, 010 was FCF'd and flown to McClellan AFB for completion of the nose rework and was subsequently reassigned to Minot. I'm told that 57-0236 was reassigned to the 87th FIS, KI Sawyer AFB, MI, after repair at Sacramento ALC.

 Courtesy of Erv. Smalley

Click on Picture to enlarge

This minor incident occurred in about Dec 60 at McClellan when a GD/Convair field team was installing qualified cold-weather fuel valves. This happened during the refueling check-out phase when someone forgot to manually turn off  a valve in the main wheel well on this early configured aircraft. The result was that the fuel wasn't distributed properly and it caused a center of gravity situation where there was more weight behind the main landing gear than there was weight forward of the main landing gear.    57-2453

 Courtesy of Erv. Smalley