- 2 -
Akron about 1345[1] and no radio contacts were made with any communications facility thereafter.
F-84F, 519360, was an Ohio Air National Guard single-place jet fighter attached to the 164th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Mansfield, Ohio. The aircraft piloted by First Lieutenant John A. Walter, was one of a four-ship formation training flight.
The four-ship formation, led by Captain Emerson E Lewis, departed the Mansfield Airport about 1330 on a local VFR flight plan in accordance with an Air Force training syllabus it was to perform various formation tactics and training at high altitude, followed by a formation jet penetration and simulated instrument approach.
After the high altitude portion of the training was completed a descent was made in close show formation. Cloud coverage in the area made it impossible to conduct a practice jet penetration and remain VFR so Captain Lewis made the descent in an area of scattered clouds approximately 15 miles northwest of the airport. Captain Lewis then led the flight underneath the overcast back to the field.
About ten miles northwest of the field Captain Lewis called the Mansfield tower requesting permission to make a low approach across the field with the formation and also requesting landing instructions. Captain Lewis stated the primary reason for making the low approach was for the benefit of the pilot flying the No. 2 position, Captain Neel D Fauber, who was being requalified in the F-84F. Captain Lewis said the low approach was required as a part of the instrument training and this pass was to give Captain Fauber experience in flying close formation at slow speed.
At this time the formation was on a heading of 170 degrees at 3,500 feet. The airspeed was 300 knots and the four airplanes were in close fingertip formation with the element (aircraft Nos. 3 and 4) on the right.
Captain Lewis stated that after permission for the pass was received he descended to 2,600 feet. When the flight was about one mile from the field he called the tower once more, giving his position and altitude, and again was cleared for the approach. He said he took the formation across the field at 2,600 feet (1,300 feet above field elevation), still on the 170 degree heading and at a speed of 300 knots.
After passing the southern boundary of the airport Captain Lewis said he started a gentle climb and left turn to avoid an area of reduced visibility over the city of Mansfield. About this time his No. 2 man, who was flying on the left, called him and said the No. 4 man had had a collision. No other members of the flight saw the other aircraft at any time. According to Captain Lewis, the flight was then at an altitude of 2,800 feet, indicating 280 knots, and in a left bank of about 30 degrees
Captain Lewis said that in a formation flight the leader was responsible for maintaining an adequate lookout for other aircraft. He said the other members of the flight did not have much opportunity to look around in close formation and had to depend on the leader for separation from other aircraft.
Personnel on duty in the control tower stated that they recalled only one transmission from Tennis Romeo, which was the F-84F flight radio identification. They said this call was when the flight was approximately two miles north of the field. The
- ↑ Times are eastern standard based on the 24-hour clock; altitudes are above sea level, except weather data which are above field elevation
