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Contact Info
Home Town Memphis, MO
Last Address RAF Lakenheath, UK
Date of Passing Jul 28, 1987
Location of Interment Memphis Cemetery - Memphis, Missouri
near Lauder, Lothian & Borders, Scotland - � United Kingdom
Phase:
En route
Nature:
Military
Departure airport:
RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk (LKZ/EGUL)
Destination airport:
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Narrative:
F-111F s/n 70-2375 was engaged in a low-level training exercise. The exercise involved a simulated toss-bomb attack on a laser designated target.
However, it seems that the pilot may have pulled up from the attack and entered cloud. This disorientated him momentarily, causing him to lose his bearings and to permit the aircraft to enter a nose-down attitude.
Before he could recover, the F-111 had crashed into a field just outside the village off Lauder, killing both airmen and leaving a deep scar in the field. The aircraft had narrowly avoided hitting a row of cottages a quarter of a mile away.
Crew killed were - Captain Thomas F. "Chip" Stem (pilot) and Captain Philip D. "Phil" Baldwin (WSO).
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