916 Starfighter

F-104C "FG-896" (56-0896) 476th TFS "Blue Knights" of 479th TFW USAF on the flightline at George AFB, CA 1959

F-104C, construction number 183-1184, model 483-04-05, US serial number 56-0896, built by Lockheed
delivery date November 28, 1958, 479th TFW in November 1958 until 1963; seen with 476th TFS "Blue Knights" 1959
436th TFS January 18, 1962 to Hahn AB, Germany from George AFB direct, until April 12, 1962; noted with 435th TFS in 1963
crashed April 12, 1963 north of interstate 15 (I15) at Soda Mountains 12.5 miles West of the town of Baker, California;pilot ejected safely, 476 TFS, written off.

On April 12, 1963, the date in my AF Form 5, we briefed a two ship flight, myself and Richard Lougee of the 435th TFS.
Dick was lead and I flew wing on a low level to Cuddleback Range. I don't recall what the range mission was but we
carried an MN-1A dispenser with 25 lb. practice bombs as well as tip tanks.
After takeoff we flew in spread formation proceeding towards Baker, CA. Crossing a dry lake I noted a slight bump and shortly thereafter
the control stick began to stiffen, requiring abnormally high force to move it. A check of the hydraulic pressures revealed a problem,
the gauges were oscillating rapidly, down toward the bottom of the scale. The control stick froze and control with it was pretty well lost at this point.
I found by going into burner I could raise the nose and could keep wings level or turn with the rudder, which was manual on the "C".
The ailerons began "flopping in the breeze" and the whole airframe was unstable, however I could control if fairly well at this point,
and attempted to head towards Edwards AFB, as we always did with a problem, hoping to get it down on the long runway or lake bed there.
As control deteriorated, I deployed the RAT but it didn't seem to have any effect. I was able to fly level at about 10,000 feet for a short time
but the stab evidently shifted and I couldn't keep the nose up. As airspeed increased past 400kts and the nose continued to drop,
I had no choice but to eject. I told Dick of my plan, blew the canopy, and pulled the ring.