1950 Mason-Dixon Line F-84 crash

Crash summary
Date 9:57 PM (EDT) August 30, 1950
Site Frederick County, 1.9 mi (3.1 km) W of Harney, Maryland[1]
Fatalities pilot, 2d Lt Michael E. Alkire
Aircraft type Republic F-84C-6-RE
(serial no. 47-1496)
Operator 121st Fighter Sq, Andrews AFB, DC Air National Guard
crash site
Crash site 0.3 mi (0.48 km) south of the Pennsylvania/Maryland border

The 1950 Mason-Dixon Line F-84 crash was an aircraft accident of a single Republic F-84 Thunderjet during a routine weather training mission of two jets. After passing southbound near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the F-84C exploded in mid-air at tree height, left a large crater in a field, and scattered wreckage over 3 acres (1.2 hectares) of the Hilbert cornfield near the Maryland intersection of the Harney and Bollinger School roads. Along with small parts of the aircraft, a few remains of the pilot were recovered; and the element leader in the lead F-84, 1st Lt. William L. Hall, reported "Alkire had not radioed of any difficulty before the explosion."[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "Jet Pilot is Blown To Bits When Plane Explodes Near Emmitsburg Last Night". Gettysburg Times. August 31, 1950. 
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