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Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976
Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2017 7:42 pm
by ForestRanger
I am currently looking for information regarding a F-4 that crashed in Thetford Forest in the 1970s. I believe it was a USAF F-4D based at Lakenheath.
I have spent a while searching online and putting together information from several different places and I think that the aircraft was 66-7480 and the incident happened on the 24 August 1976 but can't find anything definite to say that this was the aircraft that ended up in the forest. Is anyone one able to confirm this or shed anymore light onto this?
Ideally I would like to find some form of document to confirm the date, aircraft and location and tie them all together. Any help or advice on where to locate any further information would be greatly received and/or I would love to hear any details from anyone who knows of the incident.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976
Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2017 8:56 pm
by rh226
Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976
Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2017 9:01 pm
by Nighthawke
If you click on the serial in the tags section of that page there is an interesting letter from the forestry people.
Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976
Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 5:13 am
by ForestRanger
Thank you for the links to the photos definitely very interesting. I did come across these while searching for info, about all I could find though. Is there any USAF records available online that would confirm this?
Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976
Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 7:47 pm
by graham luxton
Assigned to the 494th TFS Red fin stripe.
Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976
Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 7:56 pm
by Davem245
On a side note, I once met the RIO of the said aircraft on a flight from Boise Idaho to Salt lake city, who is now a Lawyer in Reno, being a small commuter aircraft we were sat at the back and we struck up conversation and he discussed his time at Lakenheath and how he enjoyed apart from the ejection event he had to undertake on that day. He left the AF at the end of his tour.
DAVEM
Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976
Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 8:43 pm
by mushbuster
An F-4 is reported crashed on the date mentioned (the pilot is listed as Capt. M. Krenek), however ejection history reports an F-4 crashing after take off from Lakenheath and causing a forest fire on 7 July 1976, pilot and nav both ejected no names given. Are you sure of the date?
Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976
Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2017 5:23 am
by ForestRanger
I'm not sure on the date the info I have is purely from internet searches, hence why I am trying to confirm the dates, aircraft etc. I know the crash site location and would really like to be able to tie down the aircraft and date with the crash site. There doesn't seem to be much information online regarding the crash?
Thanks for all the information received so far, hopefully I can confirm the details and will keep looking for information.
Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976
Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2017 6:28 pm
by PORTPHANTOM
Aircraft took off from 06 crossed, road, ice cream van and queue! then they punched out and drifted to golf course. The jet crashed down the forest track beloved of photographers near some houses. Can get copy of newspaper report from public records at Bury and Eastern Daily press. You can get a colour shot of jet from MAP. Have never established what caused the crash. Was a big fire due to that years drought. Can look up my cuttings if need be put thats pretty much it from them and folk who were there that day
Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976
Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2017 7:12 pm
by ForestRanger
Thank you for the information
Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976
Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2019 2:03 am
by Julie123
ForestRanger wrote: ↑Sun Jul 16, 2017 7:42 pm
I am currently looking for information regarding a F-4 that crashed in Thetford Forest in the 1970s. I believe it was a USAF F-4D based at Lakenheath.
I have spent a while searching online and putting together information from several different places and I think that the aircraft was 66-7480 and the incident happened on the 24 August 1976 but can't find anything definite to say that this was the aircraft that ended up in the forest. Is anyone one able to confirm this or shed anymore light onto this?
Ideally I would like to find some form of document to confirm the date, aircraft and location and tie them all together. Any help or advice on where to locate any further information would be greatly received and/or I would love to hear any details from anyone who knows of the incident.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi my name is Julie prior and I was 12 years old at the time of the accident and staying in a house close to where part of the engine crashed my sisters called emergency services that day as they saw the pullout eject out of the plane I think it was on the 7/71976
Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976
Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2019 1:48 am
by Julie123
Hi I have just found some information that the date was the 24/08/1876 not as I thought 07/07
Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976
Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 8:57 am
by Vulcan74
Julle123
I didn't know they were flying phantoms in 1876!!!