Initially, February 2, 1970 was a normal day of service for the pilots of the 71st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron of the United States Air Force serving at Malmstrom AFB in Montana. Pilot Gary Faust was on a routine 2 x 2 air combat training mission when the Convair F-106 Delta Dart interceptor, piloted by him, entered a flat spin at an altitude of 12.5 km. Gary tried to regain control of the car, even in despair opened the aircraft's brake parachute, but to no avail. The fighter fell inexorably to the ground, and at an altitude of about 4600 meters, the pilot ejected.
And this is what happened next …
After the ejection, the pressure of the catapult jet, a sharp decrease in weight, a shift in the center of gravity and a change in the aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft lowered the nose of the aircraft, which led to the fact that it came out of the spin by itself and, as if nothing had happened, continued the flight at low thrust. They say that one of the pilots who also flew on that mission even transmitted to Faust who was parachuting under a parachute by radio: "Hey, you'd better get back in the car!"
But Gary, for obvious reasons, continued his slow descent. The rest of the participants in the maneuvers reported to the base about the landing site of the unlucky colleague and flew away. Gary Faust threatened to freeze somewhere in the vastness of snow-covered Montana on a frosty February day. Fortunately, he was quickly discovered and rescued by the Indians in a snowmobile.
But the fighter did not even think to stop. At 175 knots, he headed towards the endless plains and farm fields. After a while, the car descended at about the same speed and, slightly lifting its nose, landed perfectly on the snow-covered alfalfa field.
Promotional video:
And, as if someone invisible was controlling it, the fighter even unexpectedly turned 20 degrees to the right, perfectly entering the gap of the stone wall that was there. Finally, the plane stopped. Stunned by the "gift", the farmer called the sheriff and said that military planes had been in the field. When the sheriff arrived, the plane's engine was still running.
The cockpit lantern, like the pilot himself with the seat, was not there. The instruments in the cockpit worked, winking merrily with lights. Radar scanned the area in front of the plane. The sheriff really didn't know what to do.
And when the plane suddenly made a leap forward and again got bogged down in deep snow, the sheriff could not stand it and began to call the authorities or whoever knows about airplanes. Quite quickly, a call with a request for further action was redirected to the air base, and while they were sorting it out, the crowd gathered in the field did not dare to approach the plane: every time they mustered up courage and took steps to the car, the snow under the plane melted enough to so that he leaps forward again.
In the end, a crowd of farmers and law enforcement officers decided not to do anything until the plane ran out of fuel and he was quiet down. An hour and forty-five minutes later, it happened. "Cornfield Bomber" - as the hero was later nicknamed - completed his mission.
When the interceptor fighter was disassembled and delivered to the airbase, it turned out that the damage it received was minimal - the skin of the lower fuselage was deformed and slightly peeled off. The rest of the plane was in perfect condition.
It was soon refurbished and returned to service and flew for another 14 years, until 1986, when it was transferred to the National Air Force Museum. There he was first shown in an open exhibition, and since 2000 has been in one of the hangars.
And here is another interesting video of the emergency landing of our aircraft without landing gear on the ground: