| Date: 21 February 1973 |
| Aircraft type: F-111A Aardvark |
| Serial Number: 67-0072 |
| Military Unit: 429 TFS, 474 TFW on TDY |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Takhli |
| Name(s): |
| Capt Charles E Sudberry (Survived) |
| 1Lt Eric R Puschmann (Survived) |
| An F-111 crashed on take off from Takhli when the main landing gear pin sheared causing the undercarriage to collapse. The aircraft slid off the side of the runway with its full load of 24 Mk82 bombs and caught fire. The crew left the aircraft rapidly with only minor injuries and were rescued by the base police unit but the fire trucks could not get near the aircraft, which continued to burn all night as 18 of the bombs exploded one by one. Apparently, the fire and periodic explosions caused many of the personnel on the base to think that the airfield was under enemy attack. |
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