After five trips to the top of the Flatiron in the past year, I have finally found the plane wreck I always heard was there. This was actually the first time I made a concerted effort to find it and I spent about two hours looking in all the wrong areas. But hey, the weather was gorgeous and I love poking around up there anyway so its all good.

I have seen pieces of the wreckage on prior trips that were obviously brought part way down by idiot boneheads and then abandoned along the side of the trail. That is SO NOT cool. A hands off policy should apply to any historical site or artifact, but disturbing the site of a fatal plane crash is very disrespectful. Being an aviator myself, I found the scene very somber and deserving of a prayer.

This USAF T-38 Supersonic Trainer was the same type aircraft I flew for a three year
period about five years after this accident occurred in 1971. Judging from the information on the cross, I would guess that he was a student on a night solo mission which is a very nervous and stressful initial experience. Spatial disorientation and the ensuing panic are of constant concern. Although rare, it is both ironic and sad that I also lost a friend and fellow student in my squadron the night of our first solo and I was the only eye witness. He flew a perfectly good airplane into the flat, black emptiness of the West Texas terrain.

Out of respect for this site I feel compelled to not divulge the location to the general
public. On the other hand if any regular member of the HAZ Forum would like directions, please feel free to email me any time. ( Click on 10/03/01 photo date above for photos )