- Ejection and evasion
Locher reported later that the aircraft went into a kind of right slice.
He noted that the right engine's RPM was at zero and the left was decreasing towards idle.
It looked to him that the right engine had exploded.
Lodge and his WSO discussed their options.
They saw that the hydraulic pressure was low and falling.
When Lodge tried the autopilot, it didn't respond.
The rear of the jet was on fire, and as the plane yawed the slipstream pushed the flames up over Locher's canopy.
Locher later recalled, "We immediately went out of control, flopping from side to side.
Then fire started coming in the back of the cockpit.
It seared my canopy with bubbles and I couldn't see out any more.
The airplane slowed down and was approaching a flat spin."
Passing through 8000 MSL, Locher told Lodge that it was getting too hot and he'd better get out.
Lodge looked over his right shoulder at Locher and said, "Well, why don't you eject then?"[14]
Lodge had about three weeks previously told fellow squadron members, as he had done several times before, that he would not allow himself to be captured because of his extensive knowledge of classified and sensitive information.[15]Locher successfully ejected at about 8,000 feet (2,400 m) but because the remaining planes were busy with the other MiGs, and due to smoke, no one saw his parachute canopy.[4]
Two Mig 19s (quite likely the ones that had just shot them down) buzzed Locher as he descended, so he knew the enemy was aware he had survived.[14]
He estimated it took about 30 seconds for the jet to impact the ground, but never saw Lodge's chute[14]..."
And check out the comments on this thread:
https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/rescue-of-roger-locher.42816/?fbclid=IwAR1RYZbVYMVN-2AVH3nNchdAoYelBPD49uSemh_cK8ehYnTSdUaf73hEYI4
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