Crash of a Cessna AT-8 Bobcat near Columbus AFB

The crew departed Columbus AFB (Kay Field), Mississippi, on a training exercise with two USAAF Curtiss-Wright AT-9 Jeep. While cruising at an altitude of 2,000 feet north of the airbase, the instructor gave a signal to change the formation to a V-formation from echelon right. In such a move, the third airplane is supposed to move over and the second should maintain position. In this case, the second airplane, the AT-9 41-12259 of 427th School Squadron, moved over to the left until the pilot, realizing his mistake, began to move back and collided with the third aircraft, the AT-8 41-19 of 426th School Squadron, which was moving into the empty number two position. The tail of the AT-9 came in contact with the bottom of the AT-9 fuselage and the starboard propeller of the AT-9 contacted the fuselage of the AT-9. The AT-9 fell to the ground out of control and crashed at 1000LT about 12,8 km north of Columbus AFB (Kay Field). Both crew members, Air Cadet Forrest J. Johnston Jr and Air Cadet Raeburn Francis Gordon were killed. The AT-8 Bobcat leveled out momentarily but its pilots, Air Cadet Desmond N. Fairbairne and Air Cadet Hoover Edwards, discovered that they had no elevator control, bailed out and parachuted to safety. The bobcat crashed in a field also located about 13 km north of the airbase. The instructor, 2nd Lt Richard N Azar, though that the AT-8 pilot might have missed two formation change signals, prompting the pilot of the AT-9 to move over against procedure.