SYRACUSE HERALD-JOURNAL
SYRACUSE, N.Y., WEDNESDAY EVENING, SEPT, 4, 1957

Fiery Crash Kills Air Guard Pilot

A Syracuse Air National Guard pilot burned to death shortly before noon today when his speedy F-94 jet plane went into a spin and crashed in this remote Amboy Center area of Oswego County.

Col. Curtis Irwin, commanding the 138th Air National Guard at Hancock Field, identified the pilot as Lt. Gills A. Charlebois, 27, of 106 Peck Ct.  He leaves a wife, Mrs. Barbara Chalesbois.

Col. Irwin said Lt. Charlebois had taken off to practice formation flying and mild aerobatics.  Persons in the area where the crash occurred said the jet exploded as it smashed into pieces on contact with the earth.  Within minutes an alarm was sounded through the Mutual Aid Fire System and apparatus was sent to the scene from nearby villages.

Oswego County Deputy Sheriffs Arthur Rouir and Whitney Scouten sped to the scene from their headquarters in Oswego.  The 138th dispatched a mobile team to the spot.

The roar of the crash and following fire and smoke attracted many farmers from the area to the crash site.  Capt. Pritchard, unable to land in the rough countryside, swung back to Hancock Field and reported to his superior officers.  Pritchard and his fellow jet pilot left Hancock Field at 10:30 a.m. for their training flight.

Lt. Charlebois had been assigned here from Glens Falls about a month and a half ago.  Col. Irwin said.  He enrolled at Syracuse University and expected to start classes in several weeks.

Col. Irwin said he and Capt. Pritchard went up to practice formation flying and mild aerobatics.  They went through their formation work and began the aerobatics phase, Capt, Pritchard told Col. Irwin.  Pritchard was leading with Lt. Charlebois trailing.  "We went into a loop and reached the top," Pritchard told Col. Irwin "when Lt. Charlebois radioed 'I'm in a spin'."  Pritchard advised him by radio to jettison his wing tanks.  Lt. Charlebois released his tanks and radioed back "I'm still spinning."  Pritchard then instructed him to jettison his canopy and bail out if he was unable to get the plane out if its spin by the time he reached 5,000 feet altitude.

As the plane passed through the 5,000 foot altitude, Pritchard was unable to reach him by radio and he followed the spinning plane down ans saw it crash and explode.