Louisville, KY: F-51 Mustang crash near Bedford, IN
Kentucky National Guard pilot Lt. Col. Lee J. Merkel crashed his F-51 Mustang 10 miles north of Bedford, Indiana, during a test flight from Louisville, possibly linked to reports of an unidentified radar or visual target.
Background
Incident
On January 31, 1956 at 15:24, Lt. Col. Lee J. Merkel, a Kentucky National Guard pilot, was on a maintenance test flight in an F-51 Mustang out of Standiford Field (today Louisville International Airport) in Louisville, Kentucky. The aircraft crashed 10 miles north of Bedford, Indiana.
UFO Connection
The crash followed confusing information from several sources about an unidentified radar target or a visual observation in the vicinity. Merkel may have reported an unidentified flying object (UFO), pursued it, and lost consciousness through lack of oxygen without using his parachute.
Circumstances and Evidence
Weather conditions were marginal, with dense cloud from 700 to 9,000 feet. The aircraft disappeared from radar at about 16:00. Wreckage was found on a farm south of Bloomington, Indiana; the pilot was dead. Investigations produced no clear cause beyond the possible pursuit of a target.
Significance
The case is regarded in ufology as an early UFO-related aircraft crash, cited in works such as Eberhart's timeline. Merkel, aged 37 and from Jefferson County, was commander of the 123rd Fighter Interceptor Group.