On 23 May 1969, a Lockheed C-130 Hercules was stolen from RAF Mildenhall by a United States Air Force (USAF) aircraft mechanic who ultimately crashed it into the English Channel.

Though some parts of the plane washed up on the Channel Islands within days of the crash, the larger wreck remained undiscovered until November 2018, nearly 50 years later.

[2][1][3] On the night of 22 May 1969 he was at a military colleague's house party where he drank heavily and began to behave erratically and aggressively.

[3] Around 06:55 radar contact was lost with Meyer's aircraft and an hour and forty-five minutes after takeoff the C-130 crashed into the English Channel.

[3] Eldon Griffiths, then MP for Bury St Edmunds, asked a question regarding the security of aircraft on military bases on 12 June 1969.

[3] In his 2011 book Lightning Boys Rick Groombridge claims that an American exchange pilot took over his aircraft at Wattisham and returned to base minus one missile.

[clarification needed][3] Nash himself keeps an open mind but says it would be within the capabilities of the Hawker Hunter to have intercepted the missing aircraft.