USAAF Maj. Donald G. Lowry, Jr. was a native of Key West, Fla. He a veteran fighter pilot with 13 years of experience, flew with the 53rd Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem. On May 30, Maj. Lowry took off from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, on a routine training mission. Radio communications indicated that Lowry realized he had a problem but decided not to abort the takeoff. Almost immediately after takeoff, his F-15C fighter jet rolled sharply to the left and crashed onto a golf course a short distance from the runway. Lowry apparently did not attempt to eject. He was killed on impact.

Two Air Force maintenance crewmen faced charges of negligent homicide for faulty work on Major Lowry's F-15 fighter jet. The two non-commissioned officers were Tech. Sgt. William T. Campbell and Tech. Sgt. Thomas P. Mueller. According to the Air Force, Campbell and Mueller "negligently installed and inspected the aircraft’s longitudinal and lateral flight control rods and failed to properly complete the aircraft maintenance paperwork and perform required inspections of the installation." Examination of the wreckage revealed that the lateral and longitudinal inputs to the flight control mixer assembly were crossed.

Mueller commited suicide by firing a gun on his head on the start of the court-martial while the case aginst Campbell was dropped in exchange for his decision to leave the military.

Source of information: apnews.com, content.time.com