The Mysterious Final Flight of NASA Astronaut Deke Slayton's Ghost Plane
NASA astronaut's mysterious 'ghost plane' final flight
Express
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Deke Slayton, a member of NASA's Mercury Seven and a veteran pilot, passed away in June 1993. However, shortly after his death, residents near John Wayne Airport in California reported sightings of his red Williams Stinger performing aerobatics, despite the plane being donated to a museum and its engine removed. This mystery remains unsolved.
- 01Deke Slayton was part of NASA's Mercury Seven and flew in the historic Apollo-Soyuz mission.
- 02He was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which grounded him from flying his beloved Williams Stinger racing plane.
- 03After his passing, residents reported sightings of his plane performing aerobatics over California.
- 04The plane was donated to a museum, and its engine had been removed, making the sightings impossible.
- 05The mystery of the plane's appearance remains unexplained.
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Donald 'Deke' Slayton, one of NASA's Mercury Seven astronauts, had a passion for flying that extended throughout his life, even after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. In June 1993, as his health deteriorated, Deke resolved to fly one last time. However, he passed away in his sleep, yet shortly after, residents near John Wayne Airport in Southern California reported sightings of his red Williams Stinger performing low-level aerobatics. The aircraft, registered as N21X, was confirmed to belong to Deke, but it had been donated to a museum, with its engine removed for display. This led to confusion when Deke's wife received a letter from the airport, reprimanding him for breaking flying regulations. The mystery deepens as Deke had already passed away five hours before the reported flight, leaving no explanation for how his plane could have been seen in the skies.
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