On the 19th of August 1942 the pilot of this aircraft was under taking a high altitude training flight with others of the same unit and others from two more squadrons. Whilst flying at 22,000ft another aircraft was seen flying above them. Two aircraft were instructed to climb to find it, the pilot of this aircraft 2nd Lt Oakley and Lt Pennington in another P38. They climbed to 34,000ft, the aircraft was identified and they were ordered to return to the others in the formation. Both aircraft descended too fast and too steeply. Both aircraft were then seen descending verticle at speeds around 575 mph. The pilot of the other aircraft, Lt Pennington pulled out of the dive at 4,000ft after his rear hatch had cracked and a valve in the IFF radio set had exploded. The pilot of the other aircraft, 2nd Lt Oakley, probably had passed out by the time it broke up in the air at 5,000ft. He attempted to bale out at around 200ft but was killed as his parachute failed to deploy in time. The aircraft crashed at around 10.30hrs near Brawith to the north of Thirsk. As the aircraft broke up in the air and wreckage was spread over some distance, the starboard wing and tail unit were located about a mile from the main crash site.

Pilot - 2nd Lt Charles W Oakley USAAF, probably initially buried at Brookwood Cemetery, and his body has since been returned to the USA.