On the night of October 1, 1948, he had been on a cross-country flight with his squadron. Upon return to Hector airport in Fargo, he elected to log some night flying time, so he remained airborne after the other planes had landed. He had circled his F-51 over the lighted football stadium and around the city and was preparing to land about 9 P.M. The control tower cleared him to land, advising him about a Piper Cub in the vicinity -- the only other plane -- and he could see the light aircraft outlined plainly about 500 feet below him. What appeared to be the taillight of a plane passed him on the right, but the tower insisted they knew of no other planes in the area.