During a training mission from Malmstrom AFB on Feb. 2, 1970, this F-106 entered an uncontrollable flat spin forcing the pilot, Maj. (Ret.) Gary Foust, to eject. Unpiloted, the aircraft recovered on its own and made a gentle belly landing in a field near Big Sandy, Mont.


[www.youtube.com]

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freeradical
During a training mission from Malmstrom AFB on Feb. 2, 1970, this F-106 entered an uncontrollable flat spin forcing the pilot, Maj. (Ret.) Gary Foust, to eject. Unpiloted, the aircraft recovered on its own and made a gentle belly landing in a field near Big Sandy, Mont.


[www.youtube.com]

This would be why he retired at the rank of major?

Yep

The jet was recovered and continued to be used. It is now at the USAF museum in Dayton, Ohio

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freeradical
Yep

Maybe, maybe not. Many pilots retired with major as their final rank in that period.

Ultimately the only reason the plane recovered and landed like it did was because he had ejected. The change on center of gravity from him and his seat leaving, and the nose being pushed down by the force of the ejection rockets led to the plane leaving the flat spin. As the throttle was set back at idle and the plane trimmed for landing, only because there was a large flat area for it to land on was there so little damage. The snow cover from winter helped.

Maybe, maybe not. Many pilots retired with major as their final rank in that period.

Maybe.
Remembering back, this coincides with the time period the US was (illegally) escalating the war through air incursions into Laos and Cambodia and a time of escalating opposition to the war. As a result the military was offering reup bonuses and not necessarily following the officer corp tradition of 3 passes and out.

The pilot was just a 1st Lt. in 1970, he actually flew the same plane during other training in 1979. So he was at least promoted twice before retiring.