On the morning of 21 October 1947, Latham A. "Slim" Perret piloted 322 as photo/chase for the maiden flight of the jet-powered YB-49 flying wing bomber. Donald Swift rode in the radio compartment, and Roy Wolford took the gunner's position. Capt. Ray Thorton flew a Lockheed FP-80 jet as a second escort to the YB-49. The three aircraft departed Hawthorne, and headed for Muroc. The formation crossed over the San Gabriel Mountains, flying between 11,000 and 12,000 feet altitude. Perret then positioned the P-61 about 150 feet to the left and rear of the YB-49, and about 50 feet below. Capt. Thorton was flying the FP-80 near the bomber's right side. Suddenly, Thorton radioed: "Perret, it looks like your right engine is on fire!"

As Thorton's calls became more insistent, Roy Wolford looked out and saw fuel pouring out of the right engine, and a trail of black smoke behind. The fire quickly spread to the right tail boom. Perret activated the fire extinguishing system, and feathered the right propeller. Wolford instructed Don Swift to bail out then noticed that Perret was not wearing his parachute. As Wolford struggled to help Perret with his chute, the cabin filled with smoke. Perret fastened his chute, opened the escape hatch, and prepared to jump. Wolford noticed that fire had now engulfed the right hand tail boom and vertical surfaces. The right prop was almost completely feathered.

As the P-61 yawed to the right and began to fall, Perret bailed out. Wolford was forced to abandon his camera. He climbed out onto the top of the right inner wing, where he was severely buffeted. His goggles blew off, and he lost his glasses. Wolford was afraid that he might strike the tail when he jumped. He let go at about the time the tail section separated from the aircraft, and parachuted to safety. Perret, and Swift also landed safely.

The P-61 crashed in an inverted flat spin. It impacted several miles northeast of Llano.