Did somebody find a broken arrow?

[ordnance11]

DHBirr wrote:

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...the wreck of the bomber was found accidentally in a remote location in the coastal mountains of British Columbia, three hours' flying time in the opposite direction of where it was supposed to have crashed.

OK, I'm puzzled by that part of this story.  It seems the plane's crew must have been really confused that night, if it kept flying for three hours after being abandoned in the opposite direction from where they thought it went down....
Or perhaps Mr. Serling can explain it to us.  Rod?

If the fires were snuffed out by either lack of fuel or heat before it can damage the wing or blow up the fuel tanks, the plane would had continued flying if it was placed on auto pilot. What heading did the pilot set it to? 
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