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If you've ever wondered about the Lockheed A-12, YF-12, SR-71
planes that were lost, this list is for you! The information
in this list is a combination of information in three books:
Jay Miller's Aerofax Minigraph 1 SR-71 (A-12/YF-12/D-21), Paul
F Crickmore's Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, and Lockheed Blackbirds
by Anthony Thornborough and Peter Davies. The A-12's have Air
Force serial numbers from 60-6924 through 60-6941 with the
exception of 60-6934, 60-6935, and 60-6936 which are YF-12A's.
Serial numbers 64-17950 through 64-17981 are SR-71's. 12/8/91
60-6926 This was the second A-12 to fly but the first to crash.
On 24 May 1963, CIA pilot Ken Collins was flying an inertial
navigation system test mission. After entering clouds, frozen
water fouled the pitot-static boom and prevented correct
information from reaching the standby flight instruments and
the Triple Display Indicator. The aircraft subsequently
entered a stall and control was lost completely followed by the
onset of an inverted flat spin. The pilot ejected safely. The
wreckage was recovered in two days, and persons at the scene
were indentified and requested to sign secrecy agreements. A
cover story for the press described the accident as occurring to
a F-105, and is still listed in this way on official records.
60-6928 This aircraft was lost on 5 January 1967 during a
training sortie flown from Groom Lake. Following the onset of
a fuel emergency caused by a failing fuel guage, the aircraft
ran out of fuel only minutes before landing. CIA pilot Walter
Ray was forced to eject. Unfortunately the ejection seat
man-seat separation sequence malfunctioned, and Ray was killed
on impact with the ground, still strapped to his seat.
60-6929 This aircraft was lost on 28 December 1965 seven
seconds into an FCF (Functional Check Flight) from Groom Lake
performed by CIA pilot Mel Vojvodich. The SAS (Stability
Augmentation System) had been incorrectly wired up, and the
pilot was unable to control the aircraft 100 feet above the
runway. The pilot ejected safely. A similar accident occurred
when the first production Lockheed F-117 was flown on 20 April
1982 by Bill Park. It's control system had been hooked up
incorrectly. Bill Park survived the accident but had injuries
serious enough to remove him from flight status.
60-6932 This aircraft was lost in the South China Sea on 5 June
1968. CIA pilot Jack Weeks was flying what was to be the last
operational A-12 mission from the overseas A-12 base at Kadena
AB, Okinawa. The loss was due to an inflight emergency, and
the pilot did not survive. Once again the official news release
identified the lost aircraft as an SR-71 and security was main-
tained. A few days afterwards the two remaining planes on
Okinawa flew to the US and were stored with the remainder of the
OXCART family.
60-6934 This aircraft, the first YF-12A, was seriously damaged
during a landing accident at Edwards AFB (date unknown). The
rear half was later used to build the SR-71C (64-17981) which
flew for the first time on March 14 1969.
60-6936 This aircraft, the third YF-12A, was lost on 24 June
1971 in an accident at Edwards AFB. The specific cause of the
accident is not listed in any of my reference material.
60-6939 This aircraft was lost on approach to Groom Lake on 9
July 1964 following a Mach 3 check flight. On approach, the
flight controls locked up, and Lockheed test pilot Bill Park
was forced to eject at an altitude of 1500 feet in a 45 degree
bank angle!
60-6941 This was the second A-12 to be converted to an M-12 for
launching the D-21 reconnaissance drone. During its first
flight test on 30 July 1966 for launching the drone, the drone
pitched down and struck the M-12, breaking it in half. Pilot
Bill Park and LCO (Launch Control Officer) Ray Torick stayed
with the plane a short time before ejecting over the Pacific
Ocean. Both made safe ejections, but Ray Torick drowned before
he could be rescued. This terrible personal and professional
loss drove "Kelly" Johnson to cancel the M-12/D-21 program.
64-17950 The prototype SR-71 was lost on 10 January 1967 at
Edwards during an anti-skid braking system evaluation. The
main undercarriage tires blew out and the resulting fire in the
magnesium wheels spread to the rest of the aircraft as it ran
off the end of the runway. Lockheed test pilot Art Peterson
survived.
64-17952 This aircraft disintegrated on 25 January 1966 during
a high-speed, high-altitude test flight when it developed a
severe case of engine unstart. Lockheed test pilot Bill Weaver
survived although his ejection seat never left the plane! RSO
(Reconnaissance System Officer) Jim Zwayer died in a high-G
bailout.
64-17953 This aircraft was lost on 18 December 1969 after an
inflight explosion and subsequent high-speed stall. Lt Col Joe
Rogers and RSO Lt Col Garry Heidebaugh ejected safely.
64-17954 This aircraft was demoloshed on 11 April 1969 under
circumstance similar to 64-17950. New aluminum wheels and
stronger tires with a beefed up compound were retrofitted to
all SR-71's. Lt Col Bill Skliar and his RSO Major Noel Warner
managed to escape uninjured.
64-17957 This aircraft was the second SR-71B built for the Air
Force. It crashed on approach to Beale on 11 January 1968 when
instructor pilot Lt Col Robert G. Sowers and his "student"
Captain David E. Fruehauf were forced to eject about 7 miles
from Beale after all control was lost. The plane had suffered
a double generator failure exacerbated by a double flameout and
pancaked upside down in a farmer's field.
64-17974 This aircraft was lost on 21 April 1989 over the South
China Sea and is the last loss of any Blackbird as of December
1991. Pilot Lt Col Dan House said the left engine blew up and
shrapnel from it hit the right-side hydraulic lines, causing a
loss of flight controls. House and RSO Blair Bozek ejected and
came down safely in the ocean. They had been able to broadcast
their position before abandoning the Blackbird, and rescue
forces were immediately on the way. However the crew were
rescued by native fisherman. The local chieftain's new throne
is Colonel House's ejection seat!
64-17977 This aircraft ended its career in flames by skidding
1000 feet off the end of runway 14 at Beale on 10 October 1968.
The takeoff was aborted when a wheel assembly failed. Major
James A. Kogler was ordered to eject, but pilot Major Gabriel
Kardong elected to stay with the aircraft. Both officers
survived.
(Last updated 27 December 1991)
***** THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST. MORE TO COME *****