Sr-71

[Hairy78]

While this was the only death in an SR frame, the Oxcart A's and M's, which were the same airframe, had several tragedies.




A-12 (60-6928 / 125)

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 gauge, the aircraft ran out of fuel only minutes before landing. CIA pilot Walter Ray was forced to eject. Unfortunately, during
ejection, the man-seat separation sequence malfunctioned and Ray was killed on impact with the ground, still strapped to his seat.


A-12 (60-6932 / 129)

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 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 maintained. A few days later the two remaining planes on Okinawa flew to the U.S. and
were stored with the remainder of the OXCART (CIA) family.

M-21 (60-6941 / 135)

This was the second A-12 to be built as an M-21 for launching the D-21 reconnaissance drone. During a flight test on 30 July 1966 for launching the
drone, the drone pitched down and struck the M-21, breaking it in half. Pilot Bill Park and Launch Control Officer (LCO) Ray Torick stayed with the
plane a short time before ejecting over the Pacific Ocean. Both made safe ejections, but Ray Torick opened his helmet visor by mistake and his suit
filled up with water which caused him to drown. This terrible personal and professional loss drove Lockheed's Clarence "Kelly" Johnson to
cancel the M-21/D-21 program.

SR-71A (61-7952 / 2003)

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! Reconnaissance System Officer (RSO) Jim Zwayer died in a
high-G bailout. The incident occurred near Tucumcari, New Mexico.