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 *****