File A121-R-61-7965SR-71AArticle 2016

61-7965

SR-71A · Article 2016
Lost25 Oct 1967

No display location
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Record

61-7965
2016
SR-71A
204.6
10 June 1966
Lost
Destroyed

Career

  • First flown by Lockheed test pilots Bill Weaver and Kenneth E. Moeller
  • Accepted by the USAF 14 Jul 1966 and assigned to the 9th SRW at Beale

How it was lost

Crashed 25 October 1967 in the Trinity Range north of Lovelock, Nevada, during a night training flight (callsign ASPEN 28) after an inertial/attitude reference failure left the crew without a valid attitude display in total darkness. Maj. Roy L. St. Martin and RSO Capt. John F. Carnochan ejected safely.

Where the record disagrees

Baugher gives the loss year as 1976, an error; all other sources say 25 Oct 1967. Carnochan's middle initials appear as "John F." (sr-71.org) and "John A. F." (X-Hunters).

Sources

  1. The X-Hunters (Peter Merlin, Tony Moore). Lockheed SR-71A (61-7965). Open · In the register
  2. The X-Hunters (Peter Merlin, Tony Moore). Lockheed SR-71A (61-7965): Night Training Flight. Open · In the register
  3. SR-71 Online (sr-71.org, read via Wayback Machine snapshot). Blackbird Losses (data courtesy of Peter Merlin). Archived copy · In the register
  4. SR-71 Online (sr-71.org, read via Wayback Machine snapshot). Blackbird Flight Hours (data from Peter Merlin, NASA Dryden, as of 21 May 2006). Archived copy · In the register
  5. Joe Baugher. 1961 USAF Serial Numbers (61-7950 to 61-7981 entries). Open · Archived · In the register
  6. Roadrunners Internationale. Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird production list (article numbers). Open · Archived · In the register