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Scott Crossfield
† 10-02-1921 - 04-20-2006 †

Scott Crossfield began his final voyage into the unknown on April 20th, 2006.

Crossfield made aeronautical history in 1953 when he reached a speed of more than 1,320 mph, or Mach 2, in a Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket.

Legendary test pilot Scott Crossfield, the first person to fly at twice the speed of sound, has been found dead in the wreckage of a single-engine plane in the mountains of northern Georgia, his son-in-law said.

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NASA ADMINISTRATOR STATEMENT REGARDING THE TRAGIC LOSS OF AVIATION PIONEER A. SCOTT CROSSFIELD "Today, those of us in the aeronautics and space communities extend our condolences and deepest sympathies to Scott's family" Read more

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Scott Crossfield

April 20 | NASA administrator statement regarding the tragic loss of aviation pioneer Crossfield

Oct 2, 1921: Scott Crossfield is born in Berkeley, California.
Nov. 20, 1953: Crossfield flew Mach 2 when he hit 1,300 mph in NACA's Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket. The plane reached an altitude of 72,000 feet.
April 20, 2006: Scott Crossfield dies at age 84 after his plane crashed in the mountains of northern Georgia.

Birth name: Albert Scott Crossfield
Date of birth: October 2, 1921
Location of birth: Berkeley, California
Cause of death: Plane crash after possible engine problems
Date of death: April 20, 2006
Time of death: Unknown, between Wednesday morning April 20th, 2006 (time of crash) and Thursday April 20th (date of body recovery)
Location of death: Mountains of northern Georgia

Crossfield made aeronautical history in 1953 when he reached a speed of more than 1,320 mph, or Mach 2, in a Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket.

Take off from: Prattville, Alabama at 9 a.m.
Destiny: Manassas, Virginia (not reached)
Cause of crash: Possible engine problems after thunderstorms
Passengers: One, body identified as Albert Scott Crossfield
Type of plane: Cessna 210A
Location of crash: 50 miles northwest of Atlanta, near Ranger.

Timeline:

April 19, 2006:
9 am - Cessna 210A takes off in Prattville, Alabama
11 am - Air traffic monitors loses radio and radar contact with plane 10 miles southwest of Ellijay, Georgia

April 20, 2006:
11 am - FAA says a small aircraft has went missing of Ellijay, Georgia and that authorities were searching the area.
1 pm: Wreckage found near Ranger.
2 pm - The Associated Press reports the body of Scott Crossfield has been found in the wreckage of his plane.

"He was trying to turn and he just went down. You could tell the motor was having trouble. You could tell the motor cut off."
-- Witness of crash tell press [April 20, 2006]

"Today, those of us in the aeronautics and space communities extend our condolences and deepest sympathies to Scott's family"
-- NASA Administrator in statement [April 20, 2006]