How the Fastest Plane of All Times Crashed (X-15)

[@AirspaceVideos]

Note: Some statements in this video are disputed. Check Michelle Evan's comment if you're interested in further points.

[@rapid13]

Not “disputed,” they were corrected.

[@vtwinbuilder3129]

You should pin her comment. She is probably the foremost expert on the X-15 that’s living. She’s literally written multiple books on it and is a child of someone involved in the program not to mention her having met and interviewed a lot of people involved with the project. Whatever she has to say on this subject should be the top comment.

[@dahawk8574]

MAJOR corrections needed. Title: "the Fastest Plane of All Times" A specious claim for a suborbital craft, when several planes achieved orbit. Far far faster than any X-15 flight ever achieved. Thumbnail: "The only X-15 crash" There were 4 major mishaps with the X-15. All 4 could easily have been fatal. To say Adams was the only crash is a gross misrepresentation. 2:49 - Two flights exceeded 100km. Same pilot on both flights. So only one guy. 3:43 - NY to LA is bogus if your vehicle is incapable of sustaining that speed over that distance. The X-15 flew distances an order of magnitude less than that. Nowhere near enough fuel. And even if you had magic unlimited fuel, THERMODYNAMIC constraints would melt your vehicle and kill you maybe by the time you reached Wapekoneta, Ohio.

[@dahawk8574]

​@@vtwinbuilder3129 Writing prolifically does not, in and of itself make a person an expert. Just look at statements made on that thread to see major errors. I expect this is indicative of the quality found in said books. Refusal to acknowledge errors is perhaps the most concerning aspect. But I can imagine some authors prefer to present an air of infallibility, in lieu of accuracy.

[@x15galmichelleevans]

Just to correct some misstatements in this video: 1. The location of the flight by Mike Adams was not classified. The mission was slated for a drop from the B-52 mothership above Delamar Dry Lake. The aircraft crashed near Johannesberg, California, which is about 20 miles south of Ridgecrest and the China Lake Naval Weapons Center. A memorial to Mike Adams was created by an Eagle Scout candidate in the spot where the forward fuselage of the X-15 came to rest on that fateful day. It was first dedicated in 2004 but we have greatly expanded the site over the years. Visitors have come from all over the world to see this location. The last major expansion occured in November 2017 to honor the 50th anniversary of the loss of Michael Adams. 2. Eight of the 12 X-15 pilots were given astronaut wings for exceeding 50 miles in altitude, but only one of those pilots, Joe Walker, ever exceeded the 62 mile threshold of the Karman Line. 3. The electrical disturbance didn't degrade the X-15 flight controls. It caused the computer to constantly dump and reset, causing Mike to be distracted from his piloting duties. The issue was never fixed by Adams. 4. The X-15 yawed to the right of its flight path, not the left. The yaw never corrected itself, but was being caused by Mike Adams, who was inputting the movement into the controls because he was misreading an instrument. In 47 seconds, Mike ended up changing the direction of the X-15 a full 180 degrees, so that he was pointed backward along his direction of flight, not at a right angle, or 90 degrees, to that path. 5. Adams was knocked unconscious during the hypersonic spin, and it was the inherent stability of the X-15 that brought the aircraft out of the spin, and back onto a proper flight angle, nit any control inputs from Mike. 6. The flight control system of the X-15 was not new at this point in the program. It had been used for more than half a decade by this point, and was not set too sensitive. What happened was that Mike regained consciousness, found himself in a disorienting position, and grabbed the controls. He created what is called a pilot-induced oscillation, or more simply a PIO. That oscillation put a stress of plus and minus 15 gs on the structure of the X-15, which greatly exceeded the design parameters of the vehicle. This led to the breakup of the X-15 at 62,000 feet. 7. The total time from launch through the crash was 291.4 seconds, or 4 minutes 51.4 seconds, not 10 minutes and 35 seconds. 8. There were only two pilots still on the X-15 program after the Adams crash (Pete Knight and Bill Dana). Neither were screened for sensitivity to vertigo. The X-15 then flew eight more missions over the next 11 months before the program came to an end (not 16 flights as stated in the video). The Adams crash occurred on flight 191 and the program ended with flight 199 by Bill Dana on 24 October 1968.

[@AirspaceVideos]

Again, an interesting read - but do you have any sources to back up your statements?

[@x15galmichelleevans]

@@AirspaceVideos Every statement I made is backed up by the record of Mike Adams' final mission. I have the flight plan, accident report, radio transcripts, flight log, and much more. My resources also include interviews with nine of the twelve X-15 pilots (the other 3 were already gone before I started my research), flight planners, mechanics, managers, and others who were there on site, in the NASA control room during the mission, or were part of the accident investigation team. I also interviewed numerous members of Mike's family, including his wife, Freida, sons Brent and Michael Jr, and brother George. All of this and more is documented in my book, specifically in chapter 12 "In the Line of Duty" which deals with Michael Adams life and career as an X-15 pilot.

[@AirspaceVideos]

you should make a video then! Thanks for letting us know.

[@x15galmichelleevans]

@@AirspaceVideos I have many videos available. They can be found by checking for "The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space." You can also find much more about the X-15 at Mach 25 Media.

[@jaybee9269]

@@x15galmichelleevans >> Thanks, Michelle! Is your research available on KZbin.

[@Blizzard2212]

Another airspace video lets go

[@kckc4955]

Yay! How does he not have more subs? Love his content.

[@AirspaceVideos]

Share this video to change the sub count 😄

[@kckc4955]

@@AirspaceVideos I will! I don’t have much following but will do😊

[@richardmiranda640]

Right air space video

[@kristita_888]

As always, you have made a wonderful video. I had not heard of this incident; it was good to learn about it. That poor pilot; his final moments must have been terrifying. 😞

[@x15galmichelleevans]

@Bennett Davis There is only one X-15 pilot who went on to also fly the Space Shuttle. That was Joe Engle. He flew 3 missions into space on the X-15, then 2 more orbital missions on the Space Shuttle: STS-2 (1981) and STS-51I (1985).

[@GregCzinke]

@@x15galmichelleevans If I am not mistaken, Joe Engle would have walked on the Moon with Gene Cernan on Apollo 17, but was replaced in order to fly a scientist (Jack Schmitt).

[@x15galmichelleevans]

@@GregCzinkeYes, Joe was originally part of the Apollo 17 crew, but was removed so that geologist Harrison Schmitt would have a chance to walk on the Moon since the remaining Apollo missions (18, 19, and 20) had been cancelled. Joe stuck with the astronaut program, and became a prime pilot in the Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests in 1977, then went on to command orbital missions on STS-2 and STS-51I, before he finally retired from the Astronaut Office. Joe is an amazing guy, and he wrote the Foreword for my book on the X-15. We did several talks together on the X-15, including at the US Air Force Academy.

[@MoteofVolition]

A comment in a sea of others but, so you know. Your content is wonderful and is always well received, I hope you continue and are able to reach more people over time. Thanks Airspace!

[@AirspaceVideos]

thank you so much :)

[@goodlessnaren]

Absolute impressed by these kind of pioneers! Without people like them the world we know today would look a lot different! Thanks for this great video : )

[@hayleyxyz]

I knew about the X-15, but never knew it crashed! Great video 😊

[@randytolle6706]

More than once if you count "Crash Landings." This was Rosamond Dry Lake kzbin.info/www/bejne/qITbdYOee5J7ic0si=_8MFUHpM6ke1Qq4a

[@8006345789]

As a kid in the early '60s I was fascinated by the X-15 missions but later lost interest and was never aware of this crash. This is a typically excellent Airspace video, providing background context, relevant supporting images and concise explanations. I also found the conflicting points presented by Michelle Evans to be very credible. If her conclusions are indeed correct, then her comment's are enlightening and ultimately enhance the story as presented here. It would be impossible for a site with the scope of Airspace to always have the last word on topics that are highly complex and where information is limited and sometimes incorrectly established as fact. However, as we see here, these constraints can be minimized by an open forum that allows for a civil expansion of topics. Ultimately, this can only lead to greater historical accuracy. Test pilots who flew the X-15, the earlier Bell X rocket planes and other experimental aircraft were blazing the future path of aviation and at times, doing it in blood. It was a very touching and most fitting tribute to them that closed this video.

[@AirspaceVideos]

What a refreshing comment in the age of "bro u wrong". Thank you!

[@selinalavanya9556]

A great video again! Though I don't understand, I watch them. Thank you for your videos and your clear voice!

[@patriciaramsey5294]

REALLY GOOD VIDEO! I wish the pilot had not crashed. so sad. as you said, he gave his life. the quality of your videos is superb. 👍✈

[@JaffaJenny]

Another excellent video! Always a delight when the Discord notification pops up with the link to your latest video! ^_^

[@Nick-Emery]

The x15 was made in 1959!!!! That is freaking insane! What brave brave men to pilot something that could propel you into space at almost MACH 7!!!!!! Just WOW!

[@x15galmichelleevans]

I did want to also mention this the crash that took Michael Adams life was not the only crash of the X-15 program. There was also an incident that occurred on 9 November 1962. This involved pilot John B. "Jack" McKay. The XLR-99 rocket engine lost thrust soon after launch, and Jack had to make an emergency landing at Mud Dry Lake near Tonopah, Nevada. He was unable to set the flaps, and thus had the highest speed landing in the X-15 program. The excessive speed helped to caused the left main landing gear skid to fail at touchdown. X-15 no. 2 rolled over, causing severe damage to the vehicle. As the aircraft started to flip, Jack jettisoned the canopy because he knew he'd be stuck inside if it remained in place with the aircraft upside down. The aircraft came to rest on it's back, and with no canopy, the aircraft weight transferred directly to Jack's helmet, which compressed his neck about 3/4 of an inch. Jack was in the hospital for 4 months, but eventually returned to flight duty on the rocket plane. The X-15 itself, although appearing to be a total loss, was also completely rebuilt, and returned to service a couple years later. Unfortunately, the injuries that Jack received that winter morning were more severe than originally realized, and they eventually led to his death in 1975.

[@djaneczko4]

You're channel is awesome number one!!

[@andrewpinner3181]

Thanks Airspace !

[@chuckselvage3157]

Thanks for the video well done.

[@bobgreene2892]

Nicely presented. Many of us had no idea about the Adams crash. Essentially, Adams was overwhelmed by contol problems, which hounded his flight from the beginning. Pilot overload, for even professionals, is a killer.

[@RobSchofield]

Another superb video.

[@x15galmichelleevans]

Just had to reply to your comment that Neil Armstrong "saved the day" when his X-15 flight (mission 3-4-8) ballooned back up out of the atmosphere. Neil caused the problem in the first place, so he definitely did not save the day. He was not paying attention and allowed the ballooning to occur, which could have led to the loss of the aircraft because it would not have been able to safely land at any location other than at a dry lakebed. The movie "First Man" got many things wrong, and is unfortunately a terrible biopic of Armstrong, and I say this after having been a technical advisor on the film. The list of errors in that movie is extremely long and disappointing. Neil was nearly fired by his boss, Paul Bikle, over his performance on this X-15 flight, and several other flights around this time. The X-15 mission in question occurred on 20 April 1962, and was Neil's 6th mission in the X-15. Over the subsequent months Neil messed up repeatedly. In one incident he got an aircraft stuck in mud when we was supposed to check out the surface of an emergency lakebed for an upcoming X-15 flight. He then nearly crashed his F-104 into another lakebed because he didn't judge his altitude correctly. Neil knew his time was up on the X-15, and thus decided to apply to the Astronaut Office in Houston. He did not list his boss at Edwards as a reference on his resume, but he was contacted anyway. Paul told them not to hire Neil, but they went ahead and did so. The change from Edwards to Houston worked out fine, and Neil got his act back together. Yet Neil and Paul remained life-long friends, both of them sharing a love of sailplane flight. Paul provided excellent insights to me about Neil when I interviewed him for my book, as did Neil.

[@AirspaceVideos]

Wow, interesting comment, thank you so much! Didn't know all this, obviously (also, I didn't know that anyone actually reads the description of a video). How do you know all this?

[@x15galmichelleevans]

@@AirspaceVideos I literally wrote the book on the X-15. It took 30 years of my life, interviewing more than 70 people, and all the associated research. The book is called "The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space" and is published by the University of Nebraska Press. I currently travel all over the world giving talks about the X-15 and the people involved in the program.

[@LemonLadyRecords]

First Man was a terrible film. How sad for you to have your efforts thwarted. I much preferred the doc film of the same time, which seemed more accurate, but I'm no expert. So was his questionable performance era at all related to his young daughter's illness and death? That would explain a lot. Oh, but I think that was in Houston, so probably not. It's irritating how they make all of these guys superheroes. They weren't. Just guys doing a job they want to do, with all the failings and good qualities we all possess. Timing and situation are more related to their successes and "firsts" than being heroes. In fact, they could be considered weird or just crazy narcissist risk takers for being willing to sit atop a massive bomb for a new, rushed, and largely untested system, in spite of having families who depended on them. That's no hero. That's a cold mf. Thank goodness for them, but let's call them what they are, and leave Hollywood and narrow 50s mentality America out of it out of it. I think Tom Wolfe, in The Right Stuff (book, not film) at least humanized them.

[@garytanger965]

@@x15galmichelleevans .. Is there a site, showing where/when you will be, in the US ?

[@x15galmichelleevans]

@@LemonLadyRecords Yes, I agree about First Man being a terrible film. It is unfortunate. I had incredibly high hopes for it because the book it is based on by James Hansen is truly excellent. I had hoped my own input could help make it a better film as well, but that was all for naught. I worked with them for 3 months, and then they even stiffed me on my payment! You are also correct that Neil's problems almost certainly stemmed from the loss of his daughter. That did happen when he was at Edwards on the X-15, and his performance went south while he was dealing with her illness, and really went bad after she died. A terrible tragedy that no parent should ever have to face. This is also why his performance went back up to his normal high standards after leaving that environment for the Astronaut Office in Houston. Neil never fully dealt with the loss of his daughter, and was one of the primary reasons Jan cited in their divorce 30 years later.

[@subtolotox]

another epic video : )

[@145Slap789]

Those pilots had balls of steel, the right stuff!

[@SimonAmazingClarke]

Two points. This was the only fatal X-15 incident, on another flight one landed with too much fuel on board and broke the fuselage on landing. The Karman line wasn't 100 km originally. It was something like 92 km. It is only a mathematical number, there is no actual point where you are in space. The US Air Force used a low pressure point whereas the Karmen line is a height where you can theoretically complete one orbit of the earth.

[@DataJuggler]

1:46 December 1968, the world was blessed (with me).

[@BlueAirways]

Cool Video😎

[@publicmail2]

Check out the ball at tip of X15, it was used to accurately give attitude by rotating showing trends among the axis.

[@jaybee9269]

I’m always struck by how far forward the front landing gear is on the X-15; it caused the collapse of the aircraft’s fuselage once. It doesn’t look quite right!

[@x15galmichelleevans]

Badically, that was the only place to locate the nose wheel of the X-15. The fuselage break on landing of the 3rd powered flight was primarily caused by the fact that Scott Crossfield could not jettison his fuel prior to an emergency landing on Rosamond Dry Lake. A fire in the engine compartment destroyed the jettison lines, so he landed extremely heavy, and the structure could not handle the load, thus the break. It failed right at a fuselage joint, so it was actually a fairly easy fix back at the North American Aviation plant.

[@jelink22]

Properly described, the X-15 was a rocket. The SR-71 was an airplane.

[@Ozzy3333333]

Awesome!

[@FighterJetArt]

I feel silly for only /just/ noticing that your logo is based off of the FDR/CVR boxes.

[@AirspaceVideos]

Ha, perfectly spotted! Most people associate it with the album cover of a ramstein CD (which is based on those boxes, too)

[@FighterJetArt]

@@AirspaceVideos ohhh man, I didn't even think of that either, hahaha. tbh, working on painting one of my cabinets like this since one thing I couldn't bring over from Canada was my old "door stop" which was a CVR box because depending on where you are, it's illegal to own one in Europe. Also, thanks for the fantastic videos! You're one of my favorite aviation channels on YT; kind of a fun fact; before I was medically discharged because of a misdiagnosis for bipolar disorder, I was in flight school working to be a commercial pilot with the end goal to be an air accident investigator- kind of a huge childhood dream of mine.

[@AirspaceVideos]

Oh no, sorry to hear... I hope you found another great profession! There are many out there!

[@Aeronaut1975]

Cool video. Just one minor correction. In the word "bomber", the second "b" is silent, so it is actually pronounced "bommer". I hear Germans getting this wrong all the time.

[@patriciaramsey5294]

I watched this for second time, and the TRAGEDY of this story just hit me hard. 😰 I hope the pilot lost consciousness before the plane crashed. what a horrible, horrible way to die.

[@stevenschwartz582]

The crash site has a nice memorial. It has a lot of information there.

[@BangCiihuy]

Ah I wish I could see the crash footage within a minute of video... I skipped because I can't wait.

[@kamakaziozzie3038]

The X-15 was as much of an aircraft as the space shuttle. I suppose they both are considered lifting bodies. But I wouldn’t go so far as to label them as airplanes.

[@harrybalsak916]

You have to qualify the conditions for you to rate the X-15 as the fastest. It was the fastest _rocket_ powered aircraft, but the SR-71 is still the fastest _air breathing_ jet powered aircraft.

[@ejthedhampir507]

How twisted it is that this flight was the 191st of the X-15 program.

[@BlueAirways]

Wow😯

[@stuartkline1611]

Thanks for this very enlightening and poignant video...

[@DataJuggler]

Test Pilots just like Hurricane Hunter pilots and crew have to be born of different genes than I have. I now have a max speed of 7 MPH downhill, and won't ride in any horseless carriages, much less leave the ground.

[@BestIkeaTable]

I tried landing the x15 Let’s just say the crew were more than dead

[@tedsmith6137]

It wasn't 'the X-15". There were 3 X-15's, 66670, 66671 (the one involved in the landing accident and which was rebuilt as the X-15A-2) and 66672.

[@tedsmith6137]

7:18 "recover at an altitude of 418,000 ft"? X-15 never exceeded 354,000 ft. Better recheck that figure. I believe the a/c broke up at Mach 5 and 125,000 ft.

[@tysonatkins2236]

Anyone else notice how flat the horizon is?

[@unsereerde6837]

❤

[@kikufutaba524]

Did not the Space Shuttle go 17600 mph 28324.45kph? I wonder what drives pilots to risk so much for this type of flying.

[@harrybalsak916]

The narration of this video is almost word for word out of Wikipedia. Hmmmm.

[@donaldbadowski6048]

Not Classified. Come in, you told us it happened over Johannesburg.

[@nsikanesu7915]

Maybe its the Bermuda triangle

[@AirspaceVideos]

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[@Blizzard2212]

Are you a time traveller?

[@74360CUDA]

Maybe only one crash but Lots of "incidents"

[@adarichards2743]

False, it is important when you make a “historical” documentary you don’t give false information. Why did you show video of Scott Crossfield and say it was Michael Adams?

[@hnzbr]

'All Time...' not 'All Times...'

[@Paperbutton9]

It sucks that Americans don't have the support to make videos about our own history and majority of these videos are coming from people outside of the United States

[@tylerdurden4006]

No no no, americans always get mad when you call it the fastest ever for some reason, you not allowed to call it that.

[@Hallands.]

Eject! Eject! Eject! 🥲

[@AirspaceVideos]

I might be wrong, but I think the X-15 had no ejection seat

[@x15galmichelleevans]

@@AirspaceVideos The X-15 definitely had an ejection seat. It was only able to be used below Mach 4. Adams did initiate the ejection sequence, but it never had a chance to occur as the aircraft broke apart.

[@Hallands.]

@@AirspaceVideos No, I think you’re right, I just can’t help myself wishing …

[@x15galmichelleevans]

@@Hallands. No, the X-15 definitely did have an ejection seat.

[@Hallands.]

@@x15galmichelleevans Right, I looked it up, too...