Skip Top nav bar link group topnav end piece go to business section go to education section go to history section go to gallery section go to news section go to organizations section go to research section go to search engine go to site index topnav end piece
NASA Meatball NASA Dryden F-100A banner
F-100A with nose through hangar wall following Scott Crossfield's emergency landing F-100A with nose through hangar wall following Scott Crossfield's emergency landing

Photo Number: E-1366
Photo Date: 1954

Formats: 558x480 JPEG Image (64 KBytes)
1190x1024 JPEG Image (338 KBytes)
3030x2606 JPEG Image (2,917 KBytes)

Description: A NACA High-Speed Flight Station hangar wall meets the nose of a North American F-100A Super Sabre airplane on 8 September 1954.

On the first NACA research flight of airplane #52-5778, pilot Scott Crossfield had to make a powerless "deadstick" landing following an engine fire warning. This was something North American's own test pilots doubted could be done, for the early F-100 lacked flaps and landed "hot as hell." Crossfield followed up the flawless approach and landing by coasting off the lakebed, up the ramp, and then through the front door of the NACA hangar, frantically trying to stop the F-100A, which had used up its emergency brake power. Crossfield missed the NACA X fleet, but crunched the nose of the aircraft through the hangar's side wall. It is reported that Chuck Yeager then proclaimed that while the sonic wall had been his, the hangar wall was Crossfield's! The hangar wall and the F-100A were repaired, and the airplane flew again.


Keywords: F-100; North American F-100A Sabre; Scott Crossfield; NACA High-Speed Flight Station



Last Modified: February 6, 2002
Responsible NASA Official: Marty Curry
Curator: PAO Webmasters

NASA Website Privacy Statement