Scott Crossfield Survives X-15 Rocket Explosion – 1960 Ground Test Incident (NASA Archive)

During a captive ground test in 1960, the X-15's XLR99 engine exploded. Scott Crossfield was in the cockpit. The XLR99 was the most powerful throttleable rocket engine ever fitted to a crewed aircraft at that time — and it had not yet been fully proven in a live test with a pilot aboard. When the explosion tore through the rear of the fuselage, the X-15 was pinned to its test stand at Edwards Air Force Base. Crossfield survived, largely because the cockpit held and the fuselage absorbed the blast ahead of him. The aircraft was heavily damaged but not destroyed. What happened next defines the character of the entire program: they repaired it, certified the engine, and kept flying. This film draws on original NASA and Air Force footage and documentation from the incident and its aftermath. This video covers the 1960 X-15 XLR99 engine explosion ground test incident at Edwards Air Force Base, with Scott Crossfield in the cockpit. Relevant searches: X-15 explosion 1960, Scott Crossfield accident, XLR99 engine test failure, X-15 ground test incident, NASA rocket plane history. Space Age Archive curates declassified and public domain NASA and US government footage. Subscribe for more. #X15 #ScottCrossfield #NASA #XLR99 #AviationHistory #TestPilot #NASAArchive #RocketPlane