SR-71 pilot Lt Col Dan House

dan_house · May 17th, 2012, 3:03 pm #1 2012-05-17T15:03

is not me....... I was 11 years old when the good Colonel and his copilot punched out over the ocean near Luzon in the Phillipines.... and I hate to fly......

I found the entry whilst googling my name (which everyone should do occasionally, very interesting things come up

). And Rob keeps calling me "LT Col"......

The good Colonel and RSO Bozek deserve the kudos more than I ever will.

http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/loss_4.htm about 2/3 of the way down, "Loss #20"

61-17974 (SR-71A)

<img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/974l.jpg" width="402" height="277" alt="974l.jpg">

21 April 1989

Loss #20 61-17974 (SR-71A) Nicknamed "Ichi-Ban", this aircraft was lost on 21 April 1989 over the South China Sea and is the last loss of any Blackbird. Pilot Lt Col Dan House, flying at Mach 3+, said the left engine seized (engine compressor bearing froze causing disintegration) and shrapnel from the engine hit the right-side hydraulic lines, causing a loss of flight controls. The pilot descended to 10,000 feet and 400 Kts before ejecting. House and RSO Blair Bozek ejected and came down safely in the ocean. They had been able to broadcast their position before abandoning the Blackbird. They came down 200 yards off the coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines. The crew were immediately rescued by native fisherman.

28 Images and history of the crash recovery operation is located at this URL:

http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/Luzon.html

<img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/House.JPG" width="289" height="398" alt="House.JPG"><img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/Bozek2.JPG" width="302" height="398" alt="Bozek2.JPG">

Dan House, Pilot and Blair Bozek, RSO

(Article Courtesy the Appeal Democrat:)

<img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/losses0040a.JPG" width="636" height="598" alt="losses0040a.JPG">

Article by The Space Sentinel (Beale AFB):
<img border="0" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/losses0041a.JPG" width="670" height="668" alt="losses0041a.JPG">

Luzon Crash Recovery operations with 28 Photos

some better fotos of the crew, and details of the ejection http://www.ejectionsite.com/srcrash.htm

dr_subsonic's pneumatic research lab

the Lunatic Fringe of American Airgunning
Southwest Montana's headquarters for Airgunning Supremacy
Proud Sponsor of team_subsonic

pneuguy · May 17th, 2012, 3:39 pm #2 2012-05-17T15:39

...liked "making holes" that much. Obviously a treacherous airplane to fly.

Steve

airgunandy · May 17th, 2012, 3:49 pm #3 2012-05-17T15:49

is not me....... I was 11 years old when the good Colonel and his copilot punched out over the ocean near Luzon in the Phillipines.... and I hate to fly......

I found the entry whilst googling my name (which everyone should do occasionally, very interesting things come up ). And Rob keeps calling me "LT Col"......

The good Colonel and RSO Bozek deserve the kudos more than I ever will.

http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/loss_4.htm about 2/3 of the way down, "Loss #20"
61-17974 (SR-71A)

<img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/974l.jpg" width="402" height="277" alt="974l.jpg">

21 April 1989
Loss #20 61-17974 (SR-71A) Nicknamed "Ichi-Ban", this aircraft was lost on 21 April 1989 over the South China Sea and is the last loss of any Blackbird. Pilot Lt Col Dan House, flying at Mach 3+, said the left engine seized (engine compressor bearing froze causing disintegration) and shrapnel from the engine hit the right-side hydraulic lines, causing a loss of flight controls. The pilot descended to 10,000 feet and 400 Kts before ejecting. House and RSO Blair Bozek ejected and came down safely in the ocean. They had been able to broadcast their position before abandoning the Blackbird. They came down 200 yards off the coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines. The crew were immediately rescued by native fisherman.
28 Images and history of the crash recovery operation is located at this URL:

http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/Luzon.html

<img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/House.JPG" width="289" height="398" alt="House.JPG"><img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/Bozek2.JPG" width="302" height="398" alt="Bozek2.JPG">

Dan House, Pilot and Blair Bozek, RSO

(Article Courtesy the Appeal Democrat:)

<img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/losses0040a.JPG" width="636" height="598" alt="losses0040a.JPG">

Article by The Space Sentinel (Beale AFB):
<img border="0" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/losses0041a.JPG" width="670" height="668" alt="losses0041a.JPG">

Luzon Crash Recovery operations with 28 Photos
some better fotos of the crew, and details of the ejection http://www.ejectionsite.com/srcrash.htm

dr_subsonic's pneumatic research lab

the Lunatic Fringe of American Airgunning
Southwest Montana's headquarters for Airgunning Supremacy
Proud Sponsor of team_subsonic

I did a search for "dan house" and got this about some guy into grunge music...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_House

I plink, therefore I am.

robnewyork · May 17th, 2012, 4:16 pm #4 2012-05-17T16:16

...liked "making holes" that much. Obviously a treacherous airplane to fly.

Steve

dan_house · May 17th, 2012, 4:21 pm #5 2012-05-17T16:21

...liked "making holes" that much. Obviously a treacherous airplane to fly.

Steve

really, how hard could it be?

dr_subsonic's pneumatic research lab

the Lunatic Fringe of American Airgunning
Southwest Montana's headquarters for Airgunning Supremacy
Proud Sponsor of team_subsonic

pwDave · May 17th, 2012, 5:06 pm #6 2012-05-17T17:06

Excuse my ignorance please, sorry Dan. Dave. NT

dan_house · May 17th, 2012, 5:40 pm #7 2012-05-17T17:40

Ive been having a lot of fun with the coincidence. Ive always been a fan of the Blackbird, have wanted to be an astronaut since I can remember, a fan of high performance aircraft, and have used it as a way to educate people on the dangers some put themselves in for the rest of us.

Other than a 40% loss rate, whats not to love?

dr_subsonic's pneumatic research lab

the Lunatic Fringe of American Airgunning
Southwest Montana's headquarters for Airgunning Supremacy
Proud Sponsor of team_subsonic

xposo · May 18th, 2012, 12:25 am #8 2012-05-18T00:25

is not me....... I was 11 years old when the good Colonel and his copilot punched out over the ocean near Luzon in the Phillipines.... and I hate to fly......

I found the entry whilst googling my name (which everyone should do occasionally, very interesting things come up ). And Rob keeps calling me "LT Col"......

The good Colonel and RSO Bozek deserve the kudos more than I ever will.

http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/loss_4.htm about 2/3 of the way down, "Loss #20"
61-17974 (SR-71A)

<img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/974l.jpg" width="402" height="277" alt="974l.jpg">

21 April 1989
Loss #20 61-17974 (SR-71A) Nicknamed "Ichi-Ban", this aircraft was lost on 21 April 1989 over the South China Sea and is the last loss of any Blackbird. Pilot Lt Col Dan House, flying at Mach 3+, said the left engine seized (engine compressor bearing froze causing disintegration) and shrapnel from the engine hit the right-side hydraulic lines, causing a loss of flight controls. The pilot descended to 10,000 feet and 400 Kts before ejecting. House and RSO Blair Bozek ejected and came down safely in the ocean. They had been able to broadcast their position before abandoning the Blackbird. They came down 200 yards off the coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines. The crew were immediately rescued by native fisherman.
28 Images and history of the crash recovery operation is located at this URL:

http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/Luzon.html

<img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/House.JPG" width="289" height="398" alt="House.JPG"><img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/Bozek2.JPG" width="302" height="398" alt="Bozek2.JPG">

Dan House, Pilot and Blair Bozek, RSO

(Article Courtesy the Appeal Democrat:)

<img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/losses0040a.JPG" width="636" height="598" alt="losses0040a.JPG">

Article by The Space Sentinel (Beale AFB):
<img border="0" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/losses0041a.JPG" width="670" height="668" alt="losses0041a.JPG">

Luzon Crash Recovery operations with 28 Photos
some better fotos of the crew, and details of the ejection http://www.ejectionsite.com/srcrash.htm

dr_subsonic's pneumatic research lab

the Lunatic Fringe of American Airgunning
Southwest Montana's headquarters for Airgunning Supremacy
Proud Sponsor of team_subsonic

This was back in 94-99 when I worked with him fueling planes at Honolulu Inter. We got on the subject of the SR71's when all of a sudden he said, "I did the electrical systems on all of them". My eyes popped open and I started asking all kinds of questions. He really didn't want to, or couldn't talk about it he said. I told him that it was almost 40 years later, but he said that he signed away his life when he worked for the Skunk Works and was afraid to even say that he helped build those planes.

I still say that those SR 71's are still the most sexiest planes ever built.

S.W.A.G. it!

dan_house · May 18th, 2012, 4:40 pm #9 2012-05-18T16:40

but I'd get in one of those.....

dr_subsonic's pneumatic research lab

the Lunatic Fringe of American Airgunning
Southwest Montana's headquarters for Airgunning Supremacy
Proud Sponsor of team_subsonic

Craig3R · May 20th, 2012, 8:09 pm #10 2012-05-20T20:09

is not me....... I was 11 years old when the good Colonel and his copilot punched out over the ocean near Luzon in the Phillipines.... and I hate to fly......

I found the entry whilst googling my name (which everyone should do occasionally, very interesting things come up ). And Rob keeps calling me "LT Col"......

The good Colonel and RSO Bozek deserve the kudos more than I ever will.

http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/loss_4.htm about 2/3 of the way down, "Loss #20"
61-17974 (SR-71A)

<img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/974l.jpg" width="402" height="277" alt="974l.jpg">

21 April 1989
Loss #20 61-17974 (SR-71A) Nicknamed "Ichi-Ban", this aircraft was lost on 21 April 1989 over the South China Sea and is the last loss of any Blackbird. Pilot Lt Col Dan House, flying at Mach 3+, said the left engine seized (engine compressor bearing froze causing disintegration) and shrapnel from the engine hit the right-side hydraulic lines, causing a loss of flight controls. The pilot descended to 10,000 feet and 400 Kts before ejecting. House and RSO Blair Bozek ejected and came down safely in the ocean. They had been able to broadcast their position before abandoning the Blackbird. They came down 200 yards off the coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines. The crew were immediately rescued by native fisherman.
28 Images and history of the crash recovery operation is located at this URL:

http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/Luzon.html

<img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/House.JPG" width="289" height="398" alt="House.JPG"><img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/Bozek2.JPG" width="302" height="398" alt="Bozek2.JPG">

Dan House, Pilot and Blair Bozek, RSO

(Article Courtesy the Appeal Democrat:)

<img border="1" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/losses0040a.JPG" width="636" height="598" alt="losses0040a.JPG">

Article by The Space Sentinel (Beale AFB):
<img border="0" src="http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/losses0041a.JPG" width="670" height="668" alt="losses0041a.JPG">

Luzon Crash Recovery operations with 28 Photos
some better fotos of the crew, and details of the ejection http://www.ejectionsite.com/srcrash.htm

dr_subsonic's pneumatic research lab

the Lunatic Fringe of American Airgunning
Southwest Montana's headquarters for Airgunning Supremacy
Proud Sponsor of team_subsonic

For many years I have been a Ford Mustang enthusiast. On the subject of the SR-71... The AirForce bought some specially equiped Mustangs to help with landing and take offs of these big birds. The mustangs were driven by other SR-71 pilots who radioed advice/assistance to the SR-71 pilots as they both sped down the runways. Seems the SR-71 had some blind spots that made take off and landing a challenge. That would be my kind of job. Paid to speed!