Anyway, the Blackbird was due for some routine testing to try out a new sensor. During the test, it was to exceed three times the speed of sound! The weather that December day was fairly good; a few clouds at higher altitudes were present, but visibility wasn't too much of an issue.
As things progressed, the pilot began accelerating and climbing in height. The engines didn't function correctly when the afterburners lit, and the airspeed quickly dropped off. It was impossible to maintain control of the aircraft, so the two men were ejected. Soon after, it fell apart in midair, and crashed near Shoshone, California.
Weeks later, the problem was found. There was a piece of Duct tape that had been rolled up as a makeshift dust plug and then forgotten. It was placed there following adjustments and redesigns made to the nose. The resulting insufficient airflow to the engine contributed to the crash.
