916 Starfighter

YF-104A "52964" AFFTC (US Air Force Flight Test Center) at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio during engine test

YF-104A, construction number 183-1010, model 183-93-02, US serial number 55-2964, built by Lockheed
ready for delivery July 14, 1956; acceptance by USAF August 24, 1956; retained by manufacturer and modified to JF-104A
with AFFTC to Wright Air Development Center (Air Research and Development Command) Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; crashed November 2, 1959 at Wright Patterson AFB.

Written off after an accident at Wright Patterson, Ohio. Approx 90 seconds after takeoff, coming out of A/B,
pilot Major James William Bradbury heard and felt a moderate explosion. Pilot declared emergency with apparent engine flame-out.
Pilot determined immediately that he could not make it back to either Wright or Patterson Field and ejection would be over populated areas.
He notified tower he would point the aircraft towards an open field SE and eject. Over relatively open country and losing altitude
(keeping in mind the downward ejection seat), the pilot ejected. Chute opened at 500 ft and the pilot was safe.
Pilot observed the a/c make a slight turn left where it struck the ground at a shallow angle and hit an automobile on a road then a house.
(Report: The pilot had abandoned the aircraft on a approximate heading of 170 degrees and the heading upon impact was around 165 degrees.
The aircraft struck the ground in a very shallow angle just to the rear of a frame out building and crashed into the northwest corner of a brick house approximately 8 miles from Patterson Field.
The pilot landed without injury and went to a nearby home to report the accident) Inside the house two small children were trapped in the wreckage and killed.
Their mother ran burning from the house and died 6 days later from her burns. The mother was 34, her daughters killed in the wreck were aged 2 and 12. (IFS)