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Contact Info
Home Town New York
Last Address Edwards AFB, CA
Date of Passing Apr 23, 1971
Location of Interment Star of David Memorial Gardens - North Lauderdale, Florida
Narrative:
Destroyed on test flight out of Edwards AFB, CA. Crashed on April 23, 1971 into the Mojave Desert CA. Cause of accident described as "aircraft departed controlled flight during a gun firing flight test wind up turn".
Both crew - Major James W. Hurt III (pilot) and Major Robert J. Furman (WSO) were killed. They were both found still inside the escape capsule
Aircraft experienced trouble at 6,000 feet. This was the 18th crash of the type since entering service and the second fatal accident of 1971 when the module chute failed to properly deploy. All F-111s were grounded on Thursday April 30, 1971 after it was determined that the recovery chute compartment door failed to separate making crew escape impossible. This was the sixth grounding order for the F-111 since it entered operation. Grounding order lifted June 8, 1971 during which time the panel that failed in this accident was replaced .
F-111E s/n 67-0117 was the 3rd conversion from F-111A to F-111E, and had accumulated 97 flights and 152.7 flight hours.
