Rest in peace Scott...

The aviation community mourns the loss of Scott Crossfield, the man who was the first to achieve Mach 2 and was the lead test pilot for the famous X-15. He was flying home Wednesday from Alabama to Virginia in his Cessna 210A N6579X when he encountered trouble northwest of Atlanta, GA. Eyewitnesses claim that they heard the engine shut off in flight and several thunderstorms were in the area at the time. The plane was found in a heavily wooded area, so finding a suitable emergency landing spot must have been out of the question. His luck at avoiding death had run it's course...

Scott was known for his death-defying moments during his test pilot years. The one that I remember most was where the #3 X-15 rocket motor malfunctioned and blew up as he was in the cockpit during a ground test. My sincere condolences to the family.