The crash occurred on 9 July 1964 while Article 133 was approaching the runway after a Mach 3 check flight. At about 500 feet and 230 mph the aircraft began a steady leftward roll that Lockheed test pilot Bill Parks could not correct. A component of the roll-and-pitch control had frozen. Although only about 200 feet off the ground when he ejected, Parks escaped injury. No news of the accident filtered out of the test site.