How long did it take for the first F-14 to crash?

Short answer

The first F-14A, BuNo 157980, flew on December 21, 1970, from Calverton and was lost on its second flight, on December 30. A failure in the primary hydraulic system left the aircraft uncontrollable, forcing the crew to eject. Both suffered only minor injuries.

Published: November 1, 2026 · Updated: November 1, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

How long did it take for the first F-14 to crash?

F-14A Tomcat over Iraq during Southern Watch

The maiden flight

The first full-scale development (FSD) F-14A, Navy Bureau Number BuNo 157980, took off on its maiden flight on December 21, 1970, from Grumman's flight test center at Calverton. Poor weather conditions forced the test pilots to cut that first flight short. At the controls were Grumman's chief test pilot, Robert K. Smyth, and project test pilot William Miller.

The second flight

On December 30, the same aircraft took off again, and that day Miller sat in the front cockpit. A chase plane warned that the Tomcat was leaving a trail of smoke, and shortly afterward the F-14 suffered a failure of its primary hydraulic system.

The cause of the failure

The breakdown was due to a fatigue failure of the two main titanium hydraulic lines, caused by the pump's resonance coinciding with a loose connector. The pilot completely lost control of the aircraft, and the crew was forced to eject. Both crew members suffered only minor injuries. The F-14's first flight had taken place on December 21, 1970.