On 1/3/66 the Northrop T-38A Talon #58-1197 departed from Edwards AFB on a flight to the Naval Air Facility, El Centro to provide photo chase for a test mission that was planed for that day. After arriving to El Centro, the pilot, Capt. George J. Marrett decided to fly locally to reduce fuel load prior to landing at El Centro due to the test mission being delayed. While flying about 25 miles east of El Centro the aircraft struck a 88 foot tall transmitting tower with the left wing. The aircraft was flown to a safe altitude for assessment of the damage. The Edwards test pilot subsequently ejected at an altitude of approximately 10,000 feet and sustained major injuries. The aircraft disintegrated upon ground impact, crashing in an open area southwest of the Salton Sea scattering wreckage for 1,600 feet.

These two photos were copied from the USAF accident report showing the damage to the transmitting tower after being struck by the T-38A.

This is our first view of the crash site as we approached it.

Most of the parts here appear to be from one of the two General Electric J-85-GE-5 turbojet engines that powered the T-38A.

Closer view of some of the parts.

Parts of an engine housing with turbine nozzle vanes.

Closer view of the turbine nozzle vanes.

The combustion section from one of the engines.

Another view of the combustion section. These engines are small compared to what are used most fighter aircraft.

One of the turbine discs.

Closer view showing the sheared off turbine blades.

No idea what this is, has an impeller that’s about four inches in diameter.

One of the two actuators for the air brakes, the other one was laying next to it.

The part number on the same part.

Heavy steel part abut six inches long.

Another one was nearby.

This is one of the few pieces of aluminum we found at the site.

An armature from a motor or generator.

The right main landing gear.

Closer look at the remains of the brake assembly.

The part number on the landing gear torque link that first helped identify the crash site as a T-38 Talon.

A piece from the canopy.

Looks like this may have been an oil tank for one of the engines.

There were a lot of small pieces scattered around the main pile of wreckage.

Linkages

Guessing that this is a filter for the hydraulic system.

Remains of a wiring harness.

Part from a motor with a couple of the field coil windings.

Another one of motor coils was found nearby.

An overall look at the wreckage at the main site before we headed off in search of any more pieces that might be in the area. The report stated that the debris field was scattered for 1,600 feet, so we hiked towards the direction the plane came in from which was south southeast.

Didn’t take long before we started finding scattered pieces.

An engine blade.

A flex hose and fitting.

We found these ten 5.56 blanks with the headstamp markings of LC 87 indicating that they were manufactured at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Independence, Missouri in 1987. Taking a closer look, noticed that three haven’t been fire. A couple of weeks later, tried firing the live ones and they all fired after being in the desert all those years.

Remains of a small motor.

Another small motor.

Last part we found while hiking about a quarter mile south southeast of the main site. Decided to head back to the main site and search in another direction.

About a hundred feet north of the main site we found this group of parts.

No idea what this is, it’s about six inches in diameter.

Numbers on the same part.

More numbers.

Piece of a linkage.

Some type of actuator.

Maybe another tank?

Found this old rusty can with a wire attached. Usually find different types of old items in the desert no matter what area I’ve searched in.

This hose clamp is about four inches in diameter.

We were still finding scattered pieces over a hundred feet from the main pile.

This turbine disc was found about a hundred feet from the main group a wreckage.