Born in Berkeley, California on October 2, 1921, A. Scott Crossfield was an American test pilot and aerospace engineer. A naval aviator during World War II, he joined NACA at Edwards Air Force Base in 1950, flying advanced experimental aircraft including the X-1 and the Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket. On November 20, 1953, he became the first person to fly at twice the speed of sound (Mach 2), at the controls of the Skyrocket. In 1955, he left NACA to join North American Aviation, contributing to the design and flight testing of the X-15, which he flew for its first powered flight in September 1959. He completed fourteen X-15 research flights before handing the aircraft over to Air Force and NASA pilots. Inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame, he died on April 19, 2006, when his private Cessna crashed during a solo flight.