Bill Weaver was flying nearly 80,000 feet high, in a SR-71 Blackbird spy plane, back in 1966 when he thought he had crashed. It's an unimaginably terrifying experience that most don't live to tell about, but Bill got lucky. It wasn't a crash that had Weaver suddenly tumbling down to Earth — his plane, optimized for performance (not safety), disintegrated in mere moments.

Weaver wasn't just flying high. His plane was cruising at speeds three times the speed of sound, and given the aircraft's faulty construction, this was a recipe for disaster. The plane disappeared from radars at Edwards Air Force Base, and it was at this time that Bill and his flying partner were presumed dead. While Bill's companion didn't make it out alive, Weaver did, and his story will raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Let us know what you thought in the comments below, and be sure to share it with your friends!