 Operation Sageburner : On 28 August 1961 , a F4H @-@ 1F Phantom II averaged 1 @,@ 452 @.@ 777 kilometers per hour ( 902 @.@ 714 miles per hour ) over a 3 mi ( 4 @.@ 82 km ) course flying below 125 feet ( 38 @.@ 1 m ) at all times . Commander J.L. Felsman , USN was killed during the first attempt at this record on 18 May 1961 when his aircraft disintegrated in the air after pitch damper failure . 
