On April 29, 1948 the second D-558-1 Skystreak piloted by NACA pilot Howard Lilly crashed when the compressor section of the J-35 engine disintegrated, severing the elevator and rudder cables and resulting in a loss of control. Lilly died in the crash. Following the recommendations of the accident board, Douglas technicians added duplicate control cables, armor plating around the emergency fuel pump and fuel lines, and wire-wound fuel hoses to the third Skystreak, NACA 142, and repainted it white for better visibility.