USAF: B-1B bomber out of SD crashes in Montana

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Tue Aug 20, 2013, 11:05 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: Associated Press

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A B-1B bomber out of South Dakota's Ellsworth Air Force Base crashed in a remote area of southeastern Montana on Monday but the four crew members survived, the U.S. Air Force said.

Col. Kevin Kennedy, commander of the 28th Bomb Wing, said the two pilots and two weapons system officers ejected from the aircraft before the bomber crashed near Broadus, Mont. He said the crew survived but there were some injuries.

"We are actively working to ensure the safety of the crew members and have sent first responders to secure the scene and work closely with local authorities at the crash site," Kennedy said in a statement. "Right now all of our thoughts and prayers are with the crews and their families."

Kennedy said the Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the accident, some 170 miles southeast of Billings, Mont.

Read more: http://hosted2.ap.org/PAUPD/f9b4b72a8783460798117077c27851b7/Article_2013-08-19-Bomber%20Crash/id-f42929a19cd64db0b53d42d4a60a2d8a

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I went car camping one night a little bit to the west of Broadus. I can still see the setting in my mind's eye. That was in August 1994, just about 19 years ago to the day.

The next morning, I stopped in Broadus to buy some car part or accessory; I can't recall what now. Then I left town, headed for Devil's Tower. Soon after I crossed into Wyoming, shadow moved quickly across the ground and over me. I guess it was a B-52 on a training run, but it could have been some other large aircraft.

[TwilightGardener]

1. I used to love watching the B-1B's take off at Ellsworth. Glad the crew survived.

[petronius]

2. I'm very glad they all got out

Too bad about the aircraft, those are such neat-looking planes...

[JohnnyRingo]

5. ...As I recall

The first few B-1s had a pod with it's own 'chute.

The four crew members were seated within the nose, but because ejecting at hypersonic speeds means increased likelihood of death, the entire crew section blasted away from the aircraft and descended by way of a trio of parachutes. In one of the early crashes, a B-1a pod had a chute malfunction and landed nose down. Now B-1bs have separate downward firing ejection seats for the crew who sit side-by-side and back-to-back.

Nine of the 100 B-1s have crashed with a loss of 17 crew members thus far, so these airmen were indeed lucky.

I believe B-1s are obsolete anyway because surface to air missiles have evolved to the point that high speed matters little these days.The difference between the B-1a and the B-1b is stealth, which is the 21st century way of thinking on strategic bombing. We still use these antiques because the Air Force is reluctant to deploy B-2 Stealth bombers. The reason is cost: At $4b each, a B-2 Spirit costs as much as an aircraft carrier, and that makes B-1s expendable in all but the most critical scenarios.

[Kolesar]

6. USAF retired a third of the B-1Bs in the last decade

Good points all around.

[Comrade Grumpy]

3. It was a B-1 from Ellsworth that dropped the first bomb on Baghdad.

It was an attempt to assassinate Saddam Hussein. They bombed a cafe where he was supposed to be eating lunch. He wasn't there, but 18 neighborhood residents vanished forever then.

[onehandle]

4. They carry nukes.

Run.

[Posteritatis]

10. Not many US warplanes don't have nuclear capability.

Panicking over any one of them crashing is silly.

[onehandle]

11. RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nt

[Lonr]

12. True, while it is silly

to panic, it is prudent to avoid the area until it is known whether there was radioactive material on board the aircraft and, if so, its status after the crash.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

7. Aviation buffs: is the B1B considered a failure in military aviation circles?

I remember back in the 80's, the role of the B1B was changed....what was it, from a low-altitude bomber to high (or did I get that backwards)? Anyhow, wasn't it supposed to eventually replace the B-52, and aren't we still using B-52's? Is the B1B an essential component of the Air Force? Thanks.

[sir pball]

8. From high supersonic to treetops

It was supposed to be a high and fast craft but was resurrected as a more capable ground-hugging penetration bomber than the B52...it's a fine aircraft, just never really as flexible or long-lived as the 52s. More a case of being overshadowed by big brother than being a failure.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

9. Thank you.

I had the role reversal backward.