B-2 Crash

ronniegj · Post by **ronniegj** » 23 Feb 2008, 04:38

A B-2 has just crashed at Anderson AFB Guam. Crew ejected safely.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/200 ... rash_N.htm

Ron

Jumpshot724 · Post by **Jumpshot724** » 23 Feb 2008, 04:44

Wow. If I'm not mistaken is this the first loss of a B-2?

F-15's going down, B-2 goes down, what I'm afraid to ask is next?

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 23 Feb 2008, 16:45

Crazy I tell you. Something must have gone very wrong. For a four engine bomber to just plow straight into the dirt immediately after takoff, I can only think flight control failure. At least the crew will be able to tell their side of the story this time around, glad they got out. There were probably a ton of witnesses to this accident as well, hope that will help get to the bottom of all this. Another minute and the thing would have hit the water instead.

djnocturnal · Post by **djnocturnal** » 23 Feb 2008, 16:54

wow, thats crazy...the ram highly toxic especially when burned, glad to see the pilots are ok.

Jumpshot724 · Post by **Jumpshot724** » 23 Feb 2008, 18:13

Apparently a B-52 made an emergency landing at Minot yesterday too:

[urlhttp://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/02/airf ... g_080222w/[/url]

If this isn't a wakeup call to Congress to give the AF more money to upgrade I don't know what is. 4 crashes/incidents in 1 week (2 F-15s, B-2, B-52 E-landing)

SMOC · Post by **SMOC** » 23 Feb 2008, 18:54

Jumpshot724 wrote:Apparently a B-52 made an emergency landing at Minot yesterday too:

[urlhttp://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/02/airf ... g_080222w/[/url]

If this isn't a wakeup call to Congress to give the AF more money to upgrade I don't know what is. 4 crashes/incidents in 1 week (2 F-15s, B-2, B-52 E-landing)

Now, in fairness we have no idea what caused any of these crashes. More than likely the F-15 midair is PE. The B-2 crash may be a result of maintenance, PE, nature, or any combination there of but I doubt throwing money at it would have fixed it.

I DO agree that Congress should fund the military with a bigger budget but these crashes aren't really a merit for that. Now, the F-15C falling apart in mid-turn, that's another issue...

Post by **Firebird** » 23 Feb 2008, 20:58

In fairness, though, there is nothing that they can do about replacing the lost B-2 or even the entire fleet.

GZR_Sactargets · Post by **GZR_Sactargets** » 26 Feb 2008, 16:56

Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
February 26, 2008
Pg. 1

Fire On Takeoff Downed B-2 Bomber In Guam

One of the pilots of the B-2 stealth bomber that crashed Feb. 23 reported a fire at takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, which was followed quickly by loss of control of the bomber, according to a senior Air Combat Command (ACC) official.

The stealth bomber rolled uncontrollably to the right and fell between the taxiway and the ramp at 10:45 a.m. Guam time just after passing the control tower. It was attempting a takeoff toward the seaward end of the runway. The two pilots ejected with one being hospitalized. A dark plume of smoke arose from the crash site and civilians outside the base reported a second explosion about 30 minutes after the initial impact.

The aircraft can lose one or even two of its four General Electric F118-GE-100 17,300-pound thrust engines and still take off, so it's unlikely that engine failure was to blame, says a retired U.S. Air Force pilot who has flown the B-2. Moreover, early suggestions that the aircraft struck birds or stalled in a steep takeoff climb also have been dismissed as unlikely. Also, the weather was reported as clear.

The bomber Spirit of Kansas, tail no. 890127, was the second in a four-aircraft flight that was ending its deployment and taking off for return to home base at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. They were being replaced by six B-52s as a forward-based, heavy-bomber force in the Pacific. The loss cuts the number of combat-coded B-2s to 15 from 16 out of the total force of 21. The force has a minimum aircraft requirement of 19 airframes.

The other three B-2s later returned to Whiteman, where the wing commander has declared a "safety pause" for the fleet, ACC officials say. During the pause, procedures are being reviewed with the pilots and training is at a standdown. However, if the stealthy bomber is needed for an operational mission it is cleared to fly.

The aircraft that crashed rolled off Northrop Grumman's line in 1989 and had accumulated 5,176 flying hours at the time of the crash. Early testing indicated that the aircraft would remain structurally intact for about 40,000 flying hours. *****Analyses also posited that the rudder attachment points would be the first structural failure item.*******
(What rudders?? Sactargets)

This is the first B-2 crash, but another of the Air Force's heavy bomber fleet, the B-1, has suffered a number of seemingly similar in-flight emergencies. A pelican-sized bird ripping through fuel and hydraulic lines downed the first, a fuel-fed fire on takeoff destroyed another, a fire in the instrument panel over Kentucky struck another and a fourth was abandoned by its crew about 100 miles short of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean while returning from a bombing mission in Afghanistan.

-- David A. Fulghum and Amy Butler

Jumpshot724 · Post by **Jumpshot724** » 27 Feb 2008, 05:08

Evidently that aircraft will live on as the model that ALPHA produced as payware. Eerie.

Post by **Firebird** » 27 Feb 2008, 07:53

Surely you are not suggesting that Alphasim are the FS worlds equivalent to Sports Illustrated are you

.

SMOC · Post by **SMOC** » 27 Feb 2008, 15:12

Is it just me or is that not the serial nor the appearance of the serial for "Spirit of Kansas?"

morbidfred · Post by **morbidfred** » 27 Feb 2008, 15:53

Hey,

Northrop B-2 Spirit 89-0127 (90127) Spirit of Kansas.

The one in the picture 21068 is 82-1068 Spirit of New York

A quick repaint gone wrong

laters

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 27 Feb 2008, 15:56

So who is going to take that one out of your AI collection?

SMOC · Post by **SMOC** » 27 Feb 2008, 15:59

MIKE JG wrote:So who is going to take that one out of your AI collection?

Already done.

Post by **Firebird** » 27 Feb 2008, 17:12

Not me, I now have a B-2 retro package installed.

Jumpshot724 · Post by **Jumpshot724** » 27 Feb 2008, 17:20

Hey,

Northrop B-2 Spirit 89-0127 (90127) Spirit of Kansas.

The one in the picture 21068 is 82-1068 Spirit of New York

A quick repaint gone wrong

laters

I didn't repaint it that's how it came. I don't do repaints, never got em to work lol. Should write an email to ALPHA so they can correct it....

GZR_Sactargets · Post by **GZR_Sactargets** » 17 Apr 2008, 18:29

From AF Daily Report 17 APR 08

B-2s Back in the Air: The B-2 bombers of the 509th Bomb Wing are flying again, after a two-month "safety pause," Air Combat Command officials said April 16. Flying resumed at noon April 14 at Whiteman AFB, Mo., home of the B-2 fleet, they said. The wing directed the standdown after the crash of a B-2 February 23 at Andersen AFB, Guam. Officials didn't want to fly the bombers until they were sure there wasn't an inherent safety defect with the remaining 20 B-2s in the fleet, including the three other B-2s that were deployed to Guam for a rotational stint with the airframe that crashed. A safety investigation board identified a problem with the flight control system in the doomed aircraft, and the Air Force issued a time change technical order requiring all B-2s to be modified, the officials said. The specifics will be released in about a week, after ACC Commander Gen. John D.W. Corley has been briefed. An accident investigation board is still working, and its findings are expected in about a month. During the standdown, ground crews continued to perform normal maintenance on the B-2s, and flight crews flew T-38s and simulators to keep up their proficiency. It isn't known yet whether they will recover their lost flying time in the bombers. A wing spokesman said the standdown reflected a desire to have a "safe and deliberate return to flight." The three B-2s at Guam are now free to return to Whiteman. An ACC spokesman said the Air Force hasn't decided yet what will become of the charred wreckage of the crashed B-2. A service official said some of the airplane, much of which is made of composites and plastic, melted into "a black goo," but didn't apparently present any pressing environmental concerns. Non-official photos of the carcass circulating on the Internet suggest it cannot be made presentable enough to be a "gate guard" or displayed in a museum.

SMOC · Post by **SMOC** » 05 Jun 2008, 20:48

Accident investigation board released results:

(AP) — The Air Force says the first crash of a B-2 stealth bomber was caused by moisture in sensors.

The military said Thursday that the moisture created bad readings on the February flight. The flight control computer forced the aircraft to pitch up on takeoff.

The aircraft then stalled and crashed at Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. It was on its way to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. That's where the fleet is based.

Both pilots ejected. One suffered a spinal compression fracture.

The Air Force grounded the B-2 fleet but resumed flying the planes in late April.

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 07 Jun 2008, 15:28

Video footage of the actual crash posted in the MISC forum:

http://www.militaryaiworks.com/forum/vi ... php?t=3595