Latest news with #B-2A
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Report: Landing Gear Mishap Caused B-2 Bomber to Crash, Catch on Fire in 2022 Incident
An Air Force B-2 Spirit crash at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, in 2022 that caused upward of $300 million worth of damage was due to a landing gear issue, a new accident investigation details. The B-2 stealth bomber, call sign DEATH 12, attempted to land on Dec. 10, 2022, after a training mission and experienced a hydraulic system failure when trying to land, resulting in the bomber skidding more than 9,000 feet down a runway before it burst into flames. Once the crew touched down, the left landing gear "collapsed immediately," causing the left wing tip to scrape the ground and eventually the fuel tanks to leak and catch fire, the report from Air Force Global Strike Command, released this week, detailed. No injuries were reported to the crew. "Following the incident, AFGSC temporarily suspended B-2A flights to inspect the fleet," a news release from the command said, clarifying that it still maintained the ability to deploy B-2s if needed. "Full flight operations resumed on May 22, 2023." Read Next: VA to End Bargaining Agreement Contracts with Most Unions The July report finally details the circumstances behind the high-profile 2022 crash of the B-2 at the Missouri base that led to the closure of the runway for nearly two weeks and limited the stealth bomber's full flight operations for more than five months. previously reported that it took 11 days for the runway to reopen for A-10 Thunderbolt II and T-38 Talon flying operations at Whiteman. The B-2s were temporarily grounded for a safety investigation in the wake of the crash. B-2 bombers had been set to fly out for the 2023 Rose Bowl Parade and Game on Jan. 2, but were replaced by B-1B Lancers as a result of the incident. More than $300 million worth of damage was estimated to the crashed plane's left wing and left landing gear, as well as $27,500 worth of damage to the airfield, the report detailed. The Accident Investigation Board President, Col. Jesse Lamarand, determined that "the mishap was caused by a failure of a truck position sequence valve hydraulic coupling," according to a news release that included the report. Additionally, Lamarand said in the report that a design vulnerability with the main landing gear allowed the lock link assembly to move out of the locked position during the emergency gear extension. The report also identified a delay in using aqueous film forming foam, or AFFF, to fight the fire as another cause of the extensive damage. "The incident commander's decision to not immediately use aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) allowed the fire to spread, causing further damage to the aircraft wing," the report detailed. AFFF was not authorized to be used for "approximately the first three minutes and 28 seconds of the fire attack because of a misunderstanding that AFFF should be used only as a last resort," the report added. Aqueous film forming foam has been slowly phased out by several of the military services, including the Air Force, due to it containing PFAS, a group of substances known as forever chemicals because of their resistance to breaking down in the environment and human body. Related: Air Force Finally Clears Crashed B-2 from Runway Amid Ongoing Safety Investigation
Cedar News
29-04-2025
- Science
- Cedar News
Satellite Images Show B-2 Bombers, Refueling Tankers, and Submarine at Diego Garcia Base
Satellite imagery from April 19 captured by SkyFi and ordered by @MT_Anderson on X, shows that 6 B-2A 'Spirit' Long-Range Strategic Stealth Bombers and 6 KC-135 Aerial-Refueling Tankers remain at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. In addition, imagery was also able to captured a rare sighting of a Ohio-Class Nuclear-Powered Cruise Missile Submarine docked at the base, believe to likely be the USS Georgia (SSGN-729).
