B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Crash Video & Technical Report

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The crash on takeoff of a 509th Air Wing, Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber, February 23 operating at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, was caused by water in the aircraft's sensors, according to an Air Combat report issued, Thursday. Specifically, moisture in three port transducer units "distorted data introduced by a B-2 Spirit's air data system" which led to flawed information entering the bomber's flight control computers. The aircraft was reacting to inaccurate airspeed and a "perceived" negative angle of attack. This resulted in an "uncommanded 30 degree nose-high pitch-up on takeoff," according to the Air Force.

Major Ryan Link and Captain Justin Grieve, the aircraft's two pilots and the only two aboard were unable to regain control and safely ejected just as the aircraft stalled and mushed into the ground and its left wing impacted the ground. The $1.4 billion aircraft crashed just off the left side of the runway and exploded. It was the first-ever B-2 crash and followed 75,000 hours of loss-free service. Link and Grieve both suffered injuries during ejection, with Grieve suffering compression fractures to his spine.

The report points to the inaccurate readings as contributing factors, adding that ineffective communication of critical information about a technique used to remove moisture from the sensors also contributed. It's possible that all the maintenance crew had to do to avert the accident was turn on the pitot heat prior to performing air data calibrations. But the suggested technique was not part of checklist procedures.


Channel: Autos & Vehicles
Uploaded: June 6, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Author: AVweb

Length: 00:03:09
Rating: 4.69
Views: 378906

Tags: B2 B-2 stealth bomber spirit air force crash video guam avweb glenn pew airplane

Video Comments:
wyrdmagyk4 (August 29, 2008 at 1:52 am)
Your right,ya know...
we are our own worst enemies...lol
biffbiffson (August 25, 2008 at 9:07 pm)
XD teameuropaa thumbs up+
TeamEuropaa (August 20, 2008 at 11:39 pm)
i guess it wasn't invisible to the ground
masterj345 (August 20, 2008 at 5:52 am)
lol the us militaries biggest foe is not another military but stupid people...

pretty funny, no one can beat us but us.
octavian300 (August 16, 2008 at 9:35 am)
lol no shit..
octavian300 (August 16, 2008 at 9:35 am)
lol? do you hate america or somthing?
sen2k (August 16, 2008 at 10:30 am)
no i dont hate america. I hate waste of money on weapons of mass destruction ;)
Does it sound familiar? Yes , the terrorists are sitting in your own government :(
octavian300 (August 16, 2008 at 10:33 am)
yes but if theyr were no weapons and we got attacked by .... north korea russia china ect... then wat would we do huh? just die?
kofkok (July 17, 2008 at 12:44 pm)
Owned!
MrDuffy81 (July 16, 2008 at 10:07 am)
What about the Memphis Belle?

She was HOT! LOL