2008 Andersen Air Force Base B-2 accident facts for kids
The crashed Spirit of Kansas
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| Accident summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | 23 February 2008 |
| Summary | Crashed on take-off following stall |
| Place | Andersen Air Force Base, Guam 13°35′13″N 144°56′19″E / 13.58694°N 144.93861°E |
| Crew | 2 |
| Injuries (non-fatal) | 2 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Survivors | 2 |
| Aircraft type | Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit |
| Aircraft name | Spirit of Kansas |
| Airline/user | United States Air Force |
| Registration | 89-0127 |
| Flew from | Andersen Air Force Base, Guam |
| Flying to | Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri |
On February 23, 2008, a special stealth bomber called the Spirit of Kansas crashed. This B-2 Spirit aircraft belonged to the United States Air Force. It crashed right after taking off from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
The plane was completely destroyed in the accident. Luckily, both pilots were able to safely escape using their ejection seats. This was the very first time a B-2 bomber had been lost in an accident. It is still the only one as of 2022. The crash was also very expensive, costing about US$1.4 billion just for the plane itself. This made it one of the most costly plane crashes ever.
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What Happened to the B-2 Bomber?
On February 23, 2008, the B-2 bomber crashed on the runway. This happened just moments after it started its takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base. The plane was named Spirit of Kansas and had the tail number 89-0127. It was part of the 393rd Bomb Squadron and had flown for 5,100 hours. This was the first crash ever for a B-2 bomber.
Two officers, Major Ryan Link and Captain Justin Grieve, were flying the plane. They tried to control the bomber, but they could not. One of the plane's wings touched the ground. The pilots then used their ejection seats and survived the crash. The aircraft was completely destroyed. The estimated cost of the lost plane was US$1.4 billion.
No weapons were on board the bomber during the crash. The plane was returning to Whiteman Air Force Base after being in Guam for four months. It had been helping with the Pacific Air Forces' bomber presence.
After the crash, one pilot was checked at Guam Naval Hospital and then released. The other pilot needed to stay in the hospital for a short time. Another B-2 bomber that was already flying was called back to the base. All other B-2 planes were not allowed to fly until the first investigation was finished. Six B-52 bombers were sent to replace the B-2s.
The commander of the 509th Bomb Wing, Brig. Gen. Garrett Harencak, stopped all B-2 flights temporarily. This was done to check all the flying rules and make sure everything was safe. He called this a "safety pause." The B-2 fleet started flying again on April 15, 2008.
Why Did the B-2 Bomber Crash?
Investigators found out why the B-2 crashed. Heavy rain caused moisture to get into the plane's sensors. These sensors help the plane know its speed and height. Three parts of these sensors stopped working because of water inside them. This was not a mistake by the maintenance crew.
Because of the faulty sensors, the plane's computers got wrong information. They thought the plane's angle of attack (how much the nose is pointing up) and speed were different from what they actually were. The cockpit displays also showed the wrong speed. This made the plane lift off the runway about 12 miles per hour slower than it should have.
After the wheels left the ground, the flight control system changed how it worked. The wrong sensor data made the computers think the plane's nose was pointing down too much. So, the computers suddenly made the plane pitch up very sharply, by 30 degrees. This sudden upward movement, combined with the slow lift-off speed, caused the plane to stall. A stall means the wings lose their ability to lift the plane.
The plane then started to turn and fall. Both pilots ejected safely just as the left wing hit the ground. The aircraft then crashed, tumbled, and caught fire because its fuel ignited.
In Movies and TV
The crash of the Spirit of Kansas was shown in a TV show. It was featured in the 22nd season of Mayday. The episode was called "Stealth Bomber Down."
Images for kids
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The crashed Spirit of Kansas
See also
In Spanish: Accidente del B-2 de la Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos en 2008 para niños
