17th Jan 1966

[antarmike]

On January 17, 1966, citizens of the Spanish coastal village of Palomares suffer a portentous scare when two U.S. Air Force jets collide in the skies overhead. The mid-air crash of the B-52 bomber and a KC-135 refueling plane killed eight crew members and dropped three 70-kiloton hydrogen bombs on the land and one in the sea. One thousand U.S. soldiers and experts were dispatched to clean up the wreckage strewn over the small town.

 

 

 

None of the bombs were armed, but explosive material in two of the bombs that fell to earth exploded upon impact, forming craters and scattering radioactive plutonium over the fields of Palomares. A third bomb landed in a dry riverbed, and was recovered relatively intact. The fourth bomb fell into the sea at an unknown location.

 

 

 

After an extensive search, the nuclear weapon was found, intact, in nearby waters. The United States eventually settled some 500 claims by Palomares residents whose health was adversely affected by the accident.

[antarmike]

17 January – A B-52G-115-BW Stratofortress, 58-0256, of the 68th Bomb Wing out of Seymour-Johnson AFB, North Carolina, collides with a KC-135A-BN Stratotanker, 61-0273, c/n 18180, flying boom during aerial refueling near Palomares, Almería in the 1966 Palomares B-52 crash, breaking bomber's back. Seven crew members are killed in the crash, two eject safely, and two of the B-52's Mark 28 nuclear bombs rupture, scattering radioactive material over the countryside. One bomb lands intact near the town, and another is lost at sea. It is later recovered intact 5 miles (8 km) offshore in deep trench. Two of the recovered weapons are exhibited at the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

[antarmike]

This comes exactly a year and a day after another tragic KC-135A crash.

 

16 January 1965 - A United States Air Force KC-135A-BN, 57-1442, c/n 17513, crashed after an engine failure shortly after take off from McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, USA. The fuel laden plane crashed at the intersection of 20th and Piatt causing a huge fire. 30 were killed 23 on the ground and the 7 member crew.

Edited January 17, 2009 by antarmike
splie chucker

[antarmike]

Two years previously anothe B-52 had been lost, also carrying Nuclear weapons.

 

13 January 1964 - United States Air Force B-52D-10-BW, 55-060, suffers structural failure in turbulence of winter storm, crashes approximately 17 miles SW of Cumberland, Maryland. Pilot, co-pilot, eject, survive. Navigator, tail gunner, eject, die of exposure. Radar nav fails to eject, rides airframe in with two nuclear weapons on board. Both bombs survive intact and are recovered.

[antarmike]

January isn't a good month to be in a B-52

 

24 January 1961 : A USAF B-52G-95-BW, 58-0187, on airborne alert suffers structural failure, fuel leak, of starboard wing over Goldsboro, North Carolina, wing fails when flaps are engaged during emergency approach to Seymour Johnson AFB, two weapons on board break loose during airframe disintegration, one parachutes safely to ground, second impacts on marshy farm land, breaks apart, sinks into quagmire. Air Force excavates fifty feet down, finds no trace of bomb, forcing permanent digging easement on site. Five of eight crew survive.

 

The aircraft, a B52-G-95-BW, was on a "Coverall" airborne alert mission when it suffered structural failure of its right wing after a leak in a fuel cell. Two Mark 39 nuclear weapons separated from the aircraft as it broke up between 10,000 and 2,000 feet. Three of the four arming devices on one of the bombs activated, causing it to carry out many of the steps needed to arm itself, such as the charging of the firing capacitors and, critically, the deployment of a 100-foot (30 m) diameter retardation parachute. The parachute allowed the bomb to hit the ground with little damage. The fourth arming device — the pilot’s safe/arm switch — was not activated, thereby preventing detonation. The second bomb plunged into a muddy field at around 700 mph (300 m/s) and disintegrated.[2] Its tail was discovered about 20 feet (6 m) down and much of the bomb recovered, including the tritium bottle and the plutonium. However, excavation was abandoned due to uncontrollable ground water flooding. Most of the thermonuclear stage, containing uranium, was left in situ. It is estimated to lie around 180 feet (55 m) below ground. The Air Force purchased the land to prevent interference with the nuclear remnants.

Edited January 17, 2009 by antarmike

[antarmike]

In fact January isn't a good month for American to be flying with Nuclear Bombs

 

31 January 1958 - During simulated Strategic take-off from Sidi Slimane air base, French Morocco, a USAF B-47 suffers failure of left-rear landing gear, tail strikes ground, rupturing fuel tank. Aircraft burns. Fortunately, nuclear weapon on board, in strike configuration, does not detonate, although weapon burns to slag within the confines of the wreckage.

[antarmike]

Things didn't improve, two years later

 

21st Jan 1968A B-52G-100-BW Stratofortress, 58-0188, c.n. 4642256, of the 528th Bomb Squadron, 380th Bomb Wing, from Plattsburgh AFB, New York, carrying four hydrogen bombs crashes on the ice seven miles from Thule Air Base, Greenland at 1639 hrs. AST, 1 crew member killed; all four B-28 weapons are consumed in post-crash fire, however one bomb unaccounted for after debris is audited; extensive contamination of site and several relief workers exposed to radiation. See also 1968 Thule Air Base B-52 crash. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Thule_Air_Base_B-52_crash This accident caused the Department of Defense to suspend Operation Chrome Dome, the carrying of nuclear weapons on non-combat missions.

Edited January 17, 2009 by antarmike

[antarmike]

Another B-52 lost in January

 

7 January 1971 - An unarmed USAF B-52C-45-BO, 54-2666, of the 9th BW, Westover AFB, Massachusetts, crashed into Lake Michigan near Charlevoix, Michigan during a practice bomb run, exploding on impact. Only a small amount of wreckage, two life vests, and some spilled fuel was found in Little Traverse Bay. Bomber went down six nautical miles from the Bay Shore Air Force Radar Site. Nine crew KWF

Edited January 17, 2009 by antarmike