The U-S Air Force says an investigation has begun into the crash at Ellsworth Air Force Base early Thursday evening of a B-1-B bomber returning from a training mission
The plane, part of the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth, went down at 5:50 pm while trying to land in bad weather, but all four crew members ejected safely.
There are actually 2 investigations running simultaneously – one by a safety investigation board and one by an accident investigation board – which should release their reports in 1-to-3 months.
The Air Force Safety Center says the safety investigation board report won’t be released to the public, but the accident investigation board report will be made public.
Nearby residents described the crash as extremely loud and shaking their home. Social media postings of door camera video show a massive flash erupting from the ground, followed by a plume of smoke.
The 28th Bomb Wing says the B-1 Lancer says automated weather reporting equipment at the airfield listed conditions at the time of the crash as poor visibility with freezing temperatures and low clouds
28th Wing Commander Colonel Derek Oakley said 3 of the 4 crew members were treated on base for minor injuries suffered when they ejected from the plane and were released. The fourth was taken to a local hospital with more-serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Colonel Oakley said everyone’s thoughts and prayers are with the 4 and their families as they recover from the crash, adding that “it’s important we support each other as we work to learn more about what occurred.
The B-1 is a conventional supersonic bomber that first came into service in the 1980s and does not carry nuclear weapons.
In the past 2 decades it has been used to support the U-S bomber presence in the Asia-Pacific region and to conduct close-air support missions for U-S operations in Afghanistan.
Although 100 B-1s were originally built, fewer than 60 remain in service at just 2 bases – Ellsworth and Dyess Air Force Base in Texas.
It will be phased-out over the next several years by the new B-21 Raider bomber, which is just entering into service. Ellsworth is one of 3 bases selected to be the home of the Raider.