Multiple crew failures and wind shear led to January crash of B-1 bomber, Air Force says

Source: Associated Press

Multiple crew failures and wind shear led to January crash of B-1 bomber, Air Force says

By TARA COPP
Updated 12:34 PM EDT, July 25, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) — A fiery January crash of a B-1 bomber in South Dakota was caused by multiple crew failures, terrible winter weather and a last-minute brush with wind shear that resulted in all four members ejecting and the total loss of the $450 million warplane, Air Force Global Strike Command said Thursday.

The command’s report was unusually blunt in describing what the investigation uncovered about the crews involved in the evening crash at Ellsworth Air Force Base. The investigators said the crash exposed an “organizational culture that tolerated decaying airmanship skills, a lack of discipline, poor communication, and inadequate focus on regulations.”

The report is what is used to inform Air Force decisions on disciplinary action, so it is not yet clear whether any of the crew or their leaders will be disciplined as a result of the crash.

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While the scathing report has suggested there may be larger issues at Ellsworth to address, it also has raised questions on whether continued strain on personnel, resources and aircraft availability — an issue that military aviation overall is facing — played a role.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/b1-bomber-crash-ellsworth-investigation-76c8c0d52b46d25a491f7cde0fefe343