B-1 crash Ellsworth

Ellsworth AFB has confirmed a B-1 incident on base. Word going around is that aircraft 85-0085 had an engine fire, and the crew ejected. It appears that it happened on landing and the aircraft exploded not long after the incident began. The base is currently seeing thick fog, possibly freezing fog. All four crew members ejected safely, with one reportedly going to the hospital with back pain. Both on base and off base fire departments responded to the incident.

At approximately 2120 EST, emergency vehicles responded to an incident on Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. By 2135 EST, eyewitnesses heard a large explosion at the air base. According to a popular Air Force Facebook page, the crew ejected as the aircraft went down in dense fog. The aircraft reportedly had a crew of four.

theatlasnews.co...

a reply to: Zaphod58
Hmmmm I wonder if that was a bad gasket or something broke in the fuel delivery system?

a reply to: Zaphod58

Nothing in the news article about an engine fire before touchdown. Seems more likely to be a hard landing incident due to crappy visibility on approach, maybe followed by a bounce back up into the air. Everyone reported a big boom.

a reply to: Boomer1947

The article doesn't mention it but that's word going around. The incident began about 2120 EST, and the first explosion reported at 2135 EST, consistent with an engine fire leading to an explosion.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Boomer1947

The article doesn't mention it but that's word going around. The incident began about 2120 EST, and the first explosion reported at 2135 EST, consistent with an engine fire leading to an explosion.

So an engine fire might have prompted an emergency landing in crappy weather.

a reply to: Boomer1947

Yes, and then something went wrong during the landing and the crew ejected.

The airframe came through fairly intact, but burned out.