Released: December 9, 1997
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. – Air Combat Command recently released the accident investigation report on the B-1B from Ellsworth AFB, S.D., that crashed Sept. 19 near Alzada, Montana.
The accident investigation report concluded that the accident occurred while the crew was performing an authorized, and often practiced, defensive maneuver where an aircrew evades a threat by slowing down and sharply turning. During the maneuver, an excessive sink rate developed resulting in ground impact. The investigation board was unable to determine which pilot was flying the aircraft at the time of impact.
The aircraft was on a training mission to perform low level defensive
countermeasures and simulated bombing over the Powder River Military Operations
area at the time of the accident.
The four crewmembers onboard the aircraft were killed upon impact.