Investigation Into Takeoff Crash Continues

A B-2 Spirit made a successful return to flight April 15 at Missouri's Whiteman Air Force Base, following a 53-day safety pause for the aircraft following the first-ever crash of a stealth bomber February 23 in Guam.

While an accident investigation board is still ongoing, Air Force and Air Combat Command maintenance and safety experts gave 509th Bomb Wing officials the green light to fly.

Col. Tom Bussiere, the 509th Operations Group commander, and Maj. Rich Collins, the 394th Combat Training Squadron operations officer, took a B-2 into the Missouri sky April 15 in the first flight since a B-2 crashed on takeoff February 23 at Andersen AFB, Guam.

"We definitely wanted our return to flying to be deliberate and safe," said Brig. Gen. Gary Harencak, the 509th Bomb Wing commander.

B-2s have been flying almost 20 years and are renowned in the Air Force for their unprecedented safety record, Harencak added.

"In the history of aviation, there's never been an aircraft with a safety record like the B-2," he said. "These bombers combined have a logged more than 14,000 sorties, 100 combat sorties and 75,000 flying hours without a single Class A mishap until now."

A Class A mishap is when there is loss of life or damage in excess of $1 million. But General Harencak said only one flight Class A mishap in 20 years beats the odds of almost any aircraft.

The B-2 that crashed, named the Spirit of Kansas, had logged more than 5,000 flight hours and 1,036 sorties before the February 23 takeoff crash, and it was "renowned in the maintenance community for being a great jet," said Col. Bob Dulong, the 509th Maintenance Group commander.

"The B-2 is airpower at its purest, most elegant and deadliest form," the general said. "(It is) an aircraft that cannot be denied access with its range, payload and stealthiness. It has everything that is required to hold at risk any of America's enemies anywhere, anytime, and we can do it from here."

(Aero-News thanks Airman 1st Class Stephen Linch, 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs)

FMI: www.af.mil