OT: "B-52 Bomber Loses Engine During Training Flight"

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

I first read that headline and wondered, "Why is this news? There are still seven engines left to fly home on."

 

Then I ready the article and learned that an entire engine pylon departed the aircraft and landed on its own in a North Carolina field. That only leaves six engines and some questionable structural elements to get the crew back to base.

 

 

I'll betcha some flight suits had to be washed after that mission.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/US/52-bomber-loses-engine-training-flight-report/story?id=44567807

Edited January 5, 2017 by Charlie Harley, #14153

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

Hate it when that happens. The just don't make airplanes like they used to. This one is likely only 50 years or more old.

Edited January 5, 2017 by Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663

[Doc Flimshaw Sass# 73310]

Losing engines....that's sissy stuff

http://www.talkingproud.us/Military/B52NoTail/files/b52notail.jpg

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Losing engines....that's sissy stuff

http://www.talkingproud.us/Military/B52NoTail/files/b52notail.jpg

A spare tire ain't gonna help you much in that situation.

[Charlie Whiskers]

Charlie Harley, #14153, on 05 Jan 2017 - 12:55 PM, said:

I first read that headline and wondered, "Why is this news? There are still seven engines left to fly home on."

 

Then I ready the article and learned that an entire engine pylon departed the aircraft and landed on its own in a North Carolina field. That only leaves six engines and some questionable structural elements to get the crew back to base.

 

 

I'll betcha some flight suits had to be washed after that mission.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/US/52-bomber-loses-engine-training-flight-report/story?id=44567807

 

It was the other North...Dakota not Carolina. That clarifies the old phrase cold enough to freeze the nuts off of a gang plow....only in this case it was off of a B52. It was a balmy 1 above at ground level...I wonder what it was at 10 or 20,000 ft.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

Story sais "an engine." Nothing about losing the entire pylon. That would be two engines. Maintenance is still standing tall trying to explain this one.

[Utah Bob #35998]

Loctite. Just sayin.

[Clay Mosby]

I loved the article I read that reported the pilot declared an in flight incident "when he noticed that an engine had departed the aircraft."

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Isn't every non-combat mission a "training flight"?

[Cat Brules]

I was just going to say.....I have a navy captain (retired) combat pilot (Viet Nam...land-based) pard explain that whenever they pulled maintenance on his aircraft, he'd make the maintenance chief immediately take a test flight with him. He said that twice, the maint chief declined and had the work torn down and re-done.

 

Probably more difficult to do that with a B-52.

 

I'm glad the big bird made it home okay.

[Okiepan]

Guess when your old you start losing things, I lost my good 20-20 wish i could find it

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

I met a B-52 pilot while waiting for a turn to fly the B-2 simulator at Whiteman AFB. When showing our ID, I noticed he had a Caterpillar Club card in his wallet. Of course I had to ask how earned it.

 

He said he was deadheading in a B-52 that suffered a catastrophic structural failure during refueling and broke up in flight. He was in the crew bay in the belly without an ejection seat, so he just found himself suddenly falling thru space. One of his strongest memories was that of having one of the engines remaining next to him while he fell until deploying his chute.

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

Brr!

There's just an awful lot about this thread that I have to file under "S" ... for "Scares me and I'm fearless!"

Yikes!

[Trailrider #896]

Wing Safety, 8th AF, and StratCom, not to mention Air Materiel folks are going to have a field day with this one! Everybody's neck and other parts will potentially be on the chopping block until they nail the cause down, and determine if there are fleet-wide implications! Could be metal fatigue, substandard parts (bolts, etc.) or failure to follow the T.O.'s Stuff like this has been known to cause coronary problems with C.O.'s. (A missile wing commander back in the '60's dropped dead after his third heart attack...in the doctor's office! And there was no incident pending...just the stress of the job.) Good luck to everybody!