ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 48326
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| Date: | Sunday 27 July 1969 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Boeing B-52D-80-BO Stratofortress |
| Owner/operator: | 509th BWg USAF |
| Registration: | 56-0630 |
| MSN: | 17313 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Andersen AFB, Yigo -
 Guam
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Andersen AFB, Guam (PGUA) |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Crashed on take off from Anderson AFB, Guam on July 27 1969, killing all six crew members. Crash happened about the time of rotation for take-off. 56-0630 was airborne only briefly. The official explanation of 'wing failure' is an understatement. The right wing of the aircraft came off the fuselage, it separated from the bomber about the time it rotated and began to fly.
Eye witness accounts reported that the plane continued momentarily in level flight after loss of the wing and then made a violent bank below sight of the cliff at the end of the runway and crashed into the ocean. The body of the Aircraft Commander (Ed Wyatt) was recovered. We were told it appeared as though he had attempted to eject, as his chute was either fully or partially deployed. I do not believe any other remains were found.
Following this crash there was a discreet inspection of the entire fleet of D model B-52's for structural issues involving the wing/fuselage issues arising from this crash. From that inspection, which took quite a long time, many months during the continued regular usage of the airplanes in bombing missions, several aircraft were deemed not airworthy and were grounded because of structural issues. This inspection and the subsequent groundings were never publicized.
(Quote from a serving USAF airman who knew crew & incident).
Crew:
Pilot/Commander: Capt Edward William Wyatt USAF killed.
Co-pilot:Capt John Anthony Albasio USAF killed.
Nav: Capt Donald Joseph Maccio USAF killed.
Rad/Nav: Capt Edward Anthony Miskowski USAF killed.
EWO: 1st/Lt Gary Paul Leach USAF killed.
AG: T/Sgt Clinton Eugene Tibbetts USAF killed.
Observer: Lieutenant Colonel Robert Howard Barr USAF killed.
Observer: Technical Sergeant Richard Piskula USAF killed.
The result of this accident resulted in an Immediate Action TCTO requiring the inspection of the lower wing aft wing spars for spar cap cracking between the external stores pylon and the inboard engine struts. We found several at U'Tapao and they were ferried back to the states for depot repairs. Eventually the entire D fleet went thru major wing overhaul by Boeing pacer speed.
Sources:
https://www.pownetwork.org/bios/b/bx18.htm
http://web.archive.org/web/20171101061754/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/b52_stratofortress.htm
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1956.html
www.mil-veh.org/archives/05-09/0968.html
www.nampows.org/B-52.html
http://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=PersonAircraftExt&ID=33452
https://www.findagrave.com/page=gr&GRid=42046913
www.baaa-acro.com/Pays/G/Guam.htm
http://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=Profile&type=Person&ID=79554
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Nov-2008 10:15 | ASN archive | Added |
| 02-Nov-2009 02:13 | JINX | Updated |
| 17-Feb-2013 22:24 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 20-Aug-2013 12:23 | Uli Elch | Updated [Operator, Location] |
| 02-Nov-2013 18:37 | Pie | Updated [Date] |
| 29-Jan-2016 08:14 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative] |
| 29-May-2016 19:56 | Spokanelaw | Updated [Operator, Narrative] |
| 20-Aug-2016 06:24 | Anon. | Updated [Embed code] |
| 02-Dec-2016 09:24 | Anon. | Updated [Embed code] |
| 02-Dec-2016 09:24 | harro | Updated [Embed code] |
| 31-Jan-2019 19:12 | wf | Updated [Date, Operator] |
| 01-Mar-2019 13:33 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
| 22-Apr-2019 12:33 | mr.john.mueller | Updated [Narrative] |
| 22-Apr-2019 12:33 | harro | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Source] |
| 26-Mar-2020 20:08 | Anon. | Updated [Date, Operator] |
| 27-Feb-2021 16:07 | Anon. | Updated [Operator, Location, Operator] |
| 14-Apr-2022 18:28 | Anon. | Updated [Date] |
| 06-Jun-2022 09:37 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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