B-2 Stealth Bomber crash footage released.

[AirDOGGe]

The air force has released footage of the event. The aircraft didn't get very high before they had to eject:

LINK:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/25019368#25019368

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[race9]

Re: B-2 Stealth Bomber crash footage released.

This one shows all of it, including what looks like the pilots trying to keep the nose down.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_ZCp5h1gK2Q

[AirDOGGe]

Re: B-2 Stealth Bomber crash footage released.

That WAS better footage. Thx.

Looks like they almost got her back down.


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[dvddude]

Re: B-2 Stealth Bomber crash footage released.

Why not download the original source footage where you can get high quality video, instead of crappy pixellated youtube footage?

Download it here, straight from the Air Force:

http://www.acc.af.mil/accspecialreports/b-2accidentinvestigationboard.asp

[race9]

Re: B-2 Stealth Bomber crash footage released.

Didn't see that, good find.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: B-2 Stealth Bomber crash footage released.

Good website!

The hand-held camera shot (ground) wasn't too good. Decent photographers don't put the camera DOWN when the incident begins to occur...They shoot it!

But the security camera footage is truly clearer than the youtube offering. Appreciate it, dvddude. Many thanks.

[dvddude]

Re: B-2 Stealth Bomber crash footage released.

Good website!

The hand-held camera shot (ground) wasn't too good. Decent photographers don't put the camera DOWN when the incident begins to occur...They shoot it!

But the security camera footage is truly clearer than the youtube offering. Appreciate it, dvddude. Many thanks.

No problem on the link everyone!

In their defense, though, it's tough to film an accident you see happening right in front of you. I was at an airshow several years ago, and had my video camera out when a warbird was pulling too hard and snapped it right into a fatal spin at low altitude. I watched him go straight nose down into the ground. I was so stunned and shocked, I really didn't have the presence of mind to actually film it. It was not an enjoyable experience and it affected me for many weeks after as I thought of the pilot who died. I had just seen that pilot take off less than an hour previously. Looking back, I wish I had filmed it, not because of some morbid fascination, but because I can't help to think that possibly my footage could have helped the NTSB investigation. Surprisingly, with all the people at the airshow, no one filmed that event. It's not easy watching someone die before your very eyes. Just a little perspective, and I can totally identify with what the photographer was going through.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: B-2 Stealth Bomber crash footage released.

Post-crash photos have been released by the military.

Interestingly, the majority of the composite airframe seemed to maintain it's shape and integrity quite nicely (until the fire, that is...). I wonder if the crash would have been survivable? (not including the post-crash fire).







As an extra, I found a Google Earth image with an aerial photo of the crash site at Guam overlayed upon it...

[MRussell]

Re: B-2 Stealth Bomber crash footage released.

It looks like an extremely strong airframe (no surprise there) and I suspect if they had good tight harnesses they could've ridden that one out, but who would want to!? Hehehe.

In the video, at the moment the accident aircraft rotates for liftoff, does anyone else see something fly off its back? Or is that an optical illusion of passing items on the runway?

[Bob]

Re: B-2 Stealth Bomber crash footage released.

something certainly does appear to fly off it, almost looked like there was smoke or vapor as well.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: B-2 Stealth Bomber crash footage released.

Hard to say, but playing it back in SLOW speed with Mediaplayer-9 eight or nine times, it appears that it may be a background object.

I could easily be wrong though.