mhansen2
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- #101
5 August
1950 – / B-29 / Fairfield-Suisun AFB, near Fairfield, California
A B-29, one of a flight of 10 bound for Hawaii and Guam, and carrying an unarmed MK 4 nuclear weapon and no nuclear capsule, experienced two runaway propellers and landing gear retraction problems on takeoff from Fairfield-Suisun AFB at about 10:00 PM PST. Immediately after takeoff, the nose of the aircraft swerved to the left and rolled sharply. The aircraft crashed, burned, and exploded about five minutes after takeoff while attempting an emergency landing. Upon impact, the nose section broke off between the forward and aft bomb bays; when the wreckage came to a stop, an intense fire broke out.
None of the 10 persons in the rear pressurized compartment escaped, and all were fatally injured. One passenger and the aircraft commander General Robert F. Travis were fatally injured (Fairfield-Suisun AFB was subsequently renamed Travis AFB). Eight other persons in the forward compartment escaped with only minor injuries.
The fire was fought for 12 to 15 minutes before the weapon's 5,000 lbs. of HE detonated, creating a crater 60 feet wide and six feet deep; the blast was felt for 30 miles and the fire was visible for 65 miles. The crash initially caused fatal injuries to 12 crewmen and passengers and minor injuries to eight more crewmen and passengers (the plane carried nine passengers and eleven crewmen).
Extensive damage to private and government property and fatal and major and minor injuries to both additional civilian and military personnel were caused by the exploding nuclear bomb: seven fire-fighting and rescue personnel were killed; 181 other military and civil service personnel and civilian dependents received major or minor injuries. One dependent was injured when a fire extinguisher from the exploding plane was thrown through the roof of her quarters; the aircraft crashed near a trailer camp occupied by 200 Air Force families.
Although the MK 4 contained a 100 lb. uranium tamper, there was no radioactive contamination. At the time of the crash, the Air Force characterized the flight as "a long range training mission" and said that the explosion after the crash was caused by "ten to twelve 500 lb. bombs" purportedly aboard the plane.
Chuck Hansen, “The Swords of Armageddon,” Vol. VII, p.237
1950 – / B-29 / Fairfield-Suisun AFB, near Fairfield, California
A B-29, one of a flight of 10 bound for Hawaii and Guam, and carrying an unarmed MK 4 nuclear weapon and no nuclear capsule, experienced two runaway propellers and landing gear retraction problems on takeoff from Fairfield-Suisun AFB at about 10:00 PM PST. Immediately after takeoff, the nose of the aircraft swerved to the left and rolled sharply. The aircraft crashed, burned, and exploded about five minutes after takeoff while attempting an emergency landing. Upon impact, the nose section broke off between the forward and aft bomb bays; when the wreckage came to a stop, an intense fire broke out.
None of the 10 persons in the rear pressurized compartment escaped, and all were fatally injured. One passenger and the aircraft commander General Robert F. Travis were fatally injured (Fairfield-Suisun AFB was subsequently renamed Travis AFB). Eight other persons in the forward compartment escaped with only minor injuries.
The fire was fought for 12 to 15 minutes before the weapon's 5,000 lbs. of HE detonated, creating a crater 60 feet wide and six feet deep; the blast was felt for 30 miles and the fire was visible for 65 miles. The crash initially caused fatal injuries to 12 crewmen and passengers and minor injuries to eight more crewmen and passengers (the plane carried nine passengers and eleven crewmen).
Extensive damage to private and government property and fatal and major and minor injuries to both additional civilian and military personnel were caused by the exploding nuclear bomb: seven fire-fighting and rescue personnel were killed; 181 other military and civil service personnel and civilian dependents received major or minor injuries. One dependent was injured when a fire extinguisher from the exploding plane was thrown through the roof of her quarters; the aircraft crashed near a trailer camp occupied by 200 Air Force families.
Although the MK 4 contained a 100 lb. uranium tamper, there was no radioactive contamination. At the time of the crash, the Air Force characterized the flight as "a long range training mission" and said that the explosion after the crash was caused by "ten to twelve 500 lb. bombs" purportedly aboard the plane.
Chuck Hansen, “The Swords of Armageddon,” Vol. VII, p.237