Take-off from MacDill and first refueling were normal.
The aircraft was one of a flight of four scheduled for non-stop deployment from MacDill AFB to an overseas airbase. Location: Mediterranean Sea, exact location unknown Although lacking its essential plutonium core, the explosion did scatter nearly 100 pounds (45 kg) of uranium. Lawrence River near Riviere-du-Loup, about 300 miles northeast of Montreal. Nineteen crew members and rescue personnel were killed in the crash and/or the resulting detonation, including General Travis.Ī B-50 jettisoned a Mark 4 bomb over the St. The fire was fought for 12-15 minutes before the weapon's high explosive material detonated. The aircraft attempted an emergency landing and crashed and burned. CaliforniaĪ B-29 carrying a weapon, but no capsule, experienced two runaway propellers and landing gear retraction difficulties on takeoff from Fairfield-Suisun AF9 (now Travis AFB). There was no nuclear capsule aboard the aircraft. The high explosive portion of the weapon aboard detonated on impact. Aircraft nosed down and flew into the ground killing four officers and twelve airmen. The aircraft was flying at 7,000 feet on a clear day. The B-50 was on a training mission from Biggs AFB, Texas. Both the weapon and the capsule of nuclear material were on board the aircraft but the capsule was not inserted for safety reasons. The recovered components of the weapon were returned to the Atomic Energy Commission. There were no contamination or recovery problems. Pour spare detonators in their carrying case were recovered undamaged. Other pieces of unburned HE were scattered throughout the wreckage. The bomb case was demolished and some high explosive (HE) material burned in the gasoline fire.
Detonators were Installed in the bomb on board the aircraft. and crashed into a mountain on Manzano Base approximately three minutes later killing the crew. The aircraft wreckage was later found on Vancouver Island.Īircraft departed Kirtland AFB at 9:38 p.m. The aircraft was then flown over Princess Royal Island where the crew bailed out. Only the weapon's high explosive material detonated. A bright Flash occurred on impact, followed by a sound and shock wave. The aircraft headed out over the Pacific Ocean and dropped the weapon from 8,000 feet. Icing conditions complicated the emergency and level flight could not be maintained. The aircraft was at 12,000 feet altitude. After six hours of flight, the aircraft developed serious mechanical difficulties, making it necessary to shut down three engines. The weapon aboard the aircraft had a dummy capsule installed. The B-36 was en route from Eielson AFB to Carswell AFB on a simulated combat profile mission. To date, six nuclear weapons have been lost and never recovered. Since 1950, there have been 32 nuclear weapon accidents, known as "Broken Arrows." A Broken Arrow is defined as an unexpected event involving nuclear weapons that result in the accidental launching, firing, detonating, theft or loss of the weapon.
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