B-52 Loses Vertical Stabilizer - and still lands
The Cooler King
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: In the Desert
Posts: 1,703
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
B-52 Loses Vertical Stabilizer - and still lands
For those who haven't seen this amazing footage.
"On 10 January 1964 a Boeing B-52H Stratofortress was being used to test buffeting turbulence effects on aircraft when the entire vertical stabilizer fin and rudder were unexpectedly ripped off. Amazingly the aircraft was able continue in controlled flight and after five hours Pilot Charles "Chuck" Fisher landed the crippled plane safely at Blytheville AFB. "
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihAEyZ25qfU
"On 10 January 1964 a Boeing B-52H Stratofortress was being used to test buffeting turbulence effects on aircraft when the entire vertical stabilizer fin and rudder were unexpectedly ripped off. Amazingly the aircraft was able continue in controlled flight and after five hours Pilot Charles "Chuck" Fisher landed the crippled plane safely at Blytheville AFB. "
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihAEyZ25qfU
Last edited by Senior Pilot; 7th Aug 2017 at 23:56. Reason: Insert YouTube link
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: WA STATE
Age: 78
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A bit more
I knew a few BA types who were involved via phon con from seattle and the events leading up to that near fiasco. The B52 was designed for high altitude flight and generally lower aero loads at various speeds. But the militay brass had decided in that era that low level penetration was a new necessary requirement. Boeing tried to tell them No way- high speed lo level would exceed previously agreed on margins and structural loads. IOW dont do it !. My memory may be faulty- but I think the AF wanted an AF flight crew to do some low level high speed passes cuz Boeing refused to do such. I " think- I remember" that one AF crew was lost BEFORE the flight test depicted. Sure enough- the tail came off.. and crashed 
And in later years, Navy TACMO wanted a 707 to do a tight turn bank to drop a near vertical low freq antenna for sub communication- and guess what- a similar event happened- and plane did land safely with no doubt brown stains on seat cushions.
Major mods to vertical sxtab resulted in both cases.
And in later years, Navy TACMO wanted a 707 to do a tight turn bank to drop a near vertical low freq antenna for sub communication- and guess what- a similar event happened- and plane did land safely with no doubt brown stains on seat cushions.
Major mods to vertical sxtab resulted in both cases.
Last edited by CONSO; 2nd Aug 2017 at 17:59. Reason: typos
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Age: 71
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A few days later a similar incident caused the loss of a nuclear-armed B-52.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_S...ain_B-52_crash
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_S...ain_B-52_crash
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
And why the design was changed to the shorter cropped tail of the B-52D; as was that of the Lightning for the F-3 onwards due to the high vibration buzz of the tail at speed low level and fear the tail would come off.
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: WA STATE
Age: 78
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A few days later a similar incident caused the loss of a nuclear-armed B-52.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_S...ain_B-52_crash
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_S...ain_B-52_crash
I stand corrected as to the timing of a AF crewed crash re the test described - unfortunately
from wiki
10 January 1964: 3 days before the Savage Mountain crash, a New Mexico B-52 test showed the vertical stabilizer could fail.
Was any ' brass " held accountable?
Held accountable for what? Not reacting with a fleetwide solution within 3 days? 
Regarding the USN TACAMO (E-6, presumably); why did the fin fail? The aircraft should have been in a balanced steep turn, surely? Hence no significant fin side loads should have been present.
Regarding the USN TACAMO (E-6, presumably); why did the fin fail? The aircraft should have been in a balanced steep turn, surely? Hence no significant fin side loads should have been present.
The B-52H had a short fin to begin with. The B-52A to B-52F models had the tall fin.
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: WA STATE
Age: 78
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Held accountable for what? Not reacting with a fleetwide solution within 3 days?
Regarding the USN TACAMO (E-6, presumably); why did the fin fail? The aircraft should have been in a balanced steep turn, surely? Hence no significant fin side loads should have been present.
Regarding the USN TACAMO (E-6, presumably); why did the fin fail? The aircraft should have been in a balanced steep turn, surely? Hence no significant fin side loads should have been present.
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/02...4494603608400/
" SEATTLE -- A Navy Boeing 707, returning from a test flight designed to push the craft beyond its design limits, landed safely Thursday with portions of its rear vertical tail and right rudder missing, officials said.
Boeing officials said the plane, which is the prototype of 16 707s the company is making for the military, took off from Boeing Field in Seattle about noon for a flight to Bellingham and back.
The plane lost about one-third of its vertical tail fin and a small part of its right rudder while a Boeing test pilot was conducting a 'flutter' test on the plane over the Olympic Peninsula, a test designed to push the airplane beyond its design limits.
A Boeing spokesman said the pilot had no difficulty flying or landing the plane after the incident occurred...."
as to the B52- check history for B-52- and then ask why somone did NOT restrict- cancel hold- stop NUKE ARMED training flights at low level immediately after test failure.
PDR
Last edited by PDR1; 3rd Aug 2017 at 16:14.
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: WA STATE
Age: 78
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The link was to a UPI article. right rudder was a few characters shorter than right horizontal stabilizer- and everyone knows that the rudder is at the back of the airplane, and and elevators are in tall buildings- perhaps in that era, reporter or editor was thinking of a Connie ??
And vertical fins are only on large fish like sharks !
PDR1
They not only lost the fin but also all the hydraulics.
They not only lost the fin but also all the hydraulics.
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Arizona
Age: 77
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The aircraft, B-52H, 61-0023, was repaired and continued in service until retirement in 2008. Now on display on "celebrity row" at Davis-Monathan "boneyard" in Arizona.