Trim setting caused B-52 crash

Trim setting caused B-52 crash: " The U.S. Air Force has completed its investigation into the July 21, 2008 crash of a B-52 30 mi. off the coast of Guam in which all six crew members died.

Wreckage showed the bomber’s stabilizer trim setting was set in a 4.5-5 deg. nose-down setting when the aircraft impacted. However, the investigators were unable to identify the cause for the incorrect setting, citing the absence of survivors, voice communications or other clues from the aircraft instruments.

Despite the lack of data, the investigators note that there was ‘clear and convincing’ evidence the faulty trim stabilizer trim setting was the cause for the aircraft loss.

Contributing to the accident was the combination of low aircraft altitude with a descending left turn and the fact that the crew was late to recognize the seriousness of the situation.

However, accident investigators were careful to avoid placing much blame on the crew, noting that ‘even an experience aircraft could have found it difficult to recognize, assess, and recover from the very rapidly developing situation involving the stab trim setting.’

Raider 21 belonged to the 20th Bomb Squadron, 2nd Bomb Wing, and was normally based at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. It was deployed to Anderson AFB in Guam as part of the Air Force's routine bomber presence there. The aircraft was on a training mission and was getting ready to participate in Guam Liberation Day festivities.'

The USAF accident investigation report can be found here.

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(Via Ares.)