ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 48406
Last updated: 25 May 2013
This information is added by users of ASN. ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | 11-FEB-1958 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Boeing B-52D-75-BO Stratofortress |
| Operator: | 77th BS, 28th BW, USAF |
| Registration: | 56-0610 |
| C/n / msn: | 17293 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 8 |
| Other fatalities: | 3 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota |
| Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota |
B-52D c/n 56‑0610 of 77th BS (H), 28th BW, USAF, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota.Crashed and destroyed on February 11 1958 short of runway at Ellsworth AFB, SD. Fuel pump screen iced over, leading to total power loss on final approach: two crew and three on ground killed
The aircraft crashed short of the southeast runway and “demolished a small building containing equipment for the instrument landing approach system”. Those on the ground that were killed were A1C Ronald R. Mitchell, A1C James E. Ferrell and Mr. Glen M. Allen (civilian)
Crew of B-52D 56-0610 were:
Captain Melvin J. Rudd St. Anthony, Idaho (Plane Captain) - survived
Sgt. Richard Gilbert, Painesville, Ohio - survived
Captain Verle Rusk (navigator) - survived injured
1st Lt. Leonard R. Scotty (electronic countermeasures officer) - survived injured
Un-named ground crew member - survived injured
Technical Sergeant Oscar Orrs (Gunner) - survived injured
Capt. John O'Connell Jr. Chattangooga, Tennessee (radar bombardier) - killed (Captain O'Connell had survived a B-36 crash at Denver in 1956)
1st Lt. Kenneth B. Kaeppler (Radar Bombardier) Milwaukee, Wisconsin) - killed
The cause of the crash was determined to be from condensed water in the fuel lines that froze and clogged fuel filters (it was previously unknown that jet fuel absorbs water vapor from the atmosphere). After this determination, over 200 previous ‘cause unknown’ aircraft losses were attributed to fuel icing.
Sources:
http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Aircraft_by_Type/b52_stratofortress.htm
http://b52stratofortressassociation.yuku.com/reply/973#.UR6JxJ1hiSo
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1956.html
http://www.mil-veh.org/archives/05-09/0968.html
www.baaa-acro.com/archives/1958-JAN-JUN.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Nov-2008 10:15 | ASN archive | Added |
| 31-Oct-2009 19:24 | JINX | Updated |
| 15-Feb-2013 12:43 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Feb-2013 12:43 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Feb-2013 12:43 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Feb-2013 12:43 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description