Exclusive Video: B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Crash Technical Report

[DaJudge]

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/exclusivevids/ExclusiveVideo_B2Spirit_StealthBomber_CrashReport_198060-1.html

[Yucca-Man]

Dayumm.

[Aaron]

So if it was "crew error" what happens to the crew?

[CapnCrunch]

The crash on takeoff of a 509th Air Wing, Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber, February 23 operating at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, was caused by water in the aircraft's sensors, according to an Air Combat report issued Thursday. Specifically, moisture in three port transducer units "distorted data introduced by a B-2 Spirit's air data system" which led to flawed information entering the bomber's flight control computers. The aircraft was reacting to inaccurate airspeed and a "perceived" negative angle of attack. This resulted in an "uncommanded 30 degree nose-high pitch-up on takeoff," according to the Air Force.


The aircrew didn't cause this. The aircraft's onboard systems were affected by moisture in the system. More than likely, it's a maintenance error, however, I'm unclear (from the video) whether that was a known issue or if there were existing preventative maintenance standard procedures or existing preflight procedures in place. The narrative from the video seems to convey that this issue was known, but not relayed to the maintainers and/or aircrew of this bird.

[Jake_Blues]

They get 1.4 billion garnished from their wages...

-E

[Yota]

Yeah it's crew error but the report failed to mention the FACT that this would not have resulted in a crash had this plane not been fly-by-wire.

Yes, incorrect airspeed indications have doomed human flights too (I recall one where someone left a piece of tape over the static port) but it's much easier for humans to recover from something like that when they are still that close to the runway IMO. And humans would not have commanded a 30 degree pitch up.

But it's a fly-by-wire system so everyone must play by its rules.

[Aaron]

The aircrew didn't cause this. The aircraft's onboard systems were affected by moisture in the system. More than likely, it's a maintenance error, however, I'm unclear (from the video) whether that was a known issue or if there were existing preventative maintenance standard procedures or existing preflight procedures in place. The narrative from the video seems to convey that this issue was known, but not relayed to the maintainers and/or aircrew of this bird.

That's where I got lost. The beginning of the video makes it sound like electrical errors because of moisture, but the end he said they were warned about the problem but weren't trained on how to deal with it????:confused:

So WTF???

[Yota]

They get 1.4 billion garnished from their wages...

-E

If I were the crew I'd just say "I'll write you a check" and walk away.

Pity that the humans could not override the stupid computer in this case. No human crew in VMC with good horizon reference would have done what that plane did even with the erroneous airspeed readings.

[AMMOtj]

I'm surprised they had people filming. The first one looks somewhat staged. But the second looks a bit home-made. Usually it's a no-no unless you have special approval before hand...

Was this on a training mission or was it loaded up for a round trip?

[Oscar]

That's where I got lost. The beginning of the video makes it sound like electrical errors because of moisture, but the end he said they were warned about the problem but weren't trained on how to deal with it????:confused:

So WTF???
They are talking about maintenance somebody didn't put in their suggestion to get the book changed. Sounds like they needed to purge the Pitot Static system in high humidity environments and some news this and some didn't. But the aircrew should have reacted better cause I am sure there is an override for the FBW system very other aircraft I have worked did.

[SUPERGILDO43]

that sh*t'll buff out?

[Jefe]

If anything, it's a ground crew error. Most military squadrons have a ground crew preflight the A/C (Aircraft) before a flight. If there was an airdata issue being displayed on the Master warning system, or on the Primary Flight Displays, they should have checked for problems. If the A/C was just washed, and the pitot/static ports were not covered, water could have entered the system. I have quite a few problems with customer's A/C in General aviation (mainly the Buisiness Jets) where moister causes erroneous(sp?) readings. When at altitude, the lines can freeze causing blockage and really screwing things up. Yes ultimately it is up to the Pilot in Charge to decide if the aircraft is unairworthy, but, if there was an known warning before engines even started, ground crew should have taken care of it. SO, both Pilots and Maintenance personel would be to blame. I gaurentee that there are steps now in place to double check this before any wheels roll.

[Oscar]

I doubt there would be any indication of this type of fault as it looked like a physical condition I:E a restriction in a pitot line. self test run a preprogrammed electrical test. If they did not have water traps or the water had not made it to them highly unlikely that probably wasn't any indication of the problem.

[Jeepster-Matt]

I believe that is the only loss of a B-2 to date, I may be thinking of something else though.

[Oscar]

you are correct

[Jefe]

Just going by what the video said, "Before they released brakes, an Airdata Calibration warning was displayed"

[Oscar]

missed that one system was smart enough to since the differnce in pressure wonder if it was a static blockage

[RJsfun]

Same thing almost happened to me after I pressure washed the engine compartment in my Dodge Ram...

[Snotty]

Just going by what the video said, "Before they released brakes, an Airdata Calibration warning was displayed"

19 seconds after if I heard right.

[Yota]

The warning was displayed but it cleared itself six seconds later.

If there was an FBW override they didn't have a lot of time to hit it. But the main point there is that the computer is what got them into that unusual attitude. No human-piloted airplane would have done that in the runway environment in VMC - only a very confused computer.

A human might have been fooled by the airspeed and may have rotated and stalled but no human would have pitched to 30 degrees like that all suddenly. And even if the human rotated and hit impending stall, they might have been able to recover with some runway left since it's all just an energy balance.

It may not even be possible to override FBW on an airplane that aerodynamically complex though, I don't know. But I know that no human would have commanded that unusual attitude in VMC like that.


.

[Pilot]

Glad the crew got out. Another situation that the aircraft occupant/managers should have been able to overide. Damn computers.