US Air Force B-1B Lancer crash at Ellsworth blamed on crew's poor airmanship and organizational culture

The crew of a US Air Force supersonic heavy bomber, which was obliterated in a fiery crash while attempting to land in January, have been criticized for their lack of "basic airmanship skills".

The B-1B Lancer, valued at an estimated $479M, crashed during its landing attempt amidst dense fog and strong winds. All four crew members managed to eject from the Cold War-era bomber jet before it violently collided with the ground next to the runway at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota on January 4.

Two crew members sustained injuries that necessitated medical attention. The mishap occurred under challenging weather conditions, forcing two B-1Bs on a training flight to return to Ellsworth, where visibility was so poor that ground crew couldn't even see the aircraft lights, reports the Express US .

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Despite initially coming in too low, the first bomber to land successfully adjusted its speed and course. However, the second B-1B crew failed to effectively monitor their instruments and didn't communicate in time to adjust their course, with some already preoccupied with their post-landing checklists.

Then, just 55 seconds before impact, the aircraft experienced a sudden wind shear that caused it to accelerate.

Neither the pilot nor the trainee pilot noticed the issue on their instrument dials as they were looking outside the aircraft and reacted too late. Their actions resulted in the aircraft losing power amidst the turbulent conditions.

A blistering report from Air Force Global Strike Command has exposed that a bomber crash was the result of an "an organizational culture that tolerated decaying airmanship skills."

Additionally, the investigation shed light on critical issues such as the crew's ejection process, revealing that some individuals displayed a "willful disregard" for established safety protocols, which may have worsened ejection-related injuries.

The thorough investigation identified systemic problems, stating: "The mishap occurred due to numerous factors, including a culture of noncompliance, widespread deviation from established policy and procedure, and several organizational influences and preconditions."

These damning conclusions are expected to lead to disciplinary actions against those involved. The 34th Bomb Squadron was specifically called out in the report for "unsatisfactory levels of basic airmanship".

In the wake of these findings, air force officials are set to enforce "appropriate corrective actions" as per Defense News.

The B-1B Lancer, affectionately known as 'Bone' from its designation, has been a mainstay in the Air Force since the 1980s. This venerable high-speed heavy bomber is celebrated for its supersonic capabilities and variable-sweep wing design.

During the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the B-1B played a pivotal role, delivering thousands of tons of ordnance. Currently, it remains one of the three primary bombers in the US arsenal, alongside the aging B-52 and B-2 models.

However, as the number of original B-1Bs in service continues to dwindle, the world's largest air force is eyeing the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider as a replacement. This new model, emerging half a century after its predecessor, is expected to be faster, stealthier, and capable of delivering nuclear weapons.