Posted on Feb 4, 2023
Cracked engine part sparked giant B-1 bomber fire, investigation finds
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AIR FORCE READ OF THE DAY
Cracked engine part sparked giant B-1 bomber fire, investigation finds
By Rachel S. Cohen
Feb 3, 05:12 PM
Rear view of a B-1B Lancer bomber jet in flight
A B-1B Lancer departs from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, June 29, 2022, in support of United States Africa Command's Exercise African Lion. The B-1 carries the largest payload of both guided and unguided conventional weapons in the U.S. inventory. (Senior Airman Colin Hollowell/Air Force)
A cracked engine part’s final breakdown caused the catastrophic fire that torched a B-1 Lancer bomber last spring, costing $15 million in damages, according to an Air Force investigation.
Mechanics with the 7th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, were running the bomber’s jet engine while fixing its hydraulics on April 20, the service said in an accident report approved Dec. 19. Investigators said a crack in a disk within the engine — to which the fan blades are attached — unexpectedly caused the part to fail during the maintenance check.
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SSG Michael Noll Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Cpl Vic Burk SGT (Join to see)] Sgt (Join to see) GySgt Jack Wallace SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM PV2 Larry Sellnow SPC Gary C. SPC (Join to see) Amn Dale Preisach SGT Ruben Lozada 1SG Paul Ayotte CPT Richard Trione SFC Ralph E Kelley 1SG Patrick Burke PV2 Scott Mollette SGT Gerald “Jerry” Harrell Lt Col Charlie Brown
Cracked engine part sparked giant B-1 bomber fire, investigation finds
By Rachel S. Cohen
Feb 3, 05:12 PM
Rear view of a B-1B Lancer bomber jet in flight
A B-1B Lancer departs from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, June 29, 2022, in support of United States Africa Command's Exercise African Lion. The B-1 carries the largest payload of both guided and unguided conventional weapons in the U.S. inventory. (Senior Airman Colin Hollowell/Air Force)
A cracked engine part’s final breakdown caused the catastrophic fire that torched a B-1 Lancer bomber last spring, costing $15 million in damages, according to an Air Force investigation.
Mechanics with the 7th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, were running the bomber’s jet engine while fixing its hydraulics on April 20, the service said in an accident report approved Dec. 19. Investigators said a crack in a disk within the engine — to which the fan blades are attached — unexpectedly caused the part to fail during the maintenance check.
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SSG Michael Noll Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Cpl Vic Burk SGT (Join to see)] Sgt (Join to see) GySgt Jack Wallace SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM PV2 Larry Sellnow SPC Gary C. SPC (Join to see) Amn Dale Preisach SGT Ruben Lozada 1SG Paul Ayotte CPT Richard Trione SFC Ralph E Kelley 1SG Patrick Burke PV2 Scott Mollette SGT Gerald “Jerry” Harrell Lt Col Charlie Brown
Cracked engine part sparked giant B-1 bomber fire, investigation finds
Posted from airforcetimes.comPosted in these groups: 
Investigation
Aviation
Investigation Aviation
Posted 1 y ago
Responses: 3
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL INT WTF? That Isn't Good! Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Sounds Like a Problem!
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Unusual for a disc to fail. I've experienced blade failures, usually from a bird strike. Actually the first fatal B-1 accident was from running into a flock of turkey vultures at low level.
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Disc and blade assemblies are the most vulnerable part of all jet engines, usually its the blades that fail but I've heard of disc failures like this as well. Brings back memories of the worst chewing out I've ever had in my life. I was working at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft during the summer. My job was to transport disc's from heat treat to the assembly line where blades were attached. I went around a corner to fast and the entire load tipped onto the assembly line floor.
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