Accident Boeing B-52G-80-BW Stratofortress 57-6482,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 48303
 
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Date:Thursday 16 December 1982
Time:
Type:Silhouette image of generic B52 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Boeing B-52G-80-BW Stratofortress
Owner/operator:328th BSqn /93rd BWp USAF
Registration: 57-6482
MSN: 464187
Fatalities:Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Mather AFB, 12 miles east of Sacramento, California -   United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature:Military
Departure airport:Mather AFB, Sacramento, CA
Destination airport:Mather AFB, CA
Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
Narrative:
Crashed and destroyed on December 16 1982, during training on Minimum Interval Takeoff and Landing (MITO) having just taken off immediately after another B-52.

The plane gained too much speed and threatened to collide with the B-52 it was following. Pilot pulled back on the throttles too much, causing the engines to flame out, and the ensuing loss of power caused the crash. The flameout was caused by a B 52 feature which optionally injected metered water into the engines to cools the air coming into the engins (cooler air=higher density=more thrust). Upon sudden throttling back, what was now unconverted water literally doused the engines. Insufficient altitude precluded any possible restart recovery. Pilot or pilot training error.

57-6482 was caught in the vortex and turbulence from the plane ahead and was too close, just 10 seconds apart, lost lift and crashed with 290 000 pounds of fuel on board making a 400 yard swath and a fierce fire. The EWO ejected but landed in the fireball

All nine crew on board were killed
Major James Henry YORK, 43, South Bend, Ind., the aircraft commander
Capt. Lyle Allen BRUNNER, 32, Florence, Mont., bombardier instructor
Capt. Dennis Earl DAVIS, Hililsboro, Ore., electronic warfare instructor
Master Sgt. Jere E. LeFEVER, 42, Conestoga, Pa., aircraft gunner
2nd Lt. Scott A. SEMMEL, 23, Levittown, Pa., student co-pilot
2nd Lt. Peter M. RILEY, Woonsocket, R. I., student co-pilot
2nd Lt. Richard P. ROBESON, JR., 27, Freeport, Ill., student navigator
2nd Lt. Benjamin C. BERNDT, 24, Norwalk, Conn., student navigator
2nd Lt. Daniel N. BADER, 25, Salt Lake City, Utah, student navigator

Sources:

http://web.archive.org/web/20171101061754/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/b52_stratofortress.htm
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1957.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accidents_and_incidents_involving_military_aircraft_(1980%E2%80%931989)#1982
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mather_Air_Force_Base

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
07-Nov-2008 10:15 ASN archive Added
12-Sep-2012 04:49 whiteshark Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative]
16-Feb-2013 07:45 austinstephens Updated [Date]
19-Feb-2013 08:30 Dr. John Smith Updated [Date, Cn, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
11-Mar-2014 21:20 Roy W Updated [Operator, Narrative]
10-Dec-2014 07:03 Anon. Updated [Narrative]
02-Jan-2015 18:52 Anon. Updated [Narrative]
17-Dec-2016 09:16 Anon. Updated [Narrative]
11-Apr-2018 07:29 Anon. Updated [Embed code]
31-Jan-2019 22:34 wf Updated [Aircraft type]
05-Apr-2020 19:42 Reno Raines Updated [Operator, Location, Destination airport, Operator]
24-Jul-2022 07:45 Anon. Updated [Departure airport]

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