A B-1 Bomber from Ellsworth Air Force Base that crashed in August cost the government more than 317 million dollars. That’s part of the final report released detailing why the bomber went down near Broadus, Montana last summer.
Results from the investigation into a B-1 Lancer crash show part of the plane broke off before the pilot maneuvered the wings, and the detached piece pierced the main fuel line of the plane. The fuel was exposed to a hot duct, and it exploded.
Deputy Chief of Public Affairs for Ellsworth Air Force Base Steve Merrill says the most important part of the crash was that no one was seriously hurt, including four crew members who ejected. But the report also notes they couldn’t have prevented the problem.
"They were very clear in the fact that there was no evidence that weather contributed to the mishap and that no, maintenance procedures and practices were not relevant to the accident occurring," Merrill says. "There was nobody at blame for that."
Merrill says the Air Force grounded the B-1 Bomber fleet following the crash, but the investigation determines the breakage was a one-time incident and isn’t an ongoing concern for the bombers.