Date & Time:
Jan 21, 1968 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
Operator:
Registration:
58-0188
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Plattsburgh - Plattsburgh
MSN:
464256
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
Hobo 28
Country:
Greenland
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Plattsburgh (NY) on a "Chrome Dome" airborne alert over the Ballistic Missle Early Warning System (BMEWS) at Thule Air Base, Greenland. An in-flight fire caused by a faulty heater knocked out electrical power. The crew ejected over Thule Air Base, except for one who was killed bailing out through a hatch. The airplane dove into the ground and crashed onto the ice sea. High explosive of four thermonuclear bombs detonated on impact, causing widespread contamination, but no nuclear detonation. Operation Crested Ice launched to clean up radioactive ice & snow.
Crew:
Cpt John Haug, pilot,
Cpt Leonard Svitenko, copilot, †
Maj Alfred Joe D'Amario, pilot,
Cpt Richard "Dick" Marx, EWO,
Maj Frank Hopkins, radio navigator,
Cpt Curtis Criss, navigator,
S/Sgt Cal Snapp, air gunner.
Crew:
Cpt John Haug, pilot,
Cpt Leonard Svitenko, copilot, †
Maj Alfred Joe D'Amario, pilot,
Cpt Richard "Dick" Marx, EWO,
Maj Frank Hopkins, radio navigator,
Cpt Curtis Criss, navigator,
S/Sgt Cal Snapp, air gunner.
Probable cause:
In-flight electrical short-circuit.
