No pilots onboard B1-B that collided on Guam - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

No pilots onboard B1-B that collided on Guam

A pilotless B-1B Lancer bomber collided with two parked fire trucks before coming to a stop Friday afternoon at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The collision also damaged the bomber’s left wing.

Just why the bomber began rolling on its own and the events leading up to the flight line accident are under investigation. The jet had been sent to the Pacific region to appear at the Singapore Air Show and was not on a combat rotation.

According to Air Force reports, the 28th Bomb Wing crew took off from Andersen Friday morning on a trip home to Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.

Shortly after takeoff, one of the jet’s hydraulic systems failed, prompting the aircrew to return to Andersen. The jet landed at 12:10 p.m. and came to stop.

Emergency ground teams responding to the stricken jet’s landing, spotted leaking hydraulic fluid, prompting the crew to shut down the jet’s engines and get out of the plane But while all this was going on no one apparently put chocks next to the jet’s wheels to prevent the B-1B from moving.

Then, the $283.1 million B-1B began to roll on its own, striking two P-23 fire trucks with its left wing.

The plane finally came to a halt with one fire truck trapped under the wing. The other truck suffered a smashed windshield and cab. No one was injured.

The incident was the second major accident at Andersen in two weeks involving Air Force bombers. On Feb. 23, a B-2 Spirit bomber crashed and burned seconds after becoming airborne. Those two pilots successfully ejected before the bomber hit the ground.