When the B-52 Lost Its Tail and Crashed into Elephant Mountain
Episode description
In 1963, there was an unusual crash of a U.S. Air Force B-52 Bomber. The plane, while attempting to escape severe turbulence, lost its vertical stabilizer and rudder – essentially losing its ability to fly straight. The plane lost control and then crashed into a mountain in north-central Maine, located in the far northeastern corner of the United States. The crash killed seven of the nine crew members. The two who survived – one spent the frigid January night in shoulder-deep snow and the other found himself stuck in a tree with temperatures far below zero as they waited to be found and rescued. This story is about the men and the plane – one of the most well-known Air Force planes (and, perhaps, one of the most well-known in the world). We’ll also look at the weather conditions that led to the crash, the crash-site memorial established after the crash and the changes in aircraft design that impacted not only future generations of the B-52 bomber, but the airliners we all fly in today.