B-1 bomber crashes at South Dakota Air Force base, crew ejects safely

A B-1 Lancer bomber from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota crashed during an attempted landing at approximately 5:50 pm on Thursday.

The B-1 crashed “at approximately 5:50 p.m. today while attempting to land on the installation. At the time of the accident, it was on a training mission. There were four aircrew on board. All four ejected safely,” the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth said in a statement.

The crash took place under challenging conditions, marked by poor visibility, freezing temperatures, and low cloud cover, as indicated by automated weather reporting equipment at the airfield.

The B-1 Lancer, a conventional supersonic bomber introduced in the 1980s, has played a crucial role in supporting US bomber initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region and participating in close air support missions during US operations in Afghanistan.

Notably, it does not carry nuclear weapons. Originally numbering 100, the fleet has diminished, with fewer than 60 currently operational, stationed at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas and Ellsworth Air Force Base.

With inputs from agencies