9/18/2006 - LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) -- Pilot error caused a
B-1 Lancer to crash while landing on the runway at a forward-deployed
location May 8, 2006, according to an aircraft accident investigation report
released here Sept. 18. The co-pilot suffered a minor back injury and the
other three crew members were not injured. Damage totaled approximately
$7.9 million for the aircraft and the damage to the runway totaled
approximately $14,025. The aircraft is assigned to the 9th Expeditionary
Bomb Squadron of the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFB, Texas. Investigators
concluded the cause of the mishap was both pilots' failure to lower the
landing gear during the aircraft's approach and landing. Contributing
factors for the pilots' failure to lower the landing gear were the
co-pilot's task oversaturation; the co-pilot's urgency to complete a long
mission; both pilots' inattention to instrument readings and the
descent/before landing checklist, and the co-pilot's false belief the pilot
had lowered the landing gear. According to the report, the pilot
unexpectedly turned over aircraft control to the co-pilot on the final
approach. The pilot reported to the air traffic control tower that the
landing gear was down despite the fact that the descent/before landing
checklist was never completed and the landing gear was never lowered. The
red warning light in the gear handle, indicating all landing gear was not
down and locked, was illuminated for more than four minutes during the
approach. Additionally, at the time the aircraft landed, the three green
position lights, which illuminate after the landing gear has locked in the
down position, were not illuminated. (Courtesy of Air Combat Command News
Service)