An engine fell off the wing of a B-52 Stratofortress during a training flight Wednesday at Minot AFB, N.D., and the pilot was able to land the bomber without any incident. The Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3/103 turbofan engine, one of eight on the aircraft, fell off and crash landed in an unpopulated area 25 nautical miles northeast of the base, according to an Air Force statement. There were five airmen on board, with no injuries reported. The base sent a UH-1N Huey from the 54th Helicopter Squadron to recover the remains of the engine. The incident happened as Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James is visiting the base in part to highlight the need for modernization and improvements to the Air Force’s nuclear community. The base has launched an investigation into the incident.
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.