Air Force B-52 Crashes Just Before Landing in Washington | Loose Cannon (With Real Video)

Find out why a Boeing B-52 strategic bomber of the United States Air Force crashed at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington while practicing for a flight display.
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This video has been recorded and edited in 4K resolution and 60FPS.

[@NoSoup4U2]

Yeah I heard about this guy in the past, from my father, who is a retired Capt. He told me that Holland went through several crews who broke ranks, filed grievances and refused to fly with him. One pilot said of Holland, "He flies a B-52 as if it were a fighter jet. The last crew he was with, before them refusing to ever fly with him again stated, "he's going to kill someone one day". Not long after that, this incident happened. What I don't get is, how the hell can a man with a record like that, be in charge of an entire bomber wing? His hotdogging on his own retirement took 3 other innocent lives with him! What a bloody shame!

[@thierrylangford5199]

Because no one had the balls to tell him no, that’s why these incidents keep happening.

[@NoSoup4U2]

@@thierrylangford5199 Yep, you are 100% right Thierry Langford. Lets hope that trend changes soon, before more folks die for no good reason! Thanks for commenting too!

[@markberger1882]

Where was the monitoring of this maniac? With his extensive devil-may-care attitude on many previous flights the authorities should have grounded him permanently. What about a report to be filed with NTSB? The real shame here, on top of loss of life, was that no action had been taken on those previous flights. This guy was a killer waiting to happen, and three other innocents were his victims! What a damn shame, and such poor oversight!!!

[@Ultimate_Wasabi]

It was Wolff's retirement flight, not Holland's.

[@NoSoup4U2]

​@@Ultimate_Wasabi Yes, you are correct. His colleague killed him on his last flight. I read some of the other comments, saying how said it was and how it was pilot error...etc. This wasn't sad, it was criminal and a complete disregard to safety protocol and lack of respect for the lives of the other 4 men he took with him for hotdogging a bomber, like it was a fighter jet. Many of his other colleagues filed many complaints against him, with some refusing to fly with him I was told. This should never of happened and he should of had his wings clipped long ago!!

[@harry8097]

“Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity, or neglect”. - Captain Alfred Gilmer Lamplugh. I had this a poster with this quote pinned up on my wall when I was learning to fly, read it every day, and kept it in the back of my mind through 45 years of professional flying. No truer words ever spoken!

[@rembrant34]

I had this poster too, with a picture of an early era biplane planted firmly in a tree. So true. Cautious words of wisdom that rang in my head for many years in the cockpit.

[@AgentMorgan2010]

Nah, it's inherently dangerous.

[@Mommyandtux]

@@AgentMorgan2010 I fail to see what's inherently dangerous about packing a giant 40,000 lbs aluminum cigar tube full of people and thousands of gallons of jet fuel and hurling at 500 mph 6 miles in the sky ? It doesn't seem much more risky than my Kia Soul running out of gas.

[@AgentMorgan2010]

@@Mommyandtux You know what? You've changed my mind! Come to think of it, that's not an inherently precarious proposition at all!

[@krashd]

@@Mommyandtux But without carelessness, incapacity or neglect that scenario is perfectly safe. What are you going to hit at 6 miles up?

[@CarminesRCTipsandTricks]

My Dad was one of the Investigators in that incident. He was angry for 3 months afterwards. He called it the "Most irresponsible piece of flying he had ever seen". He was further shocked by the guy's record of irresponsible flying, virtually left unchecked. R.I.P.

[@SniperHarry]

I bet I spoke with your father. Small world.

[@robinj.9329]

Yup! This was just unbelievable! And should have NEVER happened.

[@CarminesRCTipsandTricks]

@@SniperHarry He questioned the entire Wing, then went through Records with his Staff. They even WANTED to find something Medical... Because there's no way a Pilot of his experience - even if an IDIOT - would ever bank an Aircraft that large, that steep while flying THAT low. I had always hoped that SOMEONE ejected. Yeah they would have been seriously injured, but maybe they could have offered valuable insights...

[@dtz1000]

I don't think i have ever been angrier watching one of these videos. This was beyond stupid.

[@CarminesRCTipsandTricks]

@@dtz1000 Absolutely!! I've inverted a 737.... IN A SIMULATOR. I wouldn't play with Human life like that!

[@leokimvideo]

When a pilot has a career of taking risks and getting away with them it's only a matter of time before the risk taking ends in disaster

[@usveteran9893]

Totally Agree, unfortunately, he had disregard for others' life as well.

[@richard1472]

Yes, the lack of accountability seems to be trending in America these days.

[@davidearl-graef4287]

@@usveteran9893 You could not be more wrong about Bud Holland.

[@usveteran9893]

@@davidearl-graef4287 Ok I am wrong. But many other fellow pilots turned against him and said he was a risk-taker and showboat. I could care less one way or the other.

[@davidearl-graef4287]

@@usveteran9893 I know 100% that the vice commander asked to take his final flight before retiring from flight duty on that sortie because he took my seat (jump seat ) on that airplane and Bud asked me if that was OK and I agreed. If so many thought he was a risk taker and dangerous would you ask to take your fini-flight with him in command with many of your family watching? I think not. Most of what happened after the tragedy was to cover the asses of the command staff. I was there I saw them do it. A lot of them were Jealous of Bud because he was the best and he knew it and was a Chuck Yeager kind of guy. No crew member that was on that plane was not there voluntarily because they had confidence in his ability to fly that profile. I suspect that the right seater by error or a mechanical factor was in control when the plane stalled. The hatch on the co side blew as he tried to eject so Bud was in control at impact. Knowing him as I did and Bud knowing they were all going to die made a split second decision to increase the angle as he knew exactly what to do to avoid hitting the survival school dorm which was full of 100+ students. He was that good. Peace

[@blogovitchxyz]

What strikes me most is how fast it can go from ok to disaster in 3 seconds.

[@Mommyandtux]

Shit was definitely not ok.

[@williamwingo4740]

"Thou shalt maintain thine airspeed, lest the Earth rise up and smite thee."

[@Mommyandtux]

@@williamwingo4740 An applicable proverb in this situation: "Pride goeth before the fall."

[@TrajectoryT]

@@williamwingo4740 "Twice the pride. Double the fall"

[@jeffparkinson5005]

Because the greater the bank angle becomes the more the danger increase, the greater a planes wings bank the less lift they have, this pilot banked it to the point of having no lift left ...... thus the point of no return. He in effect turned those flight capable wings....... into a very large and deadly aluminum knife. Sad that this guy wasn't removed many years before he got to kill two others along with himself.

[@AnOrangeOrange1000]

In India, there's a saying among the Truck Drivers - "Respect the Machine or else, the Machine will punish you." That seemed to be coming true in this case.

[@rudyramos5911]

Well said AJ

[@mohitdhameja5914]

Shi baat

[@timmack2415]

There another saying in India "This is the Social Security Administration" or the IRS, or Amazon, or Microsoft.......

[@paulsuprono7225]

Couldn't have texted it . . . any better ! 😎🇺🇸

[@toddb930]

Good saying AJ. Thanks for sharing.

[@sailorman92704]

My father was an air force pilot most of his career life flying C141's and C130's..... people would say "I bet being a pilot is exciting"..........My Dad's response....."Not if you do it right"

[@tehjamerz]

Lol

[@ThunderloverHAHA3214]

Tf you mea lol, if your dad died,would you say “lol”in his funeral?

[@tehjamerz]

@@ThunderloverHAHA3214 No, I didnt say, "lol", at his funeral, why do you ask?

[@ThunderloverHAHA3214]

@@tehjamerz cause saying lol at someones death is disrespectful

[@tehjamerz]

@@ThunderloverHAHA3214 lol

[@bertaglen]

I flew with Col Holland many times. He had a John Wayne persona that everyone in the unit laughed and chuckled at but was proud of his “hot-dogging.” You should realize you have a problem when we were ordered to strip any unsecured items from the cockpit when he flew for an air show. And the B-52 was the grande finale flying after the thunderbirds...nuts! I thankfully left Fairchild in ‘93.

[@justincase5272]

Same, although I wasn't proud of him at all. He was an ass. It came down to duty. An earlier commander asked me in '92 if I felt comfortable flying with Holland, to which I replied, "He's dangerous. Definitely keeps me on my toes, and one hand on the trigger ring." If I didn't fly with him, someone else would.

[@jimmydcap]

B52 is definitely not a stunt plane. He should have been grounded lobg b4 this happened. I wonder if his aircrew ever questioned his ability to be a safe pilot. Ive flown with hot dogs. And had a few close calls.

[@MrWiredawg]

Glad you outa there!

[@mooseandsquirrel9887]

Well, it sounds like everyone knew about this showoffs behavior and as usual no one did anything about it……folks should be glad he’s out of the mix…..shame his crew perished with him…..

[@anthonydrake4244]

@@justincase5272 Why? If everyone knew this man's failings and did not outright tell the wing commander it would eventually kill someone,. the greater shame is on you. If it were me I'd be reticent to admit it.

[@jgreenberg]

During my training, there was a poster stuck in the break room at the airport "The superior pilot uses superior judgment to avoid the use of his superior skills." This mantra has stuck with me ever since. All of my students know, I repeat this to them before every solo they go on. This crash, as I learned about it in university was what made me take that poster even more seriously and made hazardous attitudes a major focus regarding my own interest in promoting aviation safety. RIP to the others 'Bud' sadly took with him.

[@RoseUnseen]

kiss KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID

[@-ShootTheGlass-]

Agree. I also remember the saying “altitude is a pilots best friend”. If he’d performed this manoeuvre at 10,000 feet, no problem.

[@danceswithmules]

Another version of that saying was "There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots. There are no old bold pilots."

[@michaelquillen2679]

Great poster! Taped to the panel in my trainer was this: "Watch thy airspeed, altitude, and gas; lest the ground cometh up and smite thy ass!" My CFI (RIP) was a crusty ol' crab who flew the A-6 Intruderder in 'nam. He handled a plane like it was an extension of his body...amazing! He was big on safety and avoiding getting one's self into sticky situations. We practiced every conceivable stall situation many times and I learned to recognize how these situations can occur and how to avoid them. Yep, it cost a few more $$$ but my life is worth it. Can't thank him enough for not being one who just pushed me through with the minimum of training to my private ticket.

[@deborahmiorgan829]

Charles Lindberg once said that only the best should ever be allowed to fly someone else's aircraft.

[@scottcol23]

Imagine dying on your last career flight in the military. This upset me. And the fact that his family was there to see the whole thing go down is just horrible. The world lost some great people that day. yeah it was stupid and total pilot error... But they didn't deserve that at all. I hope their families were taken care of

[@johnniepope7214]

The Major was my Squadron Commander I knew his whole family... This was sad I was on leave when this happened and saw it from my Hotel Room in Montana on my way to VA. I had just talked to him the week it happened and told him I would see him when I got back... never got to see him again:( It was unfortunate and a total tragedy.. I will always remember Major McGheehan He was a great Leader and a Humble man. May they all Rest In Paradise

[@The_Beast_666]

@@johnniepope7214 Sir my jaw just dropped reading your comment. God bless you and the whole family who underwent this mishap!

[@TaylorSwift_9s]

The other people other then the dip shit pilot did not deserve that . And to be on ur last flight acting like a dip shit seems to me like he wanted to die and his family and friends to suffer cause he invited them there.

[@TaylorSwift_9s]

@@johnniepope7214 lol he seems like a sewer sidal maniac and just cause you know him and he was nice to you seems like you don't wanna believe he was a crazy nut job who killed innocent people on his last flight cause he was depressed he was never gonna fly again. So he wanted to cause destruction flying a b 52 into a nuclear site. Thank god he wasn't able to make it. And no one else was hurt .

[@TaylorSwift_9s]

@@johnniepope7214 may he restinpiss

[@frederickwhite6416]

We studied the crash in the AF. He had been trouble for years and shouldn't have been on flight status period. He should have been driving a desk. RIP.

[@anonymike8280]

He should have been driving a truck. Or maybe not even that. As above, so below. Right?

[@frederickwhite6416]

@@anonymike8280 We had a problem pilot. Complaints were filed nothing was done. This was overseas. The 2 pilots who filed the complaint jumped the Chain of Command when nothing was done. They were both forced out of the AF. The pilot who the complaint was filed against was promoted. He was the worst pilot in the squadron and 1 of the worst AC Commanders I've flown with. He probably retired out a General, last I saw he was a full bird.

[@anonymike8280]

@@frederickwhite6416 The priority with the command though was who was willing to fly a subsonic heavy bomber into Soviet airspace if it came to it. If someone is assessed as willing to do the mission as ordered, maybe they get the slack. Maybe the Air Force was willing to take the risk of losing a plane and crew. The individual does not count.

[@frederickwhite6416]

@@anonymike8280 of course by this time the Cold War was over, SAC was gone and ACC took over. My situation came years later in Herc Es & in Afghanistan H-2 & 3s.

[@rocketeerPM2500]

Frederick White I agree with your comments. But your RIP should not extend to the asshole Capt. Holland. He was an arrogant SOB whose criminal STUPIDITY cost other crew lives, and brought untold suffering to their wives & families.

[@TennilleE82]

The last paragraph says it all....he got lucky all of the times he flew unsafely that he truly believed he'd always be able to get out of unsafe situations. Chilling how it was his last flight and that they were so close to preforming the touch and go.

[@SniperHarry]

Thank you for posting this. I must admit I had a hard time watching it because so many times people hide the truth about this crash. I remember this day clearly. I and my wife were still active duty then. In fact my wife was a photographer. The film and the photos of this crash were taken by her co-workers. Also thank you for making it clear that Holland was to blame for this. I was afraid you would not mention that, or would gloss over it like some many others have. He literately should never have been allowed to fly. The only good thing I can say about this is at least he didn't have a plane full of civilian passengers.

[@ErinPipes76]

Yep. And all of wing leadership knew he was in the cockpit to put on a show. He did.

[@viperbot5311]

Sorry. I cant wait for the update I can fix the bugs 🕷 lol 😝 thanks ☺️ I’ll buy a cookie

[@mnpd3]

In the Air Force accidents don't happen... crashes do, and someone is always at fault. The purpose of the accident board is to assign blame. This pilot was at fault, but even if he wasn't, the board would find someone who was.

[@waldothudpucker3240]

@@mnpd3 The Army is the same way and they always do. The only exception is a combat loss due to enemy action.

[@TheBruces56]

I recall attending a risk management seminar years ago. The instructor showed this video and then said "You all have a "Bud" somewhere in your organization". It's true so try to ID him before it happens.

[@thesergio9444]

Are you talking about beer?

[@JohnSmith-qh6zh]

That's an exaggeration. Probalby one bud per every few thousand servicemembers, mayabe more, but yes you need to identify them if you can.

[@KatieBellino]

@@JohnSmith-qh6zh You're probably right for service members in general. I'd be willing to bet it is a higher percentage for those going into air force pilot careers as that will tend to draw in your "adrenaline junkie" personalities.

[@apexnc109]

From what I remember is that Lt Col McGeehan wouldn't allow any of his men to fly with Lt Col Holland because of his reckless flying since the Air Force wouldn't ground him so he flew as co-pilot costing him his life but saving someone else.

[@TheRunAndGun10]

That is my understanding as well. Classic case of going along to get along. It frustrates me how they let him go on so long.

[@redsloane879]

Yes, that's correct

[@johnniepope7214]

I was in his Squadron he was a great man and yes he did just that and it cost him his life. This was tragic.... One of the best Commanders I ever served with for sure. SMSgt Johnnie K Pope USAF Retired RIP Sir

[@KONAMAN100]

That's incredible. I bet he had a few very harsh last words as this went pear shaped. I hope he did ...

[@matthewimi]

Correct. I remember that rumor going around

[@CAPEjkg]

He wasn't professional, he was an ass in love with himself and took 3 other innocent lives with him. Leadership failure to get his ass out of the cockpit! What a preventable waste!

[@tonyf.9806]

And how much you want to bet all those senior officers who knew if this reckless flying kept their jobs, or even got promoted.

[@bertrandlechat4330]

How a narcissist came to grief.

[@oumgia5643]

And you know what else, he found out that he wasn't that good of a pilot after all. Too bad others were there.

[@oumgia5643]

@Captain Chaos It's so messed up.

[@richardcline1337]

@@tonyf.9806, isn't that what normally happens with military (br)ass? They go all out to cover each other and their lame mistakes no matter what the cost in lives or material.

[@TheDeJureTour]

There is an old saying: "That which you tolerate, you get more of." The pilot should have been disciplined long before this happened.

[@3RTracing]

The pilot should have been grounded long before this happened.

[@Sierrahtl]

There is another saying amongst heavy af pilots and maintenance crews.. “There are old pilots, bold pilots, but no old bold pilots.” This guy is neither.. he is just a idiot.

[@brandongonzalez4348]

That old saying is legendary

[@cat637d]

@@Sierrahtl The same can be said of Electricians

[@schmingusss]

It's easy to say but difficult to discipline a psychopath.

[@robinmuirhead2617]

"There are old pilots and bold pilots but no old bold pilots!" says it all

[@kamacazi9639]

The bold pilots don’t live to be old

[@msgstar4933]

Same with boat captains

[@badian37]

My Dad flew for USMC for over 20 years and retired with over 10K Flight Hours! He used to say this to me as a growing kid often....

[@jimmyhaley727]

you cannot stop a Terrorist or a man with a will to die

[@stevemc01]

@@kamacazi9639 unless RNGesus decides so lol

[@lex1945]

Stunt flying a B-52... What could go wrong?

[@davidh6300]

And at 150 feet too.

[@kensoran0013]

ikr

[@conflagrationTuesday]

..at stall speeds 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@rosemarydudley9954]

Lex .... ooooops!

[@ressljs]

About 10 years ago, they tried the same thing with a C-17. Not surprisingly, they got the same results.

[@chuckg2016]

It's a shame three others lost their lives due to the inaction of an entire command. Years of valuable experience and a critical aircraft irretrieveably lost.

[@ARedMotorcycle]

"Aggressive pilot who often broke flight safety and other rules." "Let's put him in an air show. Yee haw!"

[@george40nelson4]

Why are these men piloting B 52,s when they should be driving trailer trucks , half asleep, and tail gaiting family vans ?

[@Snookynibbles]

@george40 nelson, Oh! Those are their brothers who flunked-out of flight school. They keep it going in the family any way they can.

[@tdickensheets]

@@Snookynibbles Survivors 0

[@HRHAstro]

@@george40nelson4 never served, eh?

[@george40nelson4]

@@HRHAstro Never served ,eh ? I served in Vietnam during the TET Offensive. I was with the 1st Infantry Division. Stationed in our area was the 1st Air Cavalry. I saw several incidents resulting in tragedy and loss of life because of stupid breaks in protocol . I really find it upsetting when people do fool hardy things and put themselves and others at risk. I am sure you agree.

[@doyoulovehimloretta1607]

Imagine all the lives he put at risk throughout his career. Unbelievable arrogance.

[@f-15estrikeeagle35]

A squadron commander who happened to be the co pilot of the flight had to ban all his squadron mates from ever flying with Holland

[@cornfusedatbest6693]

Imagine ... every time you board an airliner. You know this person personally? (pilot) The point is, this scenario could play out ... the pilot's having ... just one of those days. Or, maybe someone was absent on LUGNUT DAY and the wheels might fall off on landing. LIFE is a GIFT, appreciate it while it's here. I sat in a window seat from FLA. to OH. and watched the wing damn near come off. No one said a word and we landed just fine. I will be forever grateful for the life I have left. And yes, I kissed the ground when I hit the dirt. Talk about giving one a sense of humility, I even apologized to the fat guy who snored and used up all MY space on that flight, though he had no idea why. Thank GOD for Dewars.

[@timby2383]

most of the Air Force's aircrew have pretty high arrogance, but this dude is the epitome of it.

[@geoh7777]

This attitude of superior officers to not clear out clearly psychotic or otherwise psychologically defective personnel is also present in police departments (and their district attorneys' offices) scattered around the nation, police command staff who protect officers under their command who apparently have a "psychotic episode," escalate the situation they are in, and kill unarmed individuals when the threat to the officer is actually nonexistent. Classic example: Philip Brailsford, Mesa Police Department, Mesa, Arizona. "Police officer who fatally shot sobbing man temporarily rehired to apply for pension" www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/police-officer-who-fatally-shot-sobbing-man-temporarily-rehired-apply-n1028981 Body cam footage released by the Mesa Police Department available here: www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/mesa/2018/01/24/new-mexico-woman-sues-former-mesa-police-officer-found-not-guilty-murder/1062046001/ Understand that merely "making a mistake" is not punishable by death in the Untied States.

[@Snookynibbles]

@Jamie Tran, I wonder who banned the squadron commander from failing to ban Holland? That’s the real question!

[@erinthesystem9608]

This one was interesting for so many reasons: the nature of the flight, the live footage, and the findings regarding causes of the crash- inc. more footage! Well done. The mention of flying mere FEET above photographers brought to my mind the Cavalese cable-car disaster: In 1998, 20 people lost their lives when a U.S. Marine jet pilot flew too low into an Alpine valley, only to slice through the cable of a ski lift. So the people plunged to their deaths, crammed in a tiny metal cage. It always seems especially tragic, however, when a person dies on either their first day or their last day of a job.

[@ivanpetrov5185]

The pettiest thing of it is that the jet pilot didn't get any sentence as the US court decided he was more important than the Italians that have died.

[@Biend]

Yeah and the piece of shit pilots were acquitted.... I'm really surprised by how corrupt USA is, from the smallest sheriff's office all the way to USAAF high ranking officers - it's all one big old boys club. That Holland guy should've been booted many times, is what im trying to say.

[@axiomist4488]

I cant believe it ! Thats even sadder than the B52 incident. And the guy got away with murdering 20 people ? He should have gone to military prison for life .

[@GizmoRob176]

It's always the last of a job in the literal sense with that scenario.

[@hyperiongm330]

@@Biend Sounds like some people haven't researched the incident. The Navigator and Pilot of the EA-6B were initially found not guilty after claiming that they didn't know they were flying that low due to a supposed equipment malfunction and that their maps didn't say the cable cars were in the area. Both were later found guilty of obstruction of justice and dishonorably discharged after their EW technicians (who have no control over the aircraft's flight and were only charged in the event they attempted to interfere with the investigation) told investigators that a recording existed and had been destroyed by the flying crew, with one receiving a short prison sentence. Despite clear evidence that they lied to the tribunal about their actions and equipment (their maps were blatantly obsolete, the navigator was aware of the 2000 feet minimum height requirement, and the pilot and navigator lied about the status of their altimeter) they could not be re-charged with negligence and manslaughter due to being already found innocent under double jeopardy laws despite their duplicity.

[@MrDlt123]

I am retired Air Force, and knew several of the players in the story. I will say that the Flight Channel's depiction is accurate as I understand it. This event caused a major dynamic shift in how the Air Force operates, and flying squadrons in particular. I dont know if that's currently true as Ive been retired for nearly 2 decades. Lone wolf or renegade characters like 'Maveric' in 'Top Gun' have always made it into the ranks, and to a point their confidence adds value. But given time and the right (maybe 'wrong' is a better word) conditions, unchecked cavalier attitudes sometimes cost lives. Several fine Officers lost their lives in this case, and I include Bud Holland in that, because he too was a fine pilot, but one who had not received the correct training, supervision and mentoring over his career. If all else fails, repeat violations should be grounds for reassignment or dismissal from service. RIP to all of the fine aviators in this story.

[@vickiweber4718]

I wish my dad was still alive so I could get his take on all of this. He was a flight instructor in the Air Force in the 60's.

[@CaIiforniaL0VE]

Oh but He is getting his take on it, while We witness it through videos he’s in Paradise with the crew (hopefully knocking some sense into that pilot 🙂)

[@justincase5272]

Vicki, your father would probably say it was a tragic accident years in the making which could have and should have been stopped by higher-ups years before.

[@mdaley4390]

Vicki - thanks to your Dad, we've got better pilots protecting our families. You have a right to be proud. God bless him.

[@scottw5315]

It's pretty simple really. Holland was a frustrated fighter jock. Guys like him can never get past the fact that they didn't get fighters hence they try to turn their aircraft into one. You are never going to look cool yanking and banking a four engine bomber, transport or helicopter but they still try with occasional tragic results. I believe there was a C-17 that was similarly doing an air show or practice or one.

[@kristofertogun9688]

THE WEBERS WERE FAMOUS FOR BEING GREAT MILITARY AVIATORS, MOSTLY AS INSTRUCTORS. CAPTAIN WEBER WAS ONE OF MY INSTRUCTORS DURING MY ALL JET SET UNDERGRADUATE NAVIGATOR TRAINING, CLASS 76O5, IN MATHER AIR FORCE BASE, SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA

[@someonee3186]

Imagine seeing that crashed in front of your eyes, I feel so bad. That was painful to watch.

[@9HighFlyer9]

I did see it crash from just outside the base perimeter. That fireball was unbelievably orange and you could feel the heat from it. The video doesn't even come close.

[@kirbystarwell3701]

Especially to their families waiting for the landing ceremony. Can't describe that feeling man.... This happened June 24.

[@Powerranger-le4up]

You actually can. It’s on video

[@SniperHarry]

@@9HighFlyer9 I was on base when it happened. I had just left base ops.

[@gamercole5917]

Watching a video is brutal watching it

[@CaptainJadenAR]

Did anyone notice that he uploaded the video today, as the date in the accident day is also June 24, makes it 27 years difference? The accident is tragic, though. RIP to the pilots who died in here (Even if it was their fault).

[@las2665]

Exactly you are right

[@CarminesRCTipsandTricks]

It was just the Colonel flying.... The only thing the rest of the Crew did wrong was not bash him over the head!!

[@CaptainJadenAR]

Carmine's RC Tips True. And I know it was the Colonel. I wrote this comment before the plane crashed :)

[@marthahanley6650]

HIS fault. Now I've read comments where the co-pilot have said "This plane's mine. Or I'm in control now" or something like that but there must be ways to override this and keep it in their control.

[@CaptainJadenAR]

Martha Hanley, I know. My comment was actually posted before this crash animation happened. :)

[@__eganista6372]

To that end, Holland wasn't entirely at fault. Instead those who knew exactly his character yet failed to stop him, were complicit.

[@jacktheripper5661]

I mean a few tried to stop him, his old crew reported him to the bomb squadron but those in higher command decided not to take away holland’s flying duty. They are the ones at fault.

[@dx1450]

I believe his commander was court-martialed for allowing him to continue to fly after his previous dangerous incidents.

[@seltaeb9691]

Exactly. He's not going to cease flying is he, that's why we have a rank system. Those who knew yet had the power did not ground him. They bear the main guilt here but would have been fudged. In triplicate. The 3 lambs who perished we don't know if they had a choice to decline an order to fly. Unlikely. Orders are orders. I hope the NOK sued their asses off. Fudged again no doubt.

[@glamdolly30]

As the saying goes, 'All it takes for evil to flourish, is for good men to do nothing'. Holland was a monster, whose bosses had the power to stop his nasty power games, before he killed someone. Yet they sat on their hands, and repeatedly failed to confront him. And as a result, his reckless conduct and disregard for the lives of others escalated. Holland caused the fatal crash, but weak men enabled it over many years, till his ego was so out of control he would inevitably kill someone, someday. Shame on them - and shame on anyone in a position of power over bullies, who stands back and lets them do their worst.

[@dx1450]

@@glamdolly30 It's just an example of the good ol' boy network. As long as you're buddies with the commanders, you can get away with lots of shit.

[@-DC-]

USAF just as guilty as Holland for killing these men he should never have been in that cockpit on the fateful day, RIP to all involved as many have found out the safety rules are written in blood.

[@SniperHarry]

Exactly. Holland was not cleared to fly that day but the higher ups gave him a waiver for that flight. There's plenty of blame to go around.

[@ruehl3853]

I say the airforce should put aggressive pilots in fighter jets. Basically understanding their strengths from weaknesses. Had he been in a f22 or f16 he would've easily made all those turns and maneuvers. Not saying it wasn't his fault he died I'm surprised his aircraft didn't break from the stress of that first dive many planes have had their wings come off for much less.

[@SniperHarry]

@@ruehl3853 There is a difference between aggressive pilots and arrogant pilots. Holland was the later. I'm alive today because an aggressive pilot threw a C-130 into a very aggressive move that threw off the aim of a Mig-29 pilot just long enough for our CAP to get there and shoot him down. Holland was arrogant and broke the rules way too often. Aggressiveness and brains makes for a great pilot no matter what platform they are on. Stupid and arrogant is wrong no matter what.

[@silntstl]

There is an old aviation saying, "There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots".

[@marshamoore8385]

@@SniperHarry I was there and saw the whole thing! For the record, the other's did NOT want to fly with him. They were afraid he would push the limits of the aircraft. B-52's are a very stable war machine and I love them. Holland should have been grounded long before this happened. He was a likeable guy and his wife was a delightful person, lovely in every way. We were all stunned. Her screams were devastating. How can you comfort someone when they just saw the love of their life get killed, taking the lives of 3 good men with him. It still haunts and sickens me!

[@sealy3]

Old saying goes: "There are old pilots and bold pilots but no old bold pilots!" Clichés usually prove themselves correct if given time.

[@anonymouscitizen2732]

Chuck Yeager...The greatest pilot the world has ever seen.

[@davedave5787]

thank God those kids just killed themselves and nobody else... hope his wings were revoked after the investigation. Thx TFC You Rock!!!!!

[@GopherBaroque61]

@@davedave5787 Kids? Holland wasn't a kid and the three other airmen in the aircraft with him died because of his recklessness. The other three didn't kill themselves. Holland killed them.

[@9HighFlyer9]

@@anonymouscitizen2732 he did live to be old and bold.

[@ysmithriley]

@@davedave5787 Why in the world are you calling these men KIDS?

[@deanladue3151]

It's stunning, in a sense that his superiors were aware of Hollands past transgressions. But decided to basically look the other way. The real culprit here is the ignorance of Hollands superiors, who were aware that he had shown a clear disregard for procedures and safety in operating a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft.

[@2Quietus]

Used to see it all the time. I served 24yrs and the "Buddy system" was alive and well. All you needed to do was get in "the click"; i.e. kiss enough ass, and you could damn near get away with anything and it'd be brushed under the table. They valued reputation and standing/rank over everything and it often cost well being of others....and in this case, other lives.

[@BroccoliHead7]

Not only did leadership let him continue flying, but they let him perform at an air show!!! They let him show his true colors in public setting.

[@gregj831]

@@2Quietus Yup! I was at Blytheville and it was very same situation there. Crazy Senior Leaders were just making shit up with NO ONE to check them. Anybody who was around SAC could see this coming.

[@bradmccullough8240]

The blood of the innocent people who died in this incident is on the hands of the superiors who knew his issues and didn't ground him

[@angie99656]

Privelege, and arrogance.

[@edburton6472]

I was living in Airway Heights, WA (a small town just NE of the Fairchild runway) when this incident occured. I was using my computer and had a serious AC power fluctuation when the B-52 cut through high voltage power lines moments before impacting the ground. Then the crash sounds prompted me to go outside when I observed the huge ball of black smoke from over at the base. The news later reported that the bomber crashed when the pilot was "hot dogging" and flying the huge jet like a fighter aircraft in preparation for the upcoming base open house. The horrible thing about this incident was that a number of the crewmember's families were watching from the flightline. What a waste!

[@markpfeifer1402]

I feel bad for the kids that had to watch their dads die right in front of them. Way to go, Bud.

[@dennistedder3384]

Oh shut up

[@AlexGoat13]

Oh shut up

[@xxkxllerkingxx9981]

@@dennistedder3384 Oh shut up

[@atodamadre3197]

@@AlexGoat13 Oh shut up.

[@AlexGoat13]

@@atodamadre3197 oh shut up

[@chaksh]

I have never got teary eyed ever for the many crashes you have documented. I'm not American either. But my heart goes out for the spouses and kids of the officers who watched it unravel

[@justincase5272]

It was indeed devastating.

[@Fsrjtyttzma]

That bank angle was just straight up insane.

[@dx1450]

Suicidal, you mean.

[@Frip36]

Yep, I'm dumb as a brick and even I know you can't keep a heavy slow plane in the air without air under the wings. This guy turned the whole thing sideways rendering the wings useless.

[@xxlegolas]

@@Frip36 Worse than useless - the wings generate lift perpendicular to the lower surface of the wing. If you turn the aircraft sideways, that lift force will be acting parallel to the ground. As your bank angle passes 90 degrees, lift begins pushing the aircraft toward the ground.

[@MrMiD.Life.Crisis]

When I was first saw this I thought there mustve been some kind of failure for him to keep banking past the point (of no return) where the wings are no longer producing lift. A jammed rudder or alike. I was shocked when I learnt otherwise. RIP.

[@redbluesome2829]

It’s safe to assume that even Holland never intended for the plane to reach a 90 degree angle, but the craft was out of their control at that point, and before.

[@christinesmith8330]

My dad nearly had an heart attack hearing about this. That plane and f 15 and 16s were his babies. Proud crew chief from 1962 to 1985. Vietnam vet. Career air force. We had a great life. And these air shows were the highlight of those yrs

[@Hawkinsian]

Wow, always knew about the crash, didn't realise how high ranking the chaps onboard were!....and they had family/friends watching!

[@patrickmollohan3082]

That looney PIC ended the lives of 5 people, and fucked up the lives of the wives, children, and families of all aboard. Here's the thing...the USAF already had an assload of complaints on him...some probably the same or.higher rank. And they never ONCE considered pulling his wings!! That's just plain mind blowing!!!✈✈🇺🇸

[@roberthagedorn290]

@@patrickmollohan3082 It sounds like he may have had connections with higher ups. But even so, yes, it is mind blowing. Clearing the ridgeline by three feet flying a B-52 defies comments.

[@donkeninitz4590]

McGeehan reportedly insisted on joining the flight crew because he didn't want to put a subordinate a danger and was tired of Holland's antics.

[@tima.478]

@@roberthagedorn290 It really does!!!! In the Marines that would have gotten him discharged, seen it happen myself as a crew chief!

[@roberthagedorn290]

@@tima.478 He was getting close to retirement. Had he retired, he may have gotten a job as a pilot flying a commercial airliner. With his extensive experience, most airlines would have been happy to hire him. After a short term as first officer, he would soon have been promoted to captain.

[@V1RT8]

Blame on whoever made him Lt. Colonel and didn’t remove him from the flying line.

[@spcbelton]

Being in the good ol boys club got them all dead at the same time. He wouldve been pulled, decommissioned, grounded, and demoted ON TIME, if.........

[@williamwingo4740]

He had over 5,000 hours in the aircraft and was chief of "Standardization/Evaluation" for the wing. The mission profile had been approved, excessive bank angles and all, through the wing commander level. It was a practice session for an airshow a few days later and at the show itself there would have been hundreds or thousands of people on the ground. One of those killed was the designated "safety observer," but he had not attended the pre-flight briefing and boarded the aircraft after the engines were started. One person higher up in the chain of command was disciplined: he was fined $7500 and received a written letter of reprimand. Also, the whole episode is used today in various Air Force training programs as an example of "leadership failure." That's one way of putting it....

[@williamwingo4740]

@Billy Cole II There have been some allusions here and there to the "Ring-Knockers" culture in the AF; but the only reference I could find on the source of LtCol Holland's commission states that he was OTS, January 1971 (three years after me). There's no indication that he attended the academy. And as an O-5 with 23 years service and still in the cockpit, he was probably due to retire pretty soon. But I agree that his superiors must have been aware of the situation--or they should have been.

[@redbluesome2829]

@@williamwingo4740 Holland came into the Air Force from a college ROTC in Virginia. This was during the Vietnam era, where if any yayhoo with a degrees wanted to try their luck at being a military pilot, that was the time, because the need was there. He was indeed scheduled to retire approximately one month after this incident.

[@williamwingo4740]

@@redbluesome2829 "...any yahoo with a degree?" I'll have to plead no contest. I went from college to OTS to pilot training to navigator training to the back seat of the F-4.

[@DivingHawker]

I'm no pilot but just looking at how tight that turn was and how steeply he banked at such a low altitude just looked so wrong.

[@DivingHawker]

@Captain Chaos So many crashes unfortunately involve big planes being flown like fighter jets.

[@diptanshu-selfchallenger9562]

I know right! You can’t just fly a frickin subsonic bomber like a Fighter.

[@littleblackcar]

Especially in a B-52! It’s not a Mustang!

[@tnapeepeelu]

I don't even do that in any video game! With a fighter, let alone a huge bomber like that!

[@davidkelter8379]

I was there the day it happened. I was stationed at Fairchild AFB at that time. It was a very sad day considering our base was mourning the lives that were taken in a senseless shooting just 5 days prior. I shook hands with Col. Wolf the morning of the crash. The Honor Guard team I was on performed a greeting service for Tom Foley that morning. Col. Wolf was our Vice Base Commander at the time. Very nice person. There was no wind that day which was unusual for that area. The black cloud from the crash hung over the base for hours afterwards. Very erie and sad. I'll never forget that day. Or that week.

[@51Saffron]

With as many complaints. How come nothing was taken seriously?

[@davidkelter8379]

@@51Saffron because the "Good ole boy" system doesn't work that way.

[@51Saffron]

@@davidkelter8379 Wow. Shocking. I wont fly. Bad experience in the 70's.

[@Adamdya]

He tried to fly that thing like a fighter jet.. rip everyone onboard :(

[@tommitoivonen3624]

My thoughts exactly.

[@junker15]

apparently there was talk on the playground amongst the kids that Bud was going to barrel-roll the B-52. The whole environment during this time must have been toxic.

[@paulholterhaus7084]

No.....You CANNOT fly fighters that way either............Paul

[@EazyDuz18]

@@paulholterhaus7084 you can ive done it on flight sim

[@YEETMAN-dt9mb]

@@EazyDuz18 On flight sim

[@WestrnPhlyr2000]

I was stationed at Fairchild AFB during this period as a member of the 92nd CES (Civil Engineering Squadron). I would like to add a bit of perspective if I could from my POV. We (CES) had guys out on the flightline helping setup and prep for the air show that weekend who witnessed the crash firsthand. I heard the crash but did not see it, I thought it was a another plane coming in for the airshow. This happened on Friday (IIRC) 24 June 1994. Four days before that on Monday 21 June, Dean Mellberg went on a shooting spree through the FAFB hospital and surrounding buildings, killing and wounding numerous people including some of my friends and colleagues. I spent most of that week at the hospital directing and supervising contractors to get everything cleaned up and refurbished to get the hospital back open ASAP and was at my shop (office) in CE closing out a couple of those contracts when the plane crashed. It was not a good week at Farichild to say the least.

[@TJRohyans]

I had forgotten that the hospital shooting took place the same week. At the time I was stationed at Whiteman AFB, MO as a B-2 Phase Maintenance Inspector, having transferred from B-52H's at Minot AFB, ND the year before. I had been to Fairchild once before this happened on a TDY. One of the few northern tier bases where I would have actually enjoyed being stationed at.

[@bobmartin4942]

The SP that took out Dean fully deserved the medal he received for his action which saved countless others from injury or death.

[@WildBillCox13]

Thanks for your service.

[@kristita_888]

Horrific!

[@theshocker4626]

It didn't need to happen either, got these pussy brass who won't let personnel carry defensive weapons on base...who ever heard of such idiocy?

[@Some1_No1]

In 1987, I was a brand new B-52 copilot going through initial qualification training at Castle AFB. Lt Col Bob Wolff was in my same class as a requal pilot. He was a very laid back, kind man. I will never forget him. I was saddened to learn of his untimely passing in this horrific accident. Years later, I was stationed (Barksdale AFB) with Bud Holland's former copilot from Fairchild. He kept a photo of Bud's gravestone on his desk. At first, I thought that was a little extreme, but after hearing first hand the horror stories of Bud's recklessness from him, it all made sense to me...

[@justincase5272]

Fitting.

[@Buttmunchenhiemer]

The internet never lies. 🤔

[@mjleger4555]

Holland SHOULD have been grounded long before the fatal incident! He was an egoist who had had no business flying with his attitude AND the solid evidence against him in his prior actions!

[@ilovecops5499]

I was there too! Its all truew!

[@mjleger4555]

The man who kept the picture of Holland's gravestone on his desk, no doubt used it as a poignant teaching tool for what NOT to do for training sessions for newer pilots; it certainly would be an effective reminder of what NOT to do when flying. I'll never forget seeing the 'Buff" in a 90-degree angle in that turn, I KNEW there was no lift there and that the Buff would crash. You can't defy the laws of physics and expect to live through it! You cannot turn like that unless you have enough thrust, altitude and LIFT to get you through a high-degree turn like that. I was just terribly sorry that Wolff and the others had to die due to Holland's recklessness, which HAD been demonstrated before -- he simply should have been grounded long before the horrific accident occurred.

[@Bruce.-Wayne]

Rumor has it that the co pilot yelled at the last few seconds "you've killed us, bastard"

[@PacificNWRailfan]

@J M There were other crew members that refused to fly with the guy.

[@TaylorSwift_9s]

Are you joking or is that really what someone said

[@Bruce.-Wayne]

@@TaylorSwift_9s ....its been said many times on several reports.....I guess it was based on the CVR(Cockpit Voice recorder) recovered

[@seltaeb9691]

@@TaylorSwift_9s sarcasm & wit here.

[@glamdolly30]

Let's face it, those guys were crazy to agree to get in a plane commanded by Lt Col Arthur 'Bud' Holland, they knew his lousy reputation! Can't have too much sympathy for the three who died with him - it's weak guys like them who enabled his egotistical risk-raking to get out of control. For years, too many cowards stood back and let him do whatever the hell he liked. Macho bullshit like Holland's thrives in the military, but it shouldn't - real men take a stand against that reckless, unprofessional BS! Because no one had the balls to confront and sanction him (instead he was promoted), the bastard was inevitably going to kill himself some day - and take others with him. Colonel Robert Wolff invited his family along that day to watch his 'fini' flight marking his retirement - it sure was his 'fini' flight. Instead of celebrating, they wound up watching his death in a fireball, aged 46. All thanks to Bud Holland - and the many poor excuses for men, who down the years could have stopped him, but didn't.

[@Steve_Farwalker]

I watched Bud fly the B52 at the 92 airshow at Fairchild. He was really putting that thing into a steep bank at a low level. I remember the day of the crash. Knocked the power out where I live about 2 miles from the airbase. Was a sad day on top of a sad week with a shooting at the airbase a week before the crash.

[@EJ-74]

Hearing those screams sent chills down my back What a blatant disregard for other people's lives and for their families just to try to show off

[@thecw301]

Bud Holland was a hotdogger who liked to take things to the limit. Unfortunately, he took others with him.

[@singaporesling679]

There are old pilots. There are bold pilots. But never any old bold pilots.

[@thecw301]

@@singaporesling679 Precisely.

[@label1877]

Imagine being on your final flight, your family is there for you and this occurs.

[@nickh5081]

@@singaporesling679 I disagree. Old bold pilots are rare, but they are usually the ones that in combat come out with all the victories. It started in WW1 - if you didn't get shot down or crash early, you became a veteran and ended up with dozens of kills under your belt. I know Billy Bishop was about as reckless as they come and he was the third highest ace of the War and was only in the air for 16 months before they sent him home.

[@paulsuprono7225]

@@singaporesling679 Yeah . . . they usually result in becoming DEAD ! 💀

[@alexojideagu]

Copilot Mark McGeehan in 1994 preparation for this show, was involved in another incident with pilot Arthur Holland, where they had to wrestle the controls from him to prevent a crash. Holland laughed and called them Pussies. MCGeehan refused to fly with Holland and reported him. I don't know why he agreed to fly with him again. I can't imagine his regret and anger before death.

[@georgebernard2237]

The saddest part is the sound of small children in the background of the video…

[@dfuher968]

Yeah, and the screaming of women/children in the background as the plane hits the ground. That really got me, coz u just know, thats the family watching.

[@floraposteschild4184]

Captain Holland: he's breaking all the rules of physics -- his way! I'm sorry for his family, but sorrier for the crew members he took with him, and their families. If/when he was ever called out for his behaviour, I'd be interested in hearing what he had to say for himself.

[@fredpearson5204]

He was a lieutenant colonel, not a captain.

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

@@fredpearson5204 Captain of the flight. It's a rank and a position.

[@fredpearson5204]

@@PabloGonzalez-hv3td, were you an Air Force flyer? I was. NO ONE in the Air Force would refer to him as Captain Holland (unless he was actually a captain, which is a huge pay cut from being a lieutenant colonel). In the Air Force, we don't call the lead pilot of a BUFF the captain--he's called the aircraft commander. But thanks for playing, know-it-all civilian.

[@ysmithriley]

@Flora Posteschild PROBABLY NOTHING! He saw himself as INFALLIBLE and INDESTRUCTIBLE.

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

@@fredpearson5204 Man are you guys formal in the USAF. In the RCAF his name would be "Bud" 👀.

[@donnabaardsen5372]

I never cease to be amazed at how real these re-enactments are! Well done!

[@steveb9151]

Well done....except please don't use all caps when setting your text. Tiresome to read. Thanks.

[@d1d4ct85]

Microsoft flight simulator

[@seltaeb3302]

It's always sunny in his planet!

[@hpharridan]

the takeoffs are all wrong....those 2 planes both take off at a low, slow climb rate. i grew up across Lake Worth from Carswell AFB, watched them day in and day out for over 30 years. i miss them

[@ronaldapger2875]

the crash was actual footage taken at the scene of the crash. its not animated

[@KvnDWr]

This one hit me especially hard. Not only was it his LAST day in the military, it also took place in front of his entire family. It's truly, truly, a terrible thing.

[@51Saffron]

It wasn't his last day, but Wolf.

[@mrFalconlem]

Yup, there is this pic from WW2 of a P-38 in small pieces all over the runway, I think it’s in one of those Time Life books. Anyway, hot dog did a loop after a mission over the runway, but he forgot about gravity and was to low, he paid the price and the taxpayers lost a plane. In his defense I will say it was a fighter not a B-52.

[@DarthVader1977]

@@mrFalconlem too* low

[@jaimhaas5170]

Why such arrogance with other people' lives?

[@brailrice]

Because some people are just azzholes.

[@jaimhaas5170]

@@brailrice true that...just spend some time driving and you will come across that pretty damn fast. Thanks for commenting.

[@jaimhaas5170]

@Antonio Perales del Hierro I know what you are saying...our cinema has plenty of it to role model for us.

[@sicooper4230]

@Antonio Perales del Hierro So true and it's so tiresome not even a drop on the head at birth relinquishes it.

[@williamparker1085]

because it was allowed by other incompetents who hopefully got sued and kicked out

[@ron828]

No matter how tech advanced is your human-made aircraft, the reckless air maneuvers that try to break gravity laws of physics are reserved only to UFOs.

[@qhviananan-laul5159]

The reckless behavior is always accepted and tolerable of the passengers on your flight simulator.

[@longwindingroad]

Your saying there's not a hotshot alien pilot out there who's never crashed a UFO ? It got its flying saucer license revoked.

[@waldothudpucker3240]

@@longwindingroad I've seen real birds (as in hatched from eggs) shoot missed approaches and even have landing accidents. If it can happen to them (the born flyers) then humans need to be able to work a little harder at it (it's called self-discipline).

[@loosemoose9799]

I am not a pilot, but my oldest son is retired pilot and told me many things about flying. When I saw the B-52 behind the KC 135, I wondered for the reason he didn't apply power and climb out, go around and then do the touch and go when the runway was clear. After reading the explanations, I learned the reason. He was a hot dog and no one made any effort to clip his wings.

[@rossbrown6641]

Hot dogs are generally eaten, and usually don't take many lives.

[@loosemoose9799]

@@rossbrown6641 I have seen the video several times and I still become anxious knowing what is going to happen. I lived near an air force base and saw some near misses and one crash. It was a stomach churning event. The pilot lived. The crash was caused by the pilot doing hot dog touch and go maneuvers.

[@sixstringedthing]

That live footage chills me everytime I see it. What's about to happen is obvious, but that flash as the BUFF strikes the powerlines just punches home that the crew are not going to walk away from this one. RIP. Fly safe aviators, civil and military.

[@bufferbuffer7320]

Even worse, it was filmed for Col. Wolffs retirement ceremony. Was his last flight. Family and friends standing right next to the camera.

[@DLeeDukeJr]

This video doesn't cover it although you can clearly see in the still photo. 2 Pilots Ejected but couldn't clear the fireball. Imagine that.... getting out only to be consumed in the chute by fire. The others died from impact and never saw the fire.. Just horrific

[@DLeeDukeJr]

@12:02 you can see it

[@murray8958]

@@DLeeDukeJr I saw something in the air and I wondered if that was someone ejecting... At least that was my first thought. They had to know something was wrong mins earlier to be able to have time to get out of the plane! How scary and to think you made it only to die in the fireball WOW!

[@rossbrown6641]

They were flying a killing plane and that's what happened. At least innocents were saved!

[@Coordinator61]

2 knots difference did not crash it, flying like a stuntpilot at low altitude is the reason for this great ball of fire.

[@TheTrainMaster15]

The plane stalled because it went under its banked stall speed. Yes, 2 knots difference did play a massive part in this

[@shaheenkhan2471]

No brother they were US's Airforce pilots so they can surf over even at the lowest of the altitude efficiently.... All that they couldn't manage that day was their airspeed and timely input as the delay caused turbojets to not correct the required angle of attack and airspeed

[@Coordinator61]

@@shaheenkhan2471 BS, they were too low and bank angle way to much for a stupid big plane like this.

[@Coordinator61]

@@TheTrainMaster15 Nope the 90 deg bank angle did the job. This BUFF is not made as a stunt plane. Its a ffing bomber.

[@TheTrainMaster15]

@@Coordinator61 I don’t think you understand the concept of stalling. If it was above stall speed it wouldn’t have lost altitude like that, it would have maintained it. Yes the banking angle is the reason it lost speed and stalled but stalling is the reason it lost altitude and crashed. If he stayed above the stall speed he probably would have made it.

[@kristita_888]

Hearing the screams as the plane crashed was heart-rending...knowing that was the family and friends of a crew member, supposed to be there to celebrate a final flight. I cannot imagine. 💔

[@blakjack3053]

...was indeed a final flight

[@jamesruddy9264]

It doesn't get any more final than that.

[@S.A.N.503]

On the 27th anniversary of the crash. It's horrible to think that they knew what was coming in a few seconds. And the fact that members of their families watched them die.

[@dennistedder3384]

Good. Darwin takes care of those "best pilots in the squadron." LOL

[@S.A.N.503]

@@dennistedder3384 Natural selection is a beautiful thing lol. It sucks when innocent people get caught up in that process though.

[@johnstudd4245]

One of the crew members did actually eject before the plane hit the ground, which can be seen in the still photo. But he still perished.

[@johnstudd4245]

I need to correct my self. The crew member had STARTED the PROCESS of ejection. The object in the still photo is said to be a hatch cover, or something of that sort, which would have come off before the person actually left the aircraft.

[@mikehoyle6092]

I was an AFOSI agent TDY to Fairchild for the hospital massacre a few days before. Some of us were returning to the base from lunch when this happened. We responded. I seized the tape you just saw from a Lt. who was filming for the pilot to review later. I turned it over to the Wing safety officer. He locked it in an AF pickup truck assigned to him. As aircraft mishaps are not in the AFOSI mandate, we left. 30 minutes later, we were alerted to the Wing safety truck being broken into. 30 minutes after that, it was being played on the local news.

[@bookwormstephie]

My husband and I were enroute to Fairchild from our previous base when we heard about the hospital shooting and the B52 crash. We got there just 2 days after the crash. It was utter desolation on base for weeks. People were in total shock. We've never felt so sorry for everyone upon arriving at a new assignment. We began to hear nearly immediately about the bad reputation of the pilot 'Bud' which only made the entire tragedy so much worse for everyone. It was preventable. So so tragic for them. It pretty much ruined our first 6 months there, as 'outsiders.'

[@CobaltBob]

If the pilot had a spirit animal it must surely have been an ass.

[@NoBootyBeauty]

😂 Damn!!!

[@witheeeeeerx]

😂😂😂

[@annferguson3113]

Hey!!! That’s disrespectful to the ass!!!

[@JosephKulik2016]

Dear CobaltBob: With this guy's long record of "stunt flying", everyone who flew with him was an "ass" or even worse. It's not just the USAF who let him continue flying, but every crew member who agreed to fly with after his reputation went south. It would've taken just a few pilots to "mutiny" and dig in their heels to expose this sick man for who he was. I really can't see it coming to a court martial once his reckless record became public. Instead those fellow pilots were happy to play Russian Roulette with their lives every time they got on the same airplane with this delusional man. ... [e-mail]

[@qhviananan-laul5159]

Or the ground hog

[@rene5939]

As I said earlier: An aircraft should only fly from A to B. Not to be used for circus acts.

[@CassassinCatto]

Unless it's a Muscle Pitt Biplane. The fact those things can fly backwards is awesome.

[@titan4110]

@@CassassinCatto Yeah I think every fighter can do that.

[@AR-wg1di]

Planes still crash when not performing "circus acts".

[@jewwinfrey6460]

@@titan4110 no not every fighter jet can fly backwards. None of them can really

[@titan4110]

@@jewwinfrey6460 I thought he meant inverted and not like actually backwards. I feel dumb.

[@MrDavewane]

When I was learning to fly in a Cessna 150 and practiced causing stalls we were always at a high altitude, yet I was always fearful that we would run out of airspace before we would recover. I had fellow pilots who were much less concerned about this than me. And yes I get the need for low altitude manoeuvres at Air Show in order to entertain the crowd; but simply say how frightening it can be as you start to "fall" to the ground and hope you recover in time. To apply full power and push the stick forward (to end the stall) and have to wait 8 seconds for the 8 engines of the B52 to respond, and at such a low altitude would be the stuff of nightmares.

[@bayknight20]

I do not get the need for manoevres at air shows, There should never be any fatal mishaps at these shows and yet they happen. And for what? So that a few people can go ooh and aah? NOT WORTH IT!

[@JerzeyBoy]

Honestly if I see a old authentic P-51 Red tail, or a BF-109 doing aerobatic maneuvers I'd probably have bad heart palpitations for the airplane. It's a shame that B-17 and her crew were lost.

[@mrgonnadoo]

Count 8 seconds in your head as the engines spool up, it's an eternity, I think at this point they knew it was all over!

[@waldothudpucker3240]

My student lessons were in the 152 Aerobat. That airplane was so stable it was hard work to get it out of shape in the air. Even in the bad weather winter months, it's almost unheard of for one to crash in VFR (unless I've missed more than I know).

[@williamparker1085]

there is a need to entertain spectators....what a load of nonsense

[@g2macs]

The people that he took with him were the ones who were supposed to stop his antics, google up the full story, it's beyond crazy.

[@SniperHarry]

Thank you. It truly is. That plane should not have flown that day. Holland was not even, by regs, allowed to fly that day. A foul up from the ground up!

[@mdb831]

yeah he deliberately killed them in this so called accident.

[@BrigidSamhain]

Something fishy here

[@SniperHarry]

@@mdb831 he was arrogant fool, but I don't think he did it on purpose. He wouldn't have done that.

[@GiftsbyChosen]

Imagine having a farewell event on the ground, not knowing THAT, is EXACTLY what they were watching when this plane was flying over😲😲 My heart goes out to the photographer, and Airman who captured the final moments. I know that probably bothered them😔😔 I remember growing up watching these airshows because my parents were in the Air force. It really was the coolest thing ever to see!!

[@GA-1st]

I feel anger and sadness at the same time. That was extraordinarily well done!

[@matthewimi]

That maneuver where they climb and hold the aircraft is vertical and then loses airspeed? That thing they were talking about in the video? That's not done at altitude. That was done with the aircraft at just borderline red line speed, charging at the runway, perhaps 50 ft above the runway, and then both pilot and co-pilot pull back on the stick as hard as they can putting the plane into a 90° vertical climb. At roughly 10,000 to 14,000 ft, they run out of airspeed and then kick the rudder over. I saw it for 2 years. It was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. At that angle the fuel just gushes out of the fuel vents and you can see the vapors as it continues to gain altitude. To me that was the coolest part of the show. But that's well beyond the stress limits of that airframe & was never meant to be at that angle. Never again will anything like that happens after the crash at Fairchild Air Force Base.

[@hoghogwild]

@@matthewimi C-17 crash Alaska 2010

[@boballbee8744]

I was traveling south of Spokane that day. I saw the smoke plume come up. I followed the news. Growing up in SE Washington I miss the B-52s practicing low level.. They are a majestic plane.

[@jaimhaas5170]

The Friends and Family watching is incredibly sad.

[@grmpEqweer]

Heartbreaking.

[@CassassinCatto]

I feel sorry in particular for Mrs. Holland, she must have thought "I told him horsing around would kill him."

[@Agent44996]

It reminds me of Christa McAuliffe's parents watching as the Challenger space shuttle exploded in front of them. Very sad to see their confused and unsure reactions as they try to take in the fact that their daughter just died.

[@brianlanders5306]

@@CassassinCatto : She wouldn't know, because every mission is classified, unless she overheard one of the other pilots complain about his flying.

[@flutepilot]

One of the men on that flight was doing his last flight before retirement. That screaming is primarily his family

[@KC_Smooth]

Ahh I remember this story. The copilot warned his superiors the pilot was dangerous and they did nothing about it. A damn shame.

[@donnabaardsen5372]

They were equally foolish to fly with him. I would have flat out refused.

[@golden.lights.twinkle2329]

He probably played golf with his superiors.

[@richardfetzer4933]

Getting more of what's tolerated said it. The circumstance of so much family watching, plus losing experienced personell, and an unreplacable aircraft, the whole thing just sucked really bad. And for what ? Hard thing for me to watch. Perhaps when witnessing maneuvers a person should be mindful that not seeing an incident is also witnessing successful discipline. And a reminder that most failures only take a moment, but man, the permeating effects can last for such a long time for personell, their familys, and our country. I have a ding in my wing about that particular incident.

[@williampotter2098]

@@donnabaardsen5372 This is the military, not McDonald's ... A move like that could ruin a man's aviation career ... Sad but true ...

[@RenniaTrayvold]

@@donnabaardsen5372 There's a bit of missing information here, but the co-pilot at the time wasn't his typical co-pilot. McGeehan stepped up in an attempt to protect the crew on any future missions this prick lead. Sadly it didn't do any good in this case. Even more sad is the fact that had they survived this flight, Bud might have finally gotten pulled. There's a bit more to the story and it's incorrect to say that he was never reprimanded. It was just extremely inadequate and came in the form of a verbal reprimand not to do it again. Ones that were never written down. Sadly this failure to document the reprimands cost three other people their lives.

[@pjsisseck915]

At the time, there was a large empty field just to the east of the base. My daughter, who was nine, was out with some friends, riding bikes. They saw the aircraft come in low, and disappear over a small rise. They heard, but did not see, the crash. They saw the fire ball. I got home about an hour and a half later, and there was still black smoke billowing.

[@adirondacker007]

I'm an amazing pilot. I have flown a P-51 inverted under the Eiffel Tower. I've won dogfights with BF-109's between skyscrapers in NYC while flying a Huey Cobra. I've even performed a deadstick takeoff and landing in a Mustang... in a flight simulator. That's all Holland should have had access to as well.

[@natowaveenjoyer9862]

Which one?

[@adirondacker007]

@@natowaveenjoyer9862 MS Combat Flight Simulator

[@norrisschultz124]

The last “F” was not for fella 😂

[@GemmaLB]

Yeah I wondered about that!

[@fubarmodelyard1392]

Only in polite society

[@TesterAnimal1]

Obv.

[@rosanneshinkle4133]

And the first F is not for fat

[@patriot9455]

Read Dan Brown's books

[@MadGunny]

This happened less than a mile from my grandpas house. He was living there back even when this happened. He was a fighter pilot for the Air Force and he lives really close to that Air Force Base where he can shop and get discounts and everything. He still curses out this pilot to this day for being a complete idiot

[@diptanshu-selfchallenger9562]

The stratofortress was one of my fav aircraft when I was a little kid because it was big. I still admire it this day. It pains to see a masterpiece of an aircraft to be brought down in a terrible accident by an idiotic pilot. 😔

[@MrGoodnplenty1957]

When you are in a flying squadron, once a month you will have what is called a "Wing Commander's call." It's a monthly fly safe report, etc. During one of them, at the end, our wing commander at the time gave his final wording and then said he had a video to show us. The room went dark and the video was shown. After the video, when the lights came back on, our wing commander left and didn't say a word. No words were needed to stress the importance of safe flying and CRM (Crew Resource Management). An accident that should have never happened.

[@keithdomin5015]

So heartbreaking to hear the screaming from the family members watching their love ones perish. IF Holland would have been grounded, this horrible tragedy would have been avoided.

[@mackbolin3861]

Because of his arrogance he took the lives of his colleagues. How sad, RIP 🙏.

[@danlevesque5437]

Seeing this reminds me of that B-17 that got destroyed recently by yet another careless act

[@michaelgarrow3239]

And a perfectly good airplane…

[@richardmanginelli2624]

To which he NEVER should have been permitted in the cockpit of as much as a cessna

[@richardmanginelli2624]

@@danlevesque5437 I Strongly Disagree, the company that owned the B17 had numerous Maintenance failures, dont speak of what you do not know

[@danlevesque5437]

@@richardmanginelli2624 if this was a single incident I would have left it alone but everyone I heard said that plane flew into the wrong turn and the crash was inevitable had he flown into the other side it was the common sense move so if the people who were by standers were able to realize that from basic knowledge then a experienced pilot should have known by reflexes so which was it a lapes of gudgement, or reckless act as this video was also illustrating? I acknowledge that both were supposed to be experts on their planes and they should have instinctively known better than that

[@kf7ely]

Thank you for doing a great job in producing this video. I was an Airman First Class assigned to the 325th Bomb Squadron in 1994 and was on station at the time of the accident. I first hand saw the fireball from across the airfield. I did not see the accident as it happened.

[@MarksamtheMarksman_Official]

I think I may have heard some children in the background shouting, "dad" when the plane had crashed, and that really tore me up.

[@MarksamtheMarksman_Official]

@Captain Chaos Yh pretty sad. This teaches you not to be defiant and disobedient.

[@patrickjwhited6567]

I remember seeing this one morning on the news as I was getting ready for work. In December '72 I was on a Navy cruiser at Yankee Station off the coast of N. Vietnam. Operation Linebacker 2 was underway and we could see Navy aircraft heading towards the coast, as well as the SAM's that the bad guys were putting up. One night I saw something that's never left my mind, a B-52 going down in flames. That huge vertical stabilizer was unmistakable. I never went out on deck at night again until we were on our way back to Japan. I just didn't want to see that ever again. Getting old sucks, but that one crew never had the chance to grow old, as with the crew in this video. RIP, all..

[@sonnygruntstick]

U.S. aircraft lost Date Type Service Cause 18 Dec. F-111A USAF unk. B-52G USAF SA-2 B-52G USAF SA-2 B-52D USAF SA-2 A-7C USN SA-2 20 Dec. B-52D USAF SA-2 B-52G USAF SA-2 B-52G USAF SA-2 B-52D USAF SA-2 B-52G USAF SA-2 B-52G USAF SA-2 A-6A USN SA-2 21 Dec. B-52D USAF SA-2 B-52D USAF SA-2 A-6A USN SA-2 22 Dec. F-111A USAF AAA 23 Dec. EB-66E USAF engine out A-7E USN SA-2 F-4J USN SA-2 26 Dec. B-52D USAF SA-2 B-52D USAF SA-2 27 Dec. F-4E USAF MiG-21 F-4E USAF MiG-21 HH-53 USAF small arms B-52D USAF SA-2 B-52D USAF SA-2 28 Dec. RA-5C USN MiG-21

[@VI-rt7sh]

There's an amazing video which uses the audio from one of the Linebacker B52s (along with a live map) on KZbin at: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGHMmXxti7plhbs

[@jgunther3398]

relatable

[@kengoodwin5838]

Holland was showing off. A hell of a price was paid for it.

[@blakjack3053]

"showing off is the fool's idea of glory" -Bruce Lee

[@this_boy-gent_is_a_roy-den2660]

All badass, but not badass enough to fly through the nuclear storage facility's restricted airspace and save his airplane.

[@JohnS916]

tragedy usually follows two words, "Watch this".

[@18661873]

Accelerated stalls are events you learn about in basic flight training.

[@williampotter2098]

What I was thinking.

[@n112sc]

True. But an accelerated stall in a swept wing aircraft is tad more dicey.

[@Twitch0331]

If only the co-pilot would have called-out "My aircraft."

[@SniperHarry]

Holland wouldn't have allowed that.

[@titan4110]

Holland woulda probably killed him before the crash.

[@Primus54]

@@SniperHarry : Actually, the co-pilot, though younger, was the pilot’s boss and could have overruled him. Another video claims the co-pilot only rode along because others would no longer fly with the pilot. This incident reminds me of one of the final scenes in the film, “The Hunt for Red October”, where an egotistical Soviet captain kills himself and his crew by getting blown up by his own torpedo because he removed the safeties.

[@SniperHarry]

@@Primus54 Yes in a cockpit with proper crew management he could have and would have. Of course in a cockpit like that Holland would have never been flying. Holland would never let another man fly his aircraft. That was just the kind of ass he was. And good men died because nobody would listen to those of us who told them he was going to kill someone someday.

[@Primus54]

@@SniperHarry I totally agree with you. Holland should have been a single place fighter jock if he wanted to be a hot dog. If I remember correctly, his superiors on the ground paid a career altering price as well.

[@ellie1595]

I really wish we could have heard a black box recording on this one! The other crew members were probably screaming at him. So sad that the innocent crew members lost their lives to this hot dog!

[@dx1450]

I bet the Air Force doesn't ever release the CVR audio.

[@seltaeb9691]

Why did they not refuse. Others did. Orders are orders but it seems you can refuse in the USAAF. Officers only of course. Lower ranks get shot. I'd rather eat gravel than fly with this idiot.

[@glamdolly30]

@@seltaeb9691 Agreed, the colleagues who accompanied him on this fatal flight must have known what he was like, they should have boycotted any flight he was on and told their superiors what they thought of him! Instead they kept their mouths shut and protected a bully - as did many men, for many years. As a result, the buffoon wasn't sanctioned - he was promoted! Egotistical show-offs like him who are not confronted escalate their offending, start to believe they are untouchable, and become entitled, dangerous monsters. It's poignant that Colonel Robert Wolf consented to let that maniac pilot his 'fini' flight marking his retirement, with his wife and kids present - and as a result, his family got to witness his death! Horrific. 'All it takes for evil to flourish, is for good men to do nothing'.

[@bobsnyder3309]

No black box in a Buff

[@indiaannarie6023]

He knew he messed up and tried to correct his wrong but it was too late. If he would have lived I'm sure charges would have been brought against him. Even at the end he probably never asked the other pilots for help on how to get out of that mess.

[@davidregan9872]

My older brother was a navigator on the BUFF. Just before he passed away he sent me the video of the crash, and said he lost a good friend that was on the jet. He thinks he was the only one that ejected. They didn't mention that in this video. My brother was very pissed off that they let Holland fly!

[@timbrwolf1121]

Something I learned riding motorcycles was called riding within your limits. Both the limits of machine and the limits of man. When riding a motorcycle you can over ride the limits of one or the other if your machine has the appropriate safety features or if you have the necessary skill. With an aircraft however, these limits are established. You can't make an aircraft do something wild just by being the most amazing pilot. What the pilot did here was unfortunately flying outside of the limits of his machine and his skill. Complacency kills more soon to be retirees than anything else.

[@MADTASS]

Mate of mine once said, " Never Ride Faster than your Guardian Angel can Fly", i've stuck to that Statement as a Rule for a long time now.

[@billlawrence1899]

Well said. I was a pilot for 40 years, and have been riding motorcycles for over 40 years, and don't have a scratch. I credit this to constantly being aware of my limitations and those of my machine, good situational awareness, and a dash of luck.

[@slavboii420]

Yeah this is exactly my thoughts. Fly within your limits

[@johnmclean6498]

Agree. On a Honda Super Blackbird, I often came into the fuel stop ten minutes after the other guys, to jeers of "Where ya been?" It never worried me one bit.

[@Landino15_]

I don't know why, i have seen almost everyone of these video's, but this one made the saddest out of all of them. (still great video, amazing production it all looks so well put together)

[@MutedGrowl]

Because it was so reckless and preventable. I’m totally baffled on why 1) they made that 360 turn. 2) ATC allowed that 360 turn.

[@superflyer140]

i sat under the wing of the B52h Stratofortress parked at the Langley Airbase, very surprised to see one of these amazing planes crashed like that :(

[@magnusdunning6113]

That guy was done as a pilot and killed himself. Unfortunately he took three others who had much to live for. The same mental and emotional behavior that marked his lengthy record of dangerous maneuvers piloting the aircraft, were the ones that governed his last act as a PIC. A very unstable PIC.

[@Tsamokie]

AC not PIC. AC is the USAF term for the man in charge of the aircraft. AC= Aircraft Commander

[@marshamoore8385]

He was not killing himself as in suicide if that's what you mean. And the other's were not letting him do it either! There is evidence that show's there was real effort by the other's to stop the crash. The jet engine's had spooled up to full power. Just too little, too late!

[@dalethelander3781]

I had heard that Holland had a long-standing grudge with Wolff and wanted him to die even if it meant dying along with him.

[@brigeem5022]

The B-52 is such a magnificent aircraft. This accident, like many crashes, was tragic but ultimately avoidable. The trauma the witnesses have gone through is unimaginable. TFC has done it again!

[@rossbrown6641]

The B52 is there to transform humans into mincemeat. Yeah, magnificent for the US criminals!

[@brigeem5022]

@@rossbrown6641 I mean, you’re not wrong my dude

[@coreyykk]

Terrifying and tragic video, but amazing scenes and editing. Masterpiece of a video.

[@snorlax4021]

Video is ok, but he copies the text right off wikipedia tho.

[@bibluteque]

@@snorlax4021 True, and the original eye witness video is only 2 minutes long.

[@jordanu467]

@@snorlax4021 I’ve noticed this, too. Literally copies word for word.

[@chrisnstar]

My dad was a fighter pilot for USAF during the Korean war years. Then in 1954 he joined TWA and flew for them for more than 30 years. My youngest brother was in the USAF during the first gulf war and flew tankers. He joined FedEx after the air force. My dad often gave us the warning his flight instructor gave him. "You can't live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself." My dad took his job quite seriously and followed the flight rules. He would have refused to fly with someone like Holland..

[@theycallmetundraboy]

Uploaded exactly 27 years later on the day. Thank you. 🙏 🙏

[@RadioactiveSherbet]

Good God. A sweeping turn at 250 feet in a small private plane is one thing, but with a military jet with a wing span well more than half said altitude is another. That's flagrantly reckless.

[@HarleyRiderJoe]

I remember seeing this as a kid. I grew up just outside of Fairchild and my dad who was a police officer at the time responded to it. This crash came on the heels of the base hospital shooting which my dad responded to as well. 94 sucked.

[@CreativeGirl247]

The screams at the end of the video- My heart.

[@billydeewilliams9104]

Poignant.

[@firewalker1372]

Unfortunately his risk taking finally caught up to him and it’s cost the lives of others. You hate to see something like this happen and it’s devastating for all involved.

[@douglasb.1238]

Why try tricky flying manuvers with something that huge and heavy, just way too risky, just land the darn plane normally. The pilot took unnecessary risks and it cost them all their lives.....

[@kartikvenugopal3211]

@@douglasb.1238 Exactly, and spare a thought for all the children left without a Dad.

[@rossbrown6641]

Anyone called Bud must be a nutter?

[@vwaudiwelder]

"There are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there are no old, bold pilots". Goodness this man was known by most all for his hot dogging and disregard for rules and regulations except to the three that flew with him that fateful day. Had only they known his previous antics they may have well refused to fly with him. My they rest in peace for his foolishness. How saddening their families had to witness them perish in such a horrific manner. I absolutely love this channel.

[@billmorris2613]

Everyone on board knew of his reputation. That is why the copilot that day was his commander. No other copilot would fly with him.

[@bobmartin4942]

The investigation board was very critical of both the pilot in command and the wing command staff for not having grounded him long before this accident due to his reckless disregard of flight regulations.

[@alfius1467]

I've heard that saying before - from my grandfather, ex RAF, BA & Saudia. He's not far off 90 now, still going strong, so I guess he wasn't particularly bold in his flying days!

[@billmorris2613]

I do know of several old and bold pilots. Like Wilbur & Orville Wright, although Wilbur died in his 50s it was from a fever, Chuck Yeager, Bob Hover, Charles Lindbergh, and any test pilot, which includes astronauts, that makes it to retirement.

[@jimarcher5255]

@@billmorris2613 Big difference being “old and bold” and being “old and bold and stupid”

[@covenant4115]

@TheFlightChannel Thank you for the all the time and effort you put into these series! They get more and more informative as you explain each different event. Breaking down how each crew handled each event shines a light on some things we couldn't maybe envision before especially with this flight simulator game. Your stories and renditions are one of a kind on the webs! Keep it up! *Binged watched almost every video*

[@MrMiD.Life.Crisis]

Amen

[@diamonddave8938]

I was stationed at Fairchild when this happened and I remember it distinctly. As a previous commenter mentioned there had been a shooting at the base hospital only a week prior. My recollection is that the bomber had been performing air show practice for several minutes. I remember hearing it flying over my base housing. I then grabbed my camcorder (long before cell phones) and ran outside to film. The pilot made at least one low level pass, came around and as he made the second low level pass he banked and the accident occurred. I remember the stories coming out about the pilot being a known dangerous pilot, but what really stood out was a commanders call shortly after and someone asking why the base was building a memorial for the crew (its probably still there) and noting the mishap may have been prevented if the reckless pilot had been grounded.