By Emelie Rutherford
An Air Force Accident Investigation Board on Monday started investigating the February crash of a B-2 bomber, and will ultimately release its findings to the public, a service spokesman said.
The board is run out of Whiteman AFB, Mo., and has a target deadline of 30 days for finishing its work, said Staff Sgt. Thomas Doscher, a spokesman for Air Combat Command.
“The purpose of the AIB is to collect and preserve evidence for claims, litigation and all other purposes other than mishap prevention,” he said.
The B-2 crashed Feb. 23 following take off at Andersen AFB in Guam. Both pilots ejected safely.
Since the crash, the service’s 20 other B-2s have not been flown.
“The B-2s are in a safety pause, meaning that non-necessary flying operations have been suspended, but the planes and crews still stand ready to fly operational missions if called upon,” Doscher said.
The B-2s are based at Whiteman, but there are three still in Guam until the “safety pause” is lifted, he said.
A Safety Investigation Board (SIB) that has been investigating the accident since the day it happened–Feb. 23–is still working on its probe, Doscher said.
He said “the SIB has already handed off non-privileged, factual information to the Accident Investigation Board, which has allowed them to begin their work.”
The AIB’s board president is Brig. Gen. Floyd Carpenter, vice commander of the 8th Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
The crash was the first of the Northrop Grumman [NOC]-built B-2, a multi-role stealth heavy bomber that has been employed in combat operations in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.