European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 06, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday. October 1989 the stars and stripes Page 5 crippled b-1b lands safely in California Edwards afr. Calif. A a b in bomber with crippled Landing gear flew Halfway across the continent wednesday and made a successful touch Down on the Mojave desert Lake bed where the space shuttle lands. The $280 million aircraft with its four member Ere unable to unlock its nose Landing gear refuelled in the air and landed at 6 15 . Alter la i hours in the air. The flight began As a training exercise in Texas. The big bomber trailed a plume of dust As it roiled Down the 12 Milc Long runway aft touchdown slowly lowering onto us no e. 4there were no injuries said tech. Sgt. Donn Clarius. A spokesman at Edwards fab. The flight Crew came put just Fine. There was no fire or explosion or Saivii the bomber suffered some damage which was being assessed by ground Crews As darkness fell. Dale punter an aerospace Buff who monitors military frequencies at his Home in Lancaster listened to Ravilio traffic Between the pilots and controllers. Just before touching Down the Pilot said. It s been a great Day Lor flying except for a few glitches punter reported. Just after the Landing. Punter said he heard the Pilot say it was real Nice. Structure looking during the Landing the massive bomber skidded on its nose for More than half a minute yet it did not break up. No flames were seen. It s one of the safest areas to said base spokeswoman Dottie Spiegel Berg adding that the hard Clay surface Means there Are no Sparks and mini mizes the Chance of explosion or fire. The aircraft flying out of Dyess fab in Texas was t carrying bombs. There arc no nuclear said . Arm Sjaarda a. An Edwards Public affairs spokeswoman. An 18-unit disaster preparedness team was mobilized at Edwards including explosives experts a mortuary services officer an environmental officer and fire department personnel. Sjaardema said. They route a of emergencies to our Lake bed both military and civilian. We have a team to respond to that All the time said Sjaardema. The crippled plane was refuelled by a Tanker plane before flying to Edwards about 2.4 10 Miles away. Maj. Mary Beth Kilgore at Dyess said the plane started circling Dyess at about 0 30 . Put. It left for California five hours later. Mechanics from Dyess and the plane s manufacturer. Rockwell International worked with the plane s Crew to try gel the nose gear Down. The plane s rear wheels were Down while it circled Dyess. Located at the Western Edge of Abilene a City of 100,000 in West Texas. The bib with a maximum Speed of 1,000 Mph and Range of More than 7,000miles, is 147 feet Long and 137 feet wide when its swing wings arc extended. It weighs 477.000 pounds when fully fuelled and armed. Rescued from River several passer in sir Uyle id keep a Man from being swept under a Omilli Ridge and Over a 15-foot fall in the Charles Riu a at Waltham mass., after the unidentified Man was found clinging to the Bridge tues Day by one of the rescuers. The Man was pulled from the water and taken to a Hospital for observation. Machinists reject 3-year contract strike Boeing co. Seattle
