Accident Details
On a training flight, a B-52 bomber departed Biggs Army Airfield at 1715 local time. While flying over Utah at an altitude of 40,000 feet, the aircraft encountered severe turbulence that affected its structural integrity. In response, all seven crew members made the decision to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The now-uncontrolled B-52 dove into the ground and crashed in a field near Monticello, Utah. One crew member was killed in the incident; the other six were rescued.
Crew
The crew consisted of seven members: Captain John P. Marsh (pilot), First Lieutenant Thomas A. Stout (copilot), Captain Harold S. Bonneville (radar navigator), Second Lieutenant Jerome R. Calvert (navigator), First Lieutenant Ivan G. Petty (electronic warfare officer), Technical Sergeant David A. Forsythe (gunner), and Staff Sergeant Lionel A. Terry (flight engineer).
Probable Cause
The official probable cause for the accident was severe turbulence at high altitude that caused structural damage.