Night Training Mission Ends in Tail Failure and Crash Near Saint Paul (55-0065)

Mission and Accident Sequence The aircraft was conducting a routine cold war training mission departing Loring AFB, Maine. During a night cruise at 36,400 feet over Minnesota, the tail broke off and the airplane entered a dive. In 108 seconds, the heavy bomber descended at high speed to 8,000 feet before crashing in a large explosion in Inver Grove Heights, about 7.5 miles south of Saint Paul. The aircraft was totally destroyed. ## Casualties One crew member survived, while seven others were killed. The crew included Cpt G. Horstman, pilot; Cpt Richard J. Cantwell, navigator; Maj S. O. Gillespie Jr., radar observer; 1st Lt F. Huskey, flight engineer; T/Sgt Leon R. Lew, tail gunner; Cpt James D. Taylor, instructor; Cpt Bernard D. Lanois, instructor; and Cpt Jack Douglas Craft. ## Probable Cause Official findings stated that control cables were believed to have failed in flight, causing the aircraft to adopt an unusual attitude that caused the tail to be sheared off. The exact cause of this technical failure remained unclear.