What happened
During a high-altitude cruise, the crew of the aircraft identified a fuel leak originating from the right wing. In response to this mechanical failure, the flight crew initiated an emergency diversion toward Seymour Johnson Air Force Base to perform a controlled landing.
As the aircraft approached the runway threshold on its final approach, the right wing became detached from the fuselage. This structural failure led to a catastrophic crash in a field situated approximately 12 miles from the airfield, which resulted in a massive explosion. The incident resulted in three fatalities and left five individuals injured.
At the time of the accident, the aircraft was transporting two Mark 39 thermonuclear weapons, both of which were successfully retrieved following the crash. Details regarding this event remained classified for several decades until the United States Government declassified relevant documentation in 2013.
Findings
Investigations into the wreckage determined that a fuel leak occurred during the flight, which ultimately contributed to the loss of structural integrity and the subsequent separation of the wing.