What happened
During a scheduled training mission involving seven practice bomb runs, a B-36 experienced a critical failure during its takeoff roll from runway 23 at the Yakima Firing Center. As the six-engine aircraft attempted to accelerate, it struggled to rotate. The plane overran the end of the runway, traveling 520 feet past the threshold before finally lifting off. After reaching an altitude of roughly 50 feet, the aircraft nosed down and impacted a field located 3,314 feet beyond the runway end and 75 feet right of the extended centerline. The impact triggered a massive explosion that completely destroyed the airframe. The accident resulted in 15 fatalities and left two crew members with serious injuries.
Findings
An Air Force Board of Inquiry concluded that the accident was the result of pilot error during a maximum-weight takeoff. Investigators determined that the crew identified an incorrect elevator trim setting that was preventing the nose from lifting. Instead of aborting the takeoff, the pilot chose to continue the roll in the hope of correcting the trim mid-run. The adjustment was not performed in time to prevent the overrun and subsequent crash. The wreckage and debris field spanned a significant area, with the aircraft coming to rest 450 feet outside the base perimeter after breaching the airfield fence.