B-2 bomber has only CRASHED once and it was not because of enemy fire: What downed the 'invincible' B-2 Spirit?

B-2 bombers have been in the headlines over the past week after the US used them to strike Iranian nuclear sites with bunker-buster bombs. The aircraft's phenomenal specifications make it one of the most powerful in the world, almost invincible. Yet, even a bomber as advanced as this has crashed once.

Since the B-2 Spirit was introduced more than three decades ago, only one has ever been lost in an accident. Notably, it wasn’t combat or military drills that brought down the aircraft, but a routine flight. Following the loss, only 20 of these essential stealth bombers remain in service with the US Air Force.

What happened?

On 23 February 2008, at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, a B-2 known as the “Spirit of Kansas” was preparing to fly back to Missouri after a four-month deployment. As part of the Pacific Command’s bomber presence, four B-2s had been stationed on the island to deter threats from North Korea and China.

As the plane accelerated down the runway with two pilots on board, it crashed. Video footage showed the bomber gaining speed before one of its wings clipped the ground, causing the aircraft to crash and burst into smoke. Both pilots managed to eject safely.

What triggered the crash?

According to the official US Air Combat Command investigation, the crash was caused by faulty readings from the bomber’s Air Data System, a network of sensors responsible for relaying critical information about the aircraft’s altitude and speed.

Due to Guam’s humid conditions, water entered the system’s sensors, giving the aircraft incorrect altitude and speed readings. On the runway, the aircraft believed it was already 682 feet above sea level, 136 feet higher than it actually was. The speed sensors, known as Port Transducer Units (PTUs), also gave inaccurate information, telling the aircraft it was going fast enough to take off when it wasn’t.

When the B-2 left the ground, its automated Flight Control System, designed to keep the aircraft stable, thought it was diving and instantly pulled the nose sharply upwards in a 30-degree climb. But with the bomber still too slow and too heavy with fuel, it couldn't go up.

The left wingtip hit the runway, the aircraft became uncontrollable, and the crew had no choice but to eject. The aircraft was destroyed.

The aftermath of the only B-2 bomber crash

The B-2, loaded with personal and classified material, had no weapons onboard at the time of the crash. After the incident, all remaining B-2 flights were paused as a precaution, while six B-52 bombers were temporarily deployed to fill the gap. By April, the B-2s had returned to service.