Jerick Sablan, and Gaynor Dumat-ol Daleno

Pacific Daily News

Seven crew members of a B-52 Stratofortress that crashed around 8:30 a.m. Thursday while attempting to take off at Andersen Air Force Base avoided a more catastrophic accident, the base’s 36th Wing commander said.

“We are thankful that the air crew are safe,” said Brig. Gen. Douglas Cox, 36th Wing commander. “Because of their quick thinking and good judgment in this emergency situation, the air crew not only saved their lives, but averted a more catastrophic incident.”

The crew members weren’t injured after having safely evacuated from the aircraft, which was on its way to a training mission.

The Air Force didn’t release any statement Thursday about what might have caused the crash. The incident was being investigated.

B-52s can carry a wide assortment of weapons, including cruise missiles, but during the accident, the aircraft was only carrying what the base’s leadership called “inert munitions.”

These practice munitions posed no danger to the local community, according to the base’s leadership.

Andersen environmental specialists are assessing any potential impacts that may have resulted from leaked fluids or burning aircraft materials to prevent damage to the ecosystem, the base leadership stated.

Emergency response personnel from Andersen, Navy Base Guam, Joint Region Marianas and the government of Guam promptly established a cordon and extinguished the flames, according to a release from Andersen.

“Our personnel regularly train to respond to crises like the one we experienced today,” said Cox. “We’re also grateful for the support from our Government of Guam and U.S. Navy partners in addressing this serious incident.”

The B-52 was deployed to Andersen from Minot Air Force Base, in North Dakota, as part of the military’s continuous bomber presence mission in the Pacific.

The crew members are from the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron and were performing a routine training mission, according to Andersen.

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It’s the second crash involving a B-52 in Guam in eight years.

In July 2008, a B-52 crashed into the ocean about 35 miles northwest of the island, killing all six flight crew on board, according to an Air Force investigation report.

The 2008 crash occurred five minutes before its scheduled flyover during the 64th Guam Liberation Day parade. The aircraft crashed because of a mechanical failure in one of the aircraft’s wings, according to the report.

A B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber aircraft, according to the U.S. Air Force’s website.

It has a wingspan of about 185 feet and a length of 159 feet, or more than half a football field.

“Today’s incident is a reminder of the danger our men and women in uniform put themselves in every single day, whether flying a mission or for training,” Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo said.

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Local help

Local emergency agencies responded to the crash.

The Guam Fire Department confirmed shortly after 9 a.m. Thursday that units were responding.

“It’s too early to comment on what happened,” GFD Chief Joey San Nicolas said in a media alert sent at 9:38 a.m.

“We assure the public this does not appear to be an attack, and we highly discourage anyone from spreading assumptions, or any information that does not come from (the Office of) Civil Defense or the military itself,” he said.

Rolenda Faasuamalie, Guam International Airport Authority spokeswoman, said an airport fire-fighting unit was deployed.

The airport’s fire trucks, with sirens blaring, entered the base around 9:45 a.m. From outside the base fence in Yigo, smoke could be seen on the horizon, billowing from the northern end of the runway.

Fire trucks could be seen on the runway.

The Offices of Homeland Security and Civil Defense received a report of an aircraft incident at 8:50 a.m.

Guam Waterworks Authority was requested to assist the Guam Fire Department and all military officials on scene with a water tanker, the release states.

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B-52 squadron from North Dakota

The 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron began its deployment on March 2 as part of a rotation of aircraft bombers and crew to Guam.

The squadron replaced its sister unit, the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron in support of the U.S. Pacific Command’s continuous bomber presence, according to Andersen.

“The B-52 is a symbol and a strategic projection of power,” said Maj. Luke Dellenbach, 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron’s assistant director of operations, in announcing the squadron’s Guam deployment in March.

“The training environment and airspace out here is great. There are a lot of individuals in the squadron that have not had the experience flying a long-range distance over oceanic waters, so this will be a great opportunity for them,” Dellenbach said of Guam in March.

Audience Analyst Masako Watanabe contributed to thisreport.