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B52 Crash :: B52CRSH2

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B52CRSH2

From:	Aaron	(Tue May 25 18:55:22 2004)
Is that an ejetction seat in front of the horizontal stab?
From:	beaver	(Sun Jun 13 07:06:54 2004)
they call that losing altitude??? I call that falling...
From:	John	(Wed Jun 30 17:37:34 2004)
I call it a dumb ass pilot.
From:	Intrepid	(Thu Jul 1 02:08:13 2004)
I saw the video of this. The pilot had just got done flying at 30 ft barely clearing a hill top. After that he tried an F16 type hard left bank but didn't have the speed or the altitude.
From:	Catman	(Mon Jul 26 19:03:44 2004)
Slow speed+extreme bank angle=unrecoverable stall. Sadly, they were practicing for an airshow that was designed to lift the spirits of the people at the base after an airman went on a shooting spree. This happened 2 days later. Ironicly, a few men refused to fly with this pilot because of his hotdoging.
From:	ekstasis	(Thu Sep 16 00:36:25 2004)
The Co Pilot was the father of one of my classmates here at the AF Academy... apparently he ordered two of the junior officers off the plane and in doing so saved their lives. According to the after accident report the co-pilot was the only one to attempt to eject but was killed on impact.
From:	Former AF enlisted aircrew member	(Thu Sep 16 18:59:01 2004)
I attended USAF survival school at Fairchild AFB...creepy.
From:	Mike G	(Tue Sep 21 13:09:13 2004)
I think I remember this in the news...the pilot was retiring and this was to be his last flight...he was a real show off, and no one wanted to fly with him..unfortunately it wasnt just HIS last flight.
From:	Robert McGee	(Sun Oct 17 14:40:17 2004)
My dad knew the co- piolt. The piolt was showing off when this happend. The piolt was a stupid person
From:	Robert McGee	(Sun Oct 17 14:42:27 2004)
mike is right too.
From:	Bulldog	(Thu Oct 21 17:02:06 2004)
Fairchild was my home base during Viet Nam...we spent most of our time flying out of Guam. We used 60 deg of bank dodging SAMs over Hanoi...not at 30 ft. This guy was a jeep.
From:	'Ol Pilot	(Mon Nov 8 13:50:33 2004)
Used to refuel these from my KC-135. For the full story, go: http://s92270093.onlinehome.us/crmdevel/resources/paper/darkblue/darkblue.htm
From:	Marsh	(Wed Nov 17 12:42:12 2004)
The item in the air in front of the tail is the hatch cover above the copilot's seat. He initiated ejection, but there wasn't enough time...
From:	Red aRRow	(Tue Jan 4 02:51:03 2005)
I didn't know B-52s had ejection seats.
From:	terd	(Wed Jan 19 17:57:43 2005)
you have to stop and think before you try to show off
From:	terd	(Wed Jan 19 18:01:55 2005)
"Well I don't have to do the paper work" That is the only happy thought the pilot and the crew was thinking that split second.
From:	retired MSgt	(Fri Jan 28 11:18:51 2005)
The last words heard by the tower from the pilot to the crew were, "Sorry guys...."
From:	claudio	(Sun Feb 13 10:19:19 2005)
una foto incredibile
From:	MaTibirica	(Fri Feb 18 19:35:03 2005)
The other 3 with the pilot knew he was going to try something more than he had already done (60 degrees turns close to the AFB). Many crew members had refused to fly with that pilot. Why those 3 got on that flight ?
From:	formattc	(Fri Feb 18 19:35:12 2005)
Yes, all stations on the B52 have ejection seats. The roof hatch blows away and the seat rocket blows the crew member clear of the vertical stab.
From:	Muller	(Mon Feb 21 14:13:27 2005)
As far as I can see, the Czar 52 was already nose down before touching the power lines.
From:	Wyn	(Tue Mar 22 23:53:50 2005)
I went through Navigator School with LtCol Ken Huston.
From:	Jeff	(Sun Mar 27 18:27:18 2005)
Wyn (n all): None of them (except Bud) deserved the final fate of that flight, especially LtCol Huston.
From:	Maddog	(Sat Apr 16 20:51:51 2005)
I had flown with this pilot many times. He was very skilled, but had pushed the BUFF to the limits more than a few times. Every one on this bird had eagles on there uniforms. it was a great lost for the base that day.
From:	darksanly	(Mon May 2 23:52:31 2005)
Who has this vedio footage?
From:	Stu	(Tue May 3 18:58:24 2005)
Look for at Amazing Videos.
From:	jack	(Mon May 9 15:55:41 2005)
the object seen is the co-pilot hatch being jettisoned. I have just retired from Tinker A.F.B. where I worked on the ejection systems for the B-52H's.
From:	Ric	(Thu May 12 15:42:41 2005)
Not all seats go up, some eject down and not all stations eject.
From:	Ms Kathy	(Wed Jun 15 17:41:09 2005)
I am happy that all is well, so lets just thank God that he is safe and look at this as a miracle and something to learn from....
From:	Rob James Townsend	(Thu Jun 23 16:48:28 2005)
B-52s Dont have ejection seats its something else. seen the footage of this and the pilote was insane... should have been gounded years ago.
From:	Old Buff Guy	(Thu Jun 23 23:15:41 2005)
Buff's very much have ejection seats, I have +2000 hours flying in one... and I am pretty sure of what i was sitting in. Also, there were two B-52s in the pattern that day. I was in the other.
From:	NikkiHuston	(Mon Jul 4 14:55:15 2005)
My dad was the navigator that was on this flight. Lt. Col. Kenneth Huston. It was actually his day off the day he flew with Bud. The navigator that was origonally supposed to fly with him refused to do so. My dad then stepped in... on his day off...
From:	Nikki Huston	(Mon Jul 4 14:58:21 2005)
This image haunts me daily. No one deserved to die on this flight, even Bud. My dad left behind his wife and four kids.
From:	diver6	(Thu Jul 14 21:05:29 2005)
Nikki, May you and your family find the peace someday that you so greatly deserve. Your father was a man of great courage to get aboard that plane that day. Very sorry for your loss.
From:	joe707	(Mon Jul 18 15:44:03 2005)
The pilot's superiors knew this guy was a loser but were afraid to stop him; they are responsible as well.
From:	Rick Beebout	(Sun Jul 31 07:03:38 2005)
Nikki, I hope all is going well with your family. I knew your family from FBC at the time. I also was the photographer that came and took the Photos at your fathers funeral.
From:	I remember..	(Thu Aug 4 01:28:19 2005)
I remember my father telling me that he believed a high ranking individual was on board whom the pilot hated with a bitter passion. That this was no "accident", but rather, intentional
From:	Meg Holland, Pilot's daughter	(Fri Aug 19 00:24:07 2005)
There is always two sides to every story. Sadly, the country has heard only one and because of that my father, the pilot, has been given a bad rep. He had a passion for life and was looking forward to retiring and spending it with my mother, sister, and myself.
From:	Meg Holland, Pilot's daughter	(Fri Aug 19 00:27:08 2005)
He knew the limits of what a B-52 could do and would NEVER endanger the lives of others. To all of you who call him an idiot and that he deserved to die, I feel sorry for you-for you obviously don't know the whole story here and are very opinionated
From:	Sherlock Holmes	(Fri Aug 19 18:46:01 2005)
It´s been said Bud was on the controls and so, knowing the limits, why did he get in that maneuver ?
From:	Meg Holland	(Sun Aug 21 03:36:17 2005)
There is no proof that my father was at the controls when the plane turned, my father, however tried to correct it. That is the co-pilot who ejected. My father would have never left a crew.
From:	amjg	(Sun Aug 21 19:59:42 2005)
Dear Meg: I´m the one who said your father deserved to die and also signed as Sherlock. I´m 47 and a pilot. What I said was without thinking cause I hate see other aviators die. Sorry !
From:	Contraildash	(Mon Aug 22 14:14:07 2005)
I just read the case study on this accident. Lots of failures of leadership on many levels led to this accident. Tragic.
From:	contraildash	(Mon Aug 22 14:17:46 2005)
here's one case study: http://s92270093.onlinehome.us/CRM-Devel/resources/paper/darkblue/darkblue.htm
From:	Maddog	(Tue Aug 23 20:08:07 2005)
Meg sorry for the lost of your father, and the rest of the crew that day. I knew everone on board taht day. as a crew chief at FAFB I flew with BUD many times. The Copilot was my Commanding Officer of the 325th BS. The Nav was a STAN-EVAL expert, and the Vice Wing Commander.
From:	Meg Holland	(Wed Aug 24 02:05:37 2005)
Sherlock Holmes and Maddog, thank you for your comments. I know that when there's an accident and nothing is found, it becomes Pilot Error. Well, the sad thing is that there is so much more to this story than the public will never know.
From:	contraildash	(Wed Aug 24 03:04:03 2005)
While nothing diminishes the loss of all involved, it is indeed a clear cut case of pilot error, and could have been prevented had the Wing leadership actually acted. Maj Kerns case study sheds some light on it. Good read.
From:	Jim135	(Thu Aug 25 18:42:49 2005)
I knew Bud Holland having worked in Tanker Stan/Eval just down the hall from him for over a year. Impressions of events are always different depending on if you know the person or not. He was one of the nicest people I knew.
From:	Jim135	(Thu Aug 25 18:43:23 2005)
Was he arrogant? Sure a bit but what flyer isn’t (c’mon flyers be honest with yourselves). Was he skilled? Without a doubt. Did he make a mistake? Yes and he happened to do it right at the edge where it couldn’t be afforded.
From:	Jim135	(Thu Aug 25 18:43:58 2005)
The best usually push the limits and perform right up to the edge. Just look at the plethora of aircraft accidents filmed at airshows and you’ll see that some were luckier than others in their outcomes. To suggest this accident was intentional is ludicrous.
From:	Jim135	(Thu Aug 25 18:44:36 2005)
For those that haven’t read Darker Shades of Blue that was referenced earlier I recommend it before making snap judgments. It presents an analytical view of the events leading up to the accident. It’s too easy to second guess events that occur in seconds after having years to study them.
From:	Sherlock Holmes	(Fri Aug 26 15:16:27 2005)
Jim135´s statements totally true in my opinion. Not because you´re arrogant, you´re nuts. All rich and important guys are arrogant,aviators ´re not out !
From:	observer	(Sat Sep 3 02:41:14 2005)
I think the case study by Major Kerns makes it all very clear. Bud Holland was an arrogant "rogue pilot". He may have been a nice guy, but his history speaks for itself. Those, unfortunately, are the cold hard facts.
From:	Alberto	(Sun Sep 11 19:30:18 2005)
First time here, not a pilot or crew member but an aeromodeler R/C flyer-many years. I´d like to say that Meg´s statement that we know little and that we´ll never know all, is the final word to me.
From:	paul	(Tue Sep 13 13:34:50 2005)
I was just telling a co-worker about this incident and found your site from google. I stationed at FAFB when this happened - worked at base comms - very sad day and week - the hospital shooting happened that week as well.
From:	Grant Stewart	(Thu Oct 6 15:08:58 2005)
Hi there everybody- what a tragedy- I am a bush pilot in the deep south of New Zealand and woulf very much like to get into contact with Meg Holland- daughter of the great Bud...my email is c130herctruck@hotmail.com---many thanks
From:	Rugburn	(Mon Oct 10 23:41:32 2005)
My sis and nephew were at Fairchild AFB then; They skipped the doc appt. on the shooting day and then were home near the airport when the plane crashed. Too damn close if you ask me.
From:	Rugburn	(Mon Oct 10 23:44:15 2005)
The bald truth is that 'Bud' Holland, as PIC (Pilot In Command) bears ultimate responsibility for this, regardless of who performed the maneuver. It's sad, but that's how the military does things.
From:	Czar53	(Tue Oct 11 15:46:50 2005)
How much lift is there produced at 90 degrees angle of bank?
From:	Henrik the Dane	(Fri Oct 14 10:01:09 2005)
Same as in straight and level flight, minus the loss of lift caused by the possibly too tight turn rate.
From:	Henrik the Dane	(Fri Oct 14 10:04:06 2005)
If turn is too tight, a/c will enter an "accelerated stall". I have tried up 87° bank angles in turns at higher altitude in a CRJ 200 Regional Jet.
From:	grant stewart	(Fri Oct 14 17:17:52 2005)
Still trying to get hold of Meg...if you are out there Meg please email me----yeah we used to rip around all the time at 90 degrees in the A4s- there really is n lift at this aob
From:	czar53	(Wed Oct 19 14:32:18 2005)
Just another example of an irresponsible ass- doing a classic "watch this" on his last flight...how many Muppetts have been killed this way?
From:	Magoo	(Fri Oct 21 14:58:47 2005)
I´m a kind of planes crash researcher. I´d guess this one is unique in our planet. All "watch this" I´d seen b4 this, took precautions (margin error) not to die, kill, cause losses... But in this case... (look the above picture we´ll never forget !"
From:	Gord Beaman	(Fri Oct 21 22:09:28 2005)
Concur with comment re Tony Kerns 'Darker Shades of Blue', should be required reading for all flight crew, To Meg, my heart goes out to you dear...try to forgive him, his priorities were misaligned, try to remember that there's very few perfect humans.
From:	raaf pig wrangler	(Sun Oct 30 15:26:11 2005)
90" 200-300ft agl, wing over horizon turn in a buff. stupid and reckless and cost the lives of fellow airmen. tragic
From:	Huskerpilot	(Tue Nov 8 22:42:44 2005)
I flew and worked with Bud at K.I. Sawyer AFB. He was a super person and great pilot. Unfortunately, he got into a position, even with his great skill, he couldn't get out of. He is saving lives today. This accident is a case study in major airline human factors training.
From:	Meg Holland	(Sat Dec 10 02:20:03 2005)
I enjoy reading all of your comments. And Gord, forgive him? Why, he didn't cause that crash, but takes the blame because he was the pilot.
From:	Meg Holland	(Sat Dec 10 02:21:47 2005)
He was planning on retiring the following month, he had nothing to prove so why would he go and "show off"? He knew how to push the limits but would never endanger his crew.
From:	Meg Holland	(Sat Dec 10 02:24:29 2005)
In fact, if you don't push the limits sometimes, how would you know what to do if you faced a similar situation in real combat? You can't read about experience.
From:	top hat	(Tue Dec 27 20:31:05 2005)
thats some hard core butt slaming. I saw this on cops. nothing but action
From:	Misawa Enlisted guy	(Wed Jan 18 09:04:21 2006)
Read the report!!! F$#@$* idiots all of them, to include the officers who got on the bird with that ass!!
From:	xusafflyer	(Mon Jan 30 14:03:11 2006)
Unknown to many people, there were a lot of people near the impact zone. I was just outside the survival school building with 20 or so other AF enlisted and officers watching the practice. The crash was ~250ft from our group, to the left in the camera shot.
From:	BUFFJohn	(Mon Feb 6 11:14:07 2006)
There's nothing more wasteful than dying in a training accident. This didn't need to happen.
From:	observer	(Thu Feb 9 09:15:17 2006)
I have read with interest all postings relating to this tragic event. My question would be; did the AC request and the military ATC give permission for such an unusual go-around/departure? If no permission was requested/granted then definitely the AC should and deserves all responibility.
From:	Ex KI	(Tue Feb 14 10:42:34 2006)
My sympathies to all, touched by this crash. My tour at KI (75-78) involved a B52, nuclear payload, & 8 dead men, but I can't find anything on the net. My part has been kept secret for 28 years, but now, I need verification, and there is none.
From:	checksixx	(Fri Feb 17 09:42:01 2006)
Megg, please tell us what we have not heard! I'm Air Force SP and can tell everyone here that the report, statements etc...are NOT classified.
From:	Impaler	(Fri Feb 24 00:02:50 2006)
The co-pilot was his squadron commander, also killed in the crash. The right seater shoud've grounded him years before this happened. Wing/CC ignored his violations of pitch/bank angles.
From:	BUFFJohn	(Tue Feb 28 13:02:42 2006)
Ex KI, please elaborate. I flew BUFFs out of Fairchild and Castle and never heard anything about what you refer to. Were you a crewmember?
From:	WCS Tech	(Wed Mar 1 13:37:17 2006)
Never thought about whether we liked or disliked a crew member when they went down. Shock, stumble around numb, impound records, suppress the tears.
From:	crew chief gone preacher	(Mon Mar 6 09:55:43 2006)
I was in the Command Post that day When the crash hotline rang from the control tower. A sad day filled with much anxiety. I'll never forget it. Meg, may God bless you and you family. I'm sorry for your loss, and I'm sorry that so many are still talking about it in such a horrific way.
From:	Low Flyby @ Buckley ANG	(Tue Mar 21 10:53:55 2006)
In about 1990 I saw a B52 perform a high speed flyby, pulling into a 70 degree climb, followed by a wingover at top. Fuel spilled from wing tanks, announcer went nuts. I believe it was Bud Holland driving. Anybody remember for sure?
From:	Hondo	(Thu Jun 8 06:50:24 2006)
Yes it was Bud Holland- Holland did this sort of thing all the time. The AF accident investigation uncovered numerous well-documented incidents in which Bud Holland was at the controls. The senior leadership was seriously reprimanded for not reigning him in before he killed people.
From:	Mil Brat/USAF Retired 79-99	(Thu Jun 29 16:55:52 2006)
Ex Ki, I remember, believe it happened winter 77-78. Being 16-17 y/o Brat, I dismissed the nuclear arms rumors. I'll ask Dad what he remembers
From:	Mil PA-C	(Sun Jul 2 23:04:53 2006)
I was commissioned on the day of the crash at ACC HQ. Remember it well. see this paper....sheds lots of light. www.crm-devel.org/resources/paper/darkblue/darkblue.htm
From:	Colt AN2	(Fri Jul 28 01:02:16 2006)
Obviously an arrogant, selfish man who lost a battle with his ego. Unfortunately his battle losses robbed others of a father, husband, brother, son. There are no proud props for this flathatter.
From:	John	(Tue Aug 1 22:23:09 2006)
I was at Sawyer when a B-52 went down about 5 miles from Sawyer. I was there from 1973 to 1977. I have pictures of the crash site. After I left in 1977 SAC lost another B-52. As far as the nuclear rumor,which crash are you talking about?
From:	Mil Brat/USAF Retired 79-99	(Fri Aug 4 18:06:33 2006)
John, 77-78?? crash I thought about 2-3 miles north of the base I heard a rumor nuclear arms were on-board. Dad did confirm the crash, he said pilot error, not watching the altitude and hit tree-tops??
From:	John	(Sat Aug 5 12:57:34 2006)
????
From:	John	(Sat Aug 5 13:01:03 2006)
It crashed a few miles north of the Sawyer runway. How far i'm not sure. My pictures show he hit the tree-tops just like you say. Never heard the nuclear weapons story.
From:	John	(Sat Aug 5 13:03:53 2006)
I thought the crash happened in 1974. I've seen info on the internet about this crash. When I left in 1977 there was another B-52 crash. I loaded weapons on the F-106 from the 87th FIS.
From:	John	(Sat Aug 5 13:26:08 2006)
Just found the following info- It crashed on April 1,1977. It was on a landing approach during a heavy spring snow. I do remember now coming out of the bowling alley and it was snowing when I heard that SAC lost a B-52.
From:	B-52 H Crash April 1, 1977	(Mon Aug 21 16:15:53 2006)
Any info on the 1977 crash , did they all get out? Etc. I was the crew chief on this aircraft 0039, 1972-74 when it was at Grand Forks. Thanks, Joel Van Engen
From:	KI KID	(Tue Aug 22 17:32:16 2006)
I was at KI for that 77-78 crash. More like 78-79 in my mind. It was the standboard #1 crew on a checkflight by the standboard #2 crew. The pilot followed the clouds into the ground. 2 crews, no survivors, no nukes.
From:	KI KID	(Tue Aug 22 17:35:35 2006)
I was doing EWO, Fire Control, and Bomb-Nav simulators for the buffs, working with the aircrews directly at the time. Contributing was a radar altimeter alert switch was left in wrong position, but pilot err was primary.
From:	KI Kid	(Wed Aug 23 23:27:22 2006)
Buffs have 6 crew, 6 ejection seats. 4 up, pilot, co-pilot, fire control, ewo. 2 down, navigator, bomb-navigator. Older models the fire control officer bails out of the tail.
From:	Mike	(Sun Aug 27 00:21:16 2006)
I was a survival school student when that Buff(Czar 52) went down. We had just finished taking an exam and went outside to watch the B-52 fly. I remember thinking to myself, "Wow, I didn't know those planes could fly like that" just prior to the crash. It's a day I'll never forget.
From:	optV	(Sat Sep 2 04:06:02 2006)
Here is footage of the accident and more of "bud"s antics: http://thatvideosite.com/view/978.html I highly recommend reading the darkblue article as it describes in detail the multiple violations and stupidity of the ill-dated pilot
From:	Tom M	(Fri Sep 8 17:22:24 2006)
My brother was on the april 1st flight (Lt Christopher M.).I was 14 at the time.Every now and then do a search to see if there is any info..found this site..can anyone give me more details or point me in the direction to find them I saw some people who were there
From:	33746	(Mon Sep 25 20:24:40 2006)
The crew and aircraft are gone. They paid the ultimate price for flight of a heavy aircraft of this type beyond its operational limits. Fortunately no one on the ground was killed. Let this be a lesson to any pilot.
From:	ghostdog	(Sun Oct 8 23:44:37 2006)
Meg i knew your dad ,he was a good pilot and don't you forget that, he could make a B-52 do things that nobody else could.a minor mistake was made that day and it cost them.BUD was not the ranking man on board that plane.it was a sad week for FAFB that week.I'm very sorry for all those who died.
From:	ghostdog	(Sun Oct 8 23:46:08 2006)
Meg i knew your dad ,he was a good pilot and don't you forget that, he could make a B-52 do things that nobody else could.a minor mistake was made that day and it cost them.BUD was not the ranking man on board that plane.it was a sad week for FAFB that week.I'm very sorry for all those who died.
From:	ssffsd	(Wed Oct 11 13:26:20 2006)
sfsfd
From:	kat	(Tue Oct 24 08:34:18 2006)
http://thatvideosite.com/video/978 the footage is now there, contains footage of the accident and also the video footage of the Global Power Mission in '93. Well worth watching if you are studying the case.
From:	kat	(Wed Oct 25 02:36:58 2006)
hmm looks like its actually the Yakima Bombing Range in '94 where they just make it over the ridge instead of the GPM
From:	Da S02 Co	(Fri Oct 27 19:18:15 2006)
The crash in 74 was a B58
From:	Da S02 Co	(Fri Oct 27 19:20:40 2006)
I was there from Dec 74 to Mar 79, only one B-52 crash during that time. I was the Co on S02 and I was on alert, S02 was not giving a check ride at the time. No nukes on board. If you want details I'll be happy to give them.
From:	Da S02 Co	(Fri Oct 27 19:26:14 2006)
you can reach me at jmcwil at earthlink dot net
From:	Da S02 Co	(Fri Oct 27 19:30:07 2006)
To crew chief on 0039, there were some real issues with that plane on the previous flight. Total electrical failure at low level at night. damn scarry situation. I know I was there.
From:	Da S02 Co	(Fri Oct 27 19:45:35 2006)
To crew chief on 0039, there were some real issues with that plane on the previous flight. Total electrical failure at low level at night. damn scarry situation. I know I was there.
From:	eddiek	(Tue Oct 31 01:31:59 2006)
A buddy of mine died 05 Nov 1977 and I was told he died in the crash of a B52. Can anyone verify a crash on or about this date?
From:	matt	(Sat Nov 18 10:37:02 2006)
>>he could make a B-52 do things that nobody else could
From:	matt	(Sat Nov 18 10:38:02 2006)
"he could make a B-52 do things that nobody 1else could do" No, he did things in the B-52 that nobody else was stupid enough to do.
From:	matt	(Sat Nov 18 10:38:21 2006)
"a minor mistake was made that day and it cost them" You think a completely unnecessary 90+ degree bank 200 feet AGL is a 'minor' mistake? It was deliberate, unforgivable recklessness on the part of Col. Holland.
From:	matt	(Sat Nov 18 10:39:03 2006)
The apologists for Col. Holland, including his daughter, need to lay off the crackpipes. There is ample evidence, including pictures, video and statements by colleagues that Col. Holland, while arguably a good pilot, exhibited an appalling lack of judgment.
From:	matt	(Sat Nov 18 10:39:18 2006)
Col. Holland without a doubt performed reckless maneuvers in every previous airshow. To suggest that he wasn't at the controls here is delusional. The man is essentially a murderer.
From:	dan	(Sun Nov 19 12:39:43 2006)
calling Col.Holland a murderer is a big leap too far
From:	aPilotToo	(Wed Feb 7 06:32:09 2007)
"calling Col.Holland a murderer is a big leap too far"..... Not really, Matt just had the balls to say what everyone knows. There is no way Holland should have been allowed in any aircraft. Total breakdown of leadership.
From:	xxx	(Mon Feb 12 17:20:49 2007)
Holy crap! Bernoulli principal be damned.
From:	Dodge10	(Wed Feb 14 07:39:24 2007)
Holland was arguably a "great pilot". He made that turn to avoid overflying the base Nuclear weapons storage area. Overflight of that area was grounds for immediate grounding and in his case would have resulted in permanent grounding.
From:	mach37	(Fri Feb 16 20:18:53 2007)
In the previous still photo both spoilers appear to be up/deployed. Wouldn't that have contributed to stalling? Can't tell from THIS photo if the left one is still up, but video from fractions of a second before seem to show only the right spoiler up, i.e., full right aileron cranked in.
From:	USAFA Grad	(Sat Feb 24 11:35:01 2007)
Bud Holland was ill. Mentally ill. He killed that crew--manslaughter by negligence. He forgot how to be a good pilot and he was NEVER a good teammate--including his time at the ZOO. THe people who left him at the controls should have received Article-15s. They share the liability
From:	OPs Goup member	(Sat Feb 24 18:20:22 2007)
I was a member of the group at the time of the accident, knew the crew memebers. Holland was reckless but(Col Pellerin) continued to let him fly. If he had been grounded - this wouldnt have happened. Col Pellerin failed Col Holland, he should have been grounded. God forgive Pellerin!
From:	Ibpilot	(Sun Feb 25 01:08:04 2007)
Lot of experts posting in here, Everybody has an expert opinion I am With Miss Holland I do not think bud Holland was at the controls of this plane, as a matter of fact I think no one was at the controls. the two pilots were in a heated arguement and forgot to fly the plane.
From:	Ibpilot	(Sun Feb 25 01:11:28 2007)
Id like to hear the voice rcorder
From:	rooster1001	(Sat Mar 3 21:40:44 2007)
I was stationed at Fairchild. There were mistakes made by command and whomever was flying. It was a terrible tragedy for all of us there. I think many people have learned from this tragedy. My deepest sypathies to the crew and their families. It's been a rough 12 years. Godspeed.
From:	ibpilot	(Thu Mar 8 01:30:53 2007)
he was trying to save the two guys below. and he was waiting to be last to eject. Bud holland is a hero. sacrificed his life to try and save another
From:	G Rogers	(Sat Mar 10 17:47:15 2007)
My Father F-4 Phantoms, one of the worst things that ever could occur is a plane crash, and when that would inevitably occur, all us "Pilot kids" would wait till we heard the word. The thought of WATCHING your father die, right there... my heart goes out to all.
From:	wow	(Sun Mar 11 20:07:16 2007)
He had finished the turn nicely. Did he start to roll it over and others intervened? He might have succeeded if they had let him? Must have been an argument between the pilots - or Bud got carried away grounding them all for good as he was supposed to be grounded (suicidal nd not likely)
From:	Rugburn	(Sat Mar 24 20:37:56 2007)
After reading all material available on- and offline on Holland's career and reputation, it's safe to say he was negligent. There's no scapegoat; He screwed up. And this wasn't an isolated matter. Meg: Your demand of 'proof' is as cowardly as what happened. If you want to play law, go to Harvard.
From:	IBPILOT	(Sun Mar 25 13:46:58 2007)
My previous 3 comments were innapropriate and i apologize for them. No one will ever know what really happened in that plane. I am done now!
From:	Lyle Meyer	(Mon Apr 2 22:53:52 2007)
I was stationed at FAFB 1969-1970.I hope that other air crews learn something from this tragedy.
From:	Sean	(Sat Apr 7 01:15:14 2007)
Meg, Your father was a killer that should have been imprisoned years prior. Any 18 old pilot learns about load factor effect on stall. A plane that will fly at 45 will not necessarily fly at 60 degrees aob. Anything past 50 was not pushing it, it was suicide.Your Dad was a walking time bomb.
From:	Lori	(Sun Apr 8 02:16:08 2007)
Got to know your limitations!!
From:	Old Fairchild B-52 IP	(Sun May 27 12:04:23 2007)
I also knew Bud. All that was posted is true (the good, bad, & ugly). He was what we called a frustrated heavy pilot (always wishing he flew fighters). When they crash no one really cars. When a crew AC crashes the blame game begins.
From:	Raven	(Mon Jun 4 14:03:38 2007)
The PIC was criminally negligent and criminally irresponsible. End of story.
From:	Steve E.	(Wed Jun 13 00:52:37 2007)
I just finished reading "Darker Shades of Blue" at www.crm-devel.org/resources/paper/darkblue/darkblue.htm. Many people posting here are failing to distinguish between the Lt. Col. Bud Holland, exceptional stick and rudder pilot (perhaps the best ever in a B-52) ...
From:	Steve E.	(Wed Jun 13 00:53:57 2007)
and the airmanship of Lt. Col. Bud Holland (unfortunately, some of the worst ever). Also, many people posting here are posting "from the heart" because Bud Holland was someone they knew and that they feel they must defend him.
From:	Steve E.	(Wed Jun 13 00:55:23 2007)
Because of that, ludicrous things are being said, such as the idea Col. Holland was rolling the plane on its side so the navigator and bombardier could eject, or that he was a hero because he didn't over fly the weapons storage area ...
From:	Steve E.	(Wed Jun 13 00:56:41 2007)
(the deaths of 4 officers is a better outcome then a safety violation resulting in grounding of a pilot?) or the craziest of all (implied but not overtly stated) that Lt. Col. Mark McGeehan ...
From:	Steve E.	(Wed Jun 13 00:57:19 2007)
... intentionally crashed the plane, in front of his own wife and children, because of his feud with Lt. Col. Holland.
From:	Steve E.	(Wed Jun 13 00:58:00 2007)
Emotions do not make for clear thinking, clear decisions or clearly thought out blog postings. The facts that have been documented in this case (including the video tapes - are those of you defending Col. Holland deigning what is clearly and obviously recorded on video tape?)
From:	Steve E.	(Wed Jun 13 00:58:36 2007)
There is no doubt that Lt. Col. Holland often flew the plane outside its performance envelope. Doing so is a willful denial of the laws of physics (especially aerodynamics) and the rules of engineering. Design limits are not arbitrarily set, but are based on engineering rules and physics.
From:	Steve E.	(Wed Jun 13 00:59:15 2007)
You cannot, by force of will, make the aircraft do that which is impossible for it to do. Attempting to take the B-52H in a low speed, high bank angle, 360-degree turn around the tower was asking the plane to violate the laws of physics as well as the engineering limits.
From:	Steve E.	(Wed Jun 13 01:00:15 2007)
Lt. Col. Bud Holland knew those engineering limits as well as if not better than most, yet he chose to ignore them. All that is beyond any type of reasoned dispute, although I am sure an emotional argument will be made against this post.
From:	Steve E.	(Wed Jun 13 01:00:52 2007)
The only unsettled question about Lt. Col. Holland is, "Why did he do it, and why did he do it not once but repeatedly?" Once could be an accident or oversight. But repeatedly violating design specifications, operational regulations and safety standards is not an accident.
From:	Steve E.	(Wed Jun 13 01:02:48 2007)
It can only be incompetence (obviously not the case) or willful violation of the standards and rules. Those of you who knew and cared for Lt. Col. Holland could do everyone a favor by NOT trying to rush to his defense and make excuses, but rather ...
From:	Steve E.	(Wed Jun 13 01:03:29 2007)
... to give us some insights into the man, and what when wrong with his think and emotions that led him to this tragic end. If you do that, then maybe we can see the same seeds growing in others, and perhaps stop the process before it repeats itself in another tragic ending.
From:	Edinger S.	(Wed Jun 13 01:05:18 2007)
Best wishes to all, especially friends and families of the aircrew who will always carry these scars. Steve Edinger, Frm USAF Capt. and a biologist who studies bird flight aerodynamics
From:	Steve E.	(Wed Jun 13 01:14:41 2007)
One last thought. The laws of nature are not like human laws, where you get a ticket or go to jail for violating them. The laws of nature cannot be violated. Any attempts to do so can result in disaster!
From:	Tinsel AV8TOR	(Sat Jun 16 16:54:21 2007)
Tragic waste. Dark Blue is a fascinating study of mostly personal, but also cultural and organisational, failings. The aerodynamic causes of the crash are almost immaterial, the bigger issue is CRM over 3+ years prior.
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:24:00 2007)
To Meg Holland (and other who knew Col Holland) you said there is another side to this story, what is it? Are you talking about what the man, Bud Holland was like as a father, friend, neighbor, husband? Or are you trying to say there is another side to pinning responsibility for the accident on him?
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:24:27 2007)
To those who knew him when he was Lt or Capt or Major Holland, what was his flying like then? Obviously he had great skills, but can you tell us anything about his judgment and airmanship then? Were there signs of trouble to come? Did he fly the aircraft outside its operational limits then too?
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:24:56 2007)
For Meg and others trying to defend Lt Col Holland, you have got to ask yourself some questions. Some say it Wasn't Col Holland at the controls during the Fairchild crash, because he wouldn't do this type of thing. Are you also saying it wasn't him at the controls during the ...
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:25:21 2007)
... 19 May 1991 air show, which violated some many standards and regulations; was not at the controls during the 12 July 1991 change of command flyover practices and actual event; not at the controls during the 17 May 1992 air show; was not at the controls and did not order (or at least allow) ...
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:25:50 2007)
... a crew member to climb back to get pictures of the bombs dropping out of the bomb bay; was not at the controls during the 8 August 1993 air show; was not at the controls during the low-level and illegal formation flights at the Yakima Bombing Range on 10 March 1994; ...
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:26:21 2007)
was not at the controls during the 17 June 1994 practice sessions for the air show; and then finally was not at the controls during go around and 360 around the tower resulting in the fatal crash? That is not believable. First off, the command pilot is going to be at the controls during critical ...
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:26:57 2007)
... maneuvers - takeoff, landing and anything with high risk, especially if it is close to the ground. The command pilot is responsible for and has authority over all the operations on the plane. If the copilot begins operating the aircraft in an unsafe or illegal manner, ...
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:27:26 2007)
... it is the command pilot's responsibility to take charge and make the corrections. That is not "playing the blame game"; it's called "The buck stops here." Meg (and others), I know you want to believe, "He knew the limits of what a B-52 could do and would NEVER endanger the lives of others."
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:27:53 2007)
But Meg, you can't wish the facts away. The videotape shows your father repeated violating the limits. The excuse, "... if you don't push the limits sometimes, how would you know what to do if you faced a similar situation in real combat?" does not cut it.
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:28:21 2007)
If you exceed the limits of the aircraft and destroy it (wing cracks and pulled rivets) or crash it, the ship is still lost as a combat unit. What you have to do is find tactics to use the aircraft effectively in combat while operating inside its limits.
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:29:55 2007)
You cannot make the aircraft do impossible things, no matter who you are and how many hours & skill you have. Some say Col Mark McGeehan should not have tried ejecting.Wait a minute; the aircraft was out of control and in an unrecoverable position.What is a pilot suppose to do in that situation?
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:30:24 2007)
Give the bailout order and get out. When the stall warning alarm went off and the plane was in or near 90 degrees of bank angle, ~ 250 AGL, what can the aircrew do to recover to controlled flight? Nothing. It is very difficult to tell at what point the aircrew realized the ship was lost, ...
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:30:55 2007)
... but it appears from the video there were 4-6 seconds of time from a 90 degree bank angle till it hit the wire. Is that enough time to eject? How much of that time elapsed between realizing the ship was lost and trying to eject?
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:31:22 2007)
Did Col Holland give a bailout order, or did he fail to recognize the ship was lost? Did his ego prevent him from admitting the ship was lost? Did Lt Col McGeehan try ejecting in response to a bailout order by Lt Col Holland, or just recognize the situation was hopeless?
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:31:50 2007)
Did Col McGeehan take command and give a bailout order? Is there a cockpit recording and a transcript in the accident report? Again, Meg Holland said, " That is the co-pilot who ejected. My father would have never [have] left a crew." It was your father's job to tell the crew to eject and ...
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:32:20 2007)
... to get out himself when he saw the ship was lost. Col McGeehan did the right thing trying to bailout; he just did it too late. It is senseless to ride an out of control ship into the ground, and serves nobody and nothing. It is a bit of the "Great Santini" syndrome.
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:32:50 2007)
The posting from Wow said, "He had finished the turn nicely. Did he start to roll it over and others intervened? He might have succeeded if they had let him?" Tell me you are kidding. Roll a B-52 at low speed 250 feet above the ground? If Lt Col Holland was planning to ...
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:33:16 2007)
... try an aileron roll (actually a spoiler roll) in a BUFF, he would have waited till the air show, when the audience was there to see it, because it would be a one shot deal! Immediately after that he would have been grounded for life! He would also have done so with more altitude and airspeed.
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:33:45 2007)
Technically an aileron roll can be done as a 1 G maneuver, at least in a T-37 or T-38, but in a BUFF? What about the lateral forces on the engine pylons and vertical stabilizer (tail)? Could they stand it or would they break? A B-52 (a D model?) lost its tail to mountain wave turbulence, ...
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:34:14 2007)
... so how would the tail fair in a roll? How long would it take to complete the 360 degrees of roll? A B-52 is not known for having a high roll rate! How far would the nose drop in that time? I doubt there are sufficient test data from the B-52's development to answer these questions.
From:	Steve E.	(Mon Jun 18 03:34:59 2007)
So much we don't know, at least in the publicly released information. Does anybody know what is in the official report, or where one can read the official report? Any cockpit recordings in it? Best wishes, especially to family and friends of the lost crew, Steve Edinger
From:	Raven	(Tue Jun 19 14:39:35 2007)
Perhaps he wasn't trying for a 90° bank - maybe he was going for a full roll..
From:	Raven	(Tue Jun 19 14:46:06 2007)
A couple of points that occur to me as a glider (sailplane) pilot: When you turn a long wingspan glider close to the ground, you have to be VERY aware of ground effect & wind gradient
From:	Raven	(Tue Jun 19 14:52:53 2007)
Essentially, if you banked left steeply, close to ground, your left wing would dip into 'slower' air (slowed by ground friction) close to the ground, and you could VERY easily stall your left wing, causing a classic stall/spin into ground.
From:	Raven	(Tue Jun 19 14:55:54 2007)
Stall/spinning a glider like a Nimbus at 200ft would be curtains too. I wonder if wind gradient was a factor at Fairchild.
From:	Raven	(Tue Jun 19 14:58:55 2007)
Whenever I watch this awful video, I always think, If only they had 15,000 ft underneath.. Very sad.
From:	Leoman	(Sun Jun 24 06:29:34 2007)
Buds get a "go-around"; adds power, stores the undergear, picks up some speed and then commences a tight left hand turn at 60 degrees. Then levels out, then tightens it again, stalls and crashes. Why!? I think I know why...
From:	Leoman	(Sun Jun 24 08:20:13 2007)
If you check out the airbase on Google Earth (47°36'56.68"N 117°38'49.87"W) you see a couple of bunkers just south of the runway.
From:	Leoman	(Sun Jun 24 08:21:32 2007)
It's a nuclear arms storage area. I think the pilot was trying to avoid flying over that. A simpler way would have been to level out and continue south.
From:	Leoman	(Sun Jun 24 08:23:04 2007)
Then again... What would have happend if the jet crashed at the storage area (it's less then 2 000 feet away)? Perhaps we where more lucky then we know...
From:	Steve E	(Mon Jun 25 01:46:34 2007)
Getting a nuclear weapon (H-bombs in this case) to explode requires generating a precise implosion, Starting at all points around the sphere at the exact same time. It is no small technological feat, which is why places like Iran and N. Korea build fission bombs, using uranium or plutonium instead.
From:	Steve E	(Mon Jun 25 01:47:08 2007)
My 4.5 years of Nuclear Surety training from the USAF tell me there was absolutely NO chance of a nuclear detonation, and all crewmembers on that plane had the same training and the same knowledge. There is a remotely small chance of the plane crash causing a non-nuclear explosion ...
From:	Steve E	(Mon Jun 25 01:47:40 2007)
... (called a low order detonation), which would have scattered some radioactive material over several hundred square feet. But if the plane had been flying straight and level, there is virtually no chance it would have crashed into the Weapons Storage Area (WSA). The only logical reason for ...
From:	Steve E	(Mon Jun 25 01:48:14 2007)
... Lt Col Holland to turn that sharply away from the WSA at that low an altitude is because he knew if he flew over it he would be grounded. This leaves us with two likely possibilities for Lt Col Holland's critical error, leading to a fatal crash. 1. While executing an improper go around ...
From:	Steve E	(Mon Jun 25 01:48:46 2007)
... he mistakenly set a course over the WSA, attempted to avoid the WSA by pushing the aircraft outside it's flight envelope and crashed. 2. He planned to fly this tight turn around the tower on this improper go around, pushing the aircraft well outside its flight envelope and crashed.
From:	Steve E	(Mon Jun 25 01:49:20 2007)
I must point out that in "Darker Shades of Blue" (www.crm-devel.org/resources/paper/darkblue/darkblue.htm) and other accounts/analyses of the accident, nothing suggest that Lt Col Mark McGeehan had any history of trying to push the B-52 beyond it's limits, violating regs and tech order limits.
From:	Steve E	(Mon Jun 25 01:49:50 2007)
On the other hand, Lt Col Holland had a history of doing so, born out in witness testimony and on video tape (see video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6991478050418604437&q=B-52&total=14915&start=10&num=10&so=0&type=se arch&plindex=0 ). You may find it helpful to read the case history in "Darker Shades"
From:	Steve E	(Mon Jun 25 01:50:18 2007)
... to understand and recognize all the violations in the video tape (i.e., flying directly over people at low altitudes might not occur to most of us as a safety violation). Some will be obvious from common sense! My point is any suggestions that Lt Col McGeehan put the aircraft into ...
From:	Steve E	(Mon Jun 25 01:50:46 2007)
... this unsafe position are absurd. The suggestion only distracts from the real questions, including: Why did Lt Col Holland attempt what he surely knew was impossible? and How do we make sure nobody else does the same? "Darker Shades" makes it all to clear how the command staff failed to ...
From:	Steve E	(Mon Jun 25 01:52:07 2007)
... prevent this accident, but it doesn't delve into what went wrong with Lt Col Holland to lead him to this early grave, taking 3 others with him? Only addressing the accident and the events that led to it squarely, honestly and unflinchingly can bring some go out of a needless tragedy!
From:	Steve E	(Mon Jun 25 01:52:40 2007)
As a point of reference to what these bank angles mean and why they are important, for an aircraft to turn with a 60 degree bank angle and maintain a constant altitude, it must pull 2 g (twice the force of gravity). To do that it must have an airframe that can tolerate that amount of strain ...
From:	Steve E	(Mon Jun 25 01:54:05 2007)
... and sufficient power to maintain airspeed. Pulling g's drains airspeed unless you have the power to overcome it. So here is what the rundown looks like for maintaining a constant altitude at different bank angles:
From:	Steve E	(Mon Jun 25 01:54:45 2007)
30 degrees = 1.16 g (this is the normal bank angle of heavy aircraft and airlines) 45 deg = 1.41 g 60 deg = 2 g 70 deg = 2.92 g 75 deg = 3.86 g 80 deg = 5.76 g 85 deg = 11.47 90 deg = 1/cos 90 deg = 1/0 = infinite (Cannot be done!)
From:	Steve Edinger	(Mon Jun 25 01:56:13 2007)
I don't know what the maximum g limit for a B-52 is or the maximum number of g's a B-52 can sustain without losing airspeed, but that 3.86 g at a 75 deg bank has got to be pushing, if not exceeding both limits! Best wishes, Steve Edinger, Dept of Biol Sci, Ohio U., Athens
From:	Bud Holland	(Wed Jun 27 14:12:49 2007)
The tragic thing about this is had an enlisted person been guilty of the same things this jackass zipperhead was (dereliction, violating regulations, disobeying orders), he would have been court-martialed long before and discharged before he killed anyone
From:	Bud Holland	(Wed Jun 27 14:15:21 2007)
But because he was an officer and therefore "better" than an enlisted peon his conduct was tolerated, covered up and allowed to continue until he caused this tragic accident. I feel sorry for the other 3 victims families that their loved ones had to die at the hands of this idiot.
From:	Oilman	(Fri Jun 29 18:22:54 2007)
Early post: "The last words heard by the tower from the pilot to the crew were, "Sorry guys...." " I've researched this crash quite extensively on the net and have found no references to cockpit conversations with the tower or between the crew.
From:	Oilman	(Fri Jun 29 18:25:20 2007)
Someone in the crew would have to key the mike for the tower to hear the crew's conversation. I doubt that the pilot (Holland) could have keyed the mike while trying to regain control of the aircraft in the last seconds of flight.
From:	Oilman	(Fri Jun 29 18:27:20 2007)
Did the AFR 110-14 publicly disclose transcripts of the crew's conversation? If so, please post website links. Thank you!!
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jun 30 01:08:08 2007)
Oilman is correct, the person heard by the tower would have to key the mike to be heard. Generally, that can be done with a button on the yoke or throttles (depends on the plane). Also correct that the pilot would not be likely to take time for such a comment in the middle of trying ...
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jun 30 01:08:53 2007)
to regain control of a crashing plane. HOWEVER, if the account is correct and he did radio that to the tower, you have to ask some questions. Why chat on the radio instead of giving the bailout order and ejecting? Colonel Robert Wolff, the Vice Wing Commander (the Vice), was onboard as the ...
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jun 30 01:09:23 2007)
"safety observer" and apparently was the ranking officer onboard. Although the Aircraft Commander (AC) is in command of the plane, I would think his superior officer, the Vice (and safety observer), could say, "Stop! Level this thing out before you kill us all!" Did he? I don't think BUFF's ...
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jun 30 01:10:02 2007)
have a cockpit voice recorder, so we will never know. The tape of the practice sessions shows that there were numerous violations in both before the crash, which means there were numerous chances for the Vice to say, "Get the plane within regs or get us back on the ground!" Perhaps since it was ...
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jun 30 01:10:38 2007)
his fini flight, he was just trying "not to make waves". Lt Col Ken Huston, as the Radar Navigator, was not in a position where he had the authority to stop Lt Col Holland, and unfortunately neither was Lt Col McGeehan since he was officially sitting in the plane as the copilot.
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jun 30 01:11:12 2007)
McGeehan could have relieved Lt Col Holland of command (mutiny?), but the Wing leadership had already failed to ground Holland in spite of his clear violations. In that light you have to ask, "Could McGeehan have relieved Holland during the flight, or would McGeehan have been court-martialed ...
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jun 30 01:11:48 2007)
for stopping Holland from violating safety regulation, FAA regulations, Air Force regulations and technical orders?" Sounds like an absurd possibility, yet it seems like it would have been the likely outcome! Several people have asked why these men, particularly Lt Col McGeehan, were on the plane
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jun 30 01:12:26 2007)
with Lt Col Holland when they knew how dangerous he was. "Darker Shades" makes it clear Lt Col McGeehan was there because he prohibited members of his Squadron from flying with Lt Col Holland to protect them. His was a heroic act of self-sacrifice to save the life (lives) of his soldiers.
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jun 30 01:13:06 2007)
I have to salute him as one of the Air Force's finest, and would have been proud to serve under the command of such brave and decent man. I also find his death the most grievous of all the grievous losses on that day. In a just universe, his attempt to eject would have succeeded. Best Wishes!
From:	Oilman	(Sun Jul 1 00:45:54 2007)
Steve, I thought you posted website links earlier. Did the links somehow get zapped? Thanks.
From:	Steve Edinger	(Thu Jul 5 18:46:07 2007)
The links are still there (and below). One is to “Darker Shades of Blue” (a must read) and a long video, documenting many incredibly dangerous maneuvers, violating regulations, standards and common sense (a must see!)
From:	Steve Edinger	(Thu Jul 5 18:46:42 2007)
www.crm-devel.org/resources/paper/darkblue/darkblue.htm video.google.com/videoplay?docid= 6991478050418604437&q=B-52&total=14915&start=10&num=10&so=0&type=se arch&plindex=0
From:	steve, stfu	(Wed Jul 11 18:14:19 2007)
Bud Holland was a 23 year aviator with over 5000 hours on type. He got complacent and reckless. p.s steve edinger, dep of biol sci??? didnt know that made u an expert on all things aviation
From:	BritAviator	(Thu Jul 12 08:38:34 2007)
Lets be clear here - this wasn't the first time 'Bud' Holland broke the tech rules for the aircraft and flying display rules.
From:	BritAviator	(Thu Jul 12 08:38:54 2007)
While his supervisors carry a weight of the blame for not grounding him a lot earlier, he was the aircraft commander and 1st pilot of an aircraft that crashed doing a manoeuvre that he has done before. He had lots of 'history' of these types of illegal manoeuvres. He was clearly to blame.
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:05:37 2007)
steve, stfu said, "p.s steve edinger, dep of biol sci??? didnt know that made u an expert on all things aviation." Well, well, here is a classic in the art of rhetoric as well as Fallacious Reasoning and Emotional Appeal! Instead of addressing the points made and disputing (or agreeing) with them...
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:06:01 2007)
you impugn the reputation, qualifications, etc. of the person making those points. Such an approach may be worthy of a political debate among candidates, but is beneath a reasoned discussion. Be that as it may, I will lay all my cards down so you (and others) can decide what my hand is worth!
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:06:32 2007)
1. At no time have I claimed to be an expert on all things aviation. 2. I spent a year at USAF flight school, where I learn a reasonable amount about aerodynamics, flight operations, regulations and procedures. Although I landed a T-38 well, I flew a lousy final turn (pretty wobbly on...
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:07:02 2007)
... airspeed and altitude!), which ended my "career" as a pilot. 3. I spent 6 years in the USAF officer, including Officer Training School and Squadron Officer School by correspondence. In that time I learned a great deal about command responsibility, leadership and management.
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:07:28 2007)
4. Four of those years were spent as a Missile Launch Officer (plus a half in training for missiles), including nearly three as a Missile Combat Crew Commander and 1 as a Flight Commander. I have some understanding of command leadership and command responsibility.
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:08:12 2007)
During those 4 years (plus the 1/2 year training), I took monthly exams on Emergency War Orders (how to fight nuclear war), Code Handling (how to handle the code components for nuclear weapons), Nuclear Surety (how to handle nuclear weapons, nuclear safety and what will and will not...
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:08:42 2007)
make them blow up) and missile procedures (Minuteman II). Incidentally, any BUFF driver would also have similar Nuclear Surety training. 5. I have been a scientists (biologist) since graduating college 29 years ago. As such, my expertise is in designing experiments and collecting data to...
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:09:12 2007)
test scientific hypotheses, and evaluating the scientific validity and logic of fact based (i.e., scientific) arguments. My particular areas of expertise are (oddly) bird flight (bird and vertebrate aerodynamics) and the evolution of bird flight, as well as fisheries management (my master's work).
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:10:34 2007)
I have a well developed "bullshit filter" as well as a good ability to get to and evaluate the facts and logic of an argument. With all that being said, I am not sure what your objection is to what I have said, or perhaps you simple object to me commenting on Bud Holland's crash because I am a
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:11:07 2007)
biologist. If you are objecting to my criticisms to Lt Col Holland pushing the plane outside it's specified limits or Air Force and FAA flight regulations, there are several BUFF drivers who have made comments here who can authoritatively explain why that is a mistake as well as what the limits...
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:11:36 2007)
(bank and g) are for a B-52, assuming that information is not classified. But the general observation that exceeding the specified limits of the regulations and aircraft specifications stands, unless you want to claim that those limits and regulations are meaningless, and that the pilots and...
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:12:03 2007)
engineers who defined them do not know what they are doing. Are you disputing my statement that, "The laws of nature are not like human laws, where you get a ticket or go to jail for violating them. The laws of nature cannot be violated. Any attempts to do so can result in disaster!"
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:12:30 2007)
If so, are you claiming a person can pick and choose which laws of nature to "follow", or that they can be "turned on and off"? Are you disagreeing with the table of g loads need for a level flight turn? If you are I'm sure you can look them up online somewhere, or you can do the math yourself.
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:12:55 2007)
It is a simple trigonometry or vector problem (before you as, I have had around 30 semester hours of mathematics - a lot for a biologists! - including analytic geometry: 1.5 years of calculus; linear algebra and matrix theory; differential equations; introduction to discrete structures; and...
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:13:22 2007)
about 2 years of probability and statistics). Perhaps you object to someone who is not a professional pilot evaluating the actions of a pilot. If so, perhaps you could explain which portions of my comments and evaluations are wrong, why they are wrong coming from a non-pilot and
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:13:50 2007)
how they are wrong based on the data and logic, not a emotional appeal or emotional response to them. In the end, I guess I am not sure what your point was when you said, " p.s steve edinger, dep of biol sci??? didnt know that made u an expert on all things aviation."
From:	Steve Edinger	(Sat Jul 14 02:14:48 2007)
Perhaps you could explain what your point is to us, and logically (and based on the data) what mistakes I have made. If I have made errors in logic or data analysis, I want to know what they are so I can correct them! Best wishes, Steve Edinger, Biology Instructor, Ohio University
From:	u dont need to know	(Tue Jul 31 17:37:28 2007)
i am going to become a pilot and this stuff happens, yawll just need to be proud that we have people brave enough to fly!!!!!!!!!!
From:	Voodoo	(Tue Aug 7 11:35:36 2007)
Col. Holland was an amazing pilot. I happened to have been standing next to the guy taking this video when he went down. It's a shame he has to be remember like this.
From:	Steph from Oregon	(Sun Aug 26 00:04:57 2007)
I think people are casting judgment on pure speculation. Everyone thinks they know what happened, but since none of you were in the cockpit, I think you should quiet down and let the families have their grief. Lives, and a magnificent aircraft were lost that day. No more finger-pointing.
From:	Steph from Oregon	(Sun Aug 26 00:30:30 2007)
Incidentally, I found this cool "little" RC B-52 online: http://www.elchineroconcepts.com/B52_Model-640.jpg Which ironically, also crashed. Pity... that was one fine model. My heart hurts when any type of aircraft is destroyed; including the tiny ones.
From:	Jeffrey Bania (Jeff)	(Sun Sep 2 23:26:57 2007)
I was there that day and it was horrible it happend a few days after a psycho shot up the base hospital this was one of the sadest weeks I have ever had. I will never forget that mushroom cloud.
From:	IFR52	(Wed Sep 5 16:03:31 2007)
All these people defending the indefensible, good guy or not, good pilot or not, he had a long history of recklessness and disregard of regulations and should have been grounded long before this happened.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:15:32 2007)
My name is Pat McGeehan and I’m the son of Lt Col Mark McGeehan, the acting Co-Pilot on board this fateful flight. I’ve always tried to stay out of what I see as useless bickering between the family’s of the 3 other crew members who were killed that day in June of 1994,
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:18:11 2007)
but I came across this website, read some of the comments that were posted, and felt a need to post a response.The day my Dad’s BUFF went down changed my life forever.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:18:44 2007)
I am the oldest of my Dad’s 3 sons, and myself, my Mom and two younger brothers watched from near the flight line at Fairchild as the accident unfolded
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:19:06 2007)
- I was 14 years old then, and being the oldest, of course I had to pick-up where my Dad left off and carry my two younger brothers through the rest of their adolescent lives.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:20:28 2007)
After high school, I followed in my Dad’s footsteps, attending the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and graduating in 2003. I chose not to fly and instead served as an Intelligence Officer for a number of years, including a tour in Iraq and Afghanistan.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:21:16 2007)
I’ve since separated from the Air Force and I now own and run my own manufacturing production plant in my family’s hometown of Chester, West Virginia.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:22:06 2007)
With regards to the comments posted on this web site, a great majority of them are at the very least false and at the very most, atrocious. I understand the pain Col Holland’s family must live with every day, along with the family’s of Col Huston and Col Wolfe.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:22:29 2007)
But let me say this…I have objectively studied a great deal about the accident and the events leading to it, and thus I have learned over the years to distance myself from the emotion I feel in order to render a logical and unbiased opinion.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:22:55 2007)
During my 4 years at the Air Force Academy, I was asked my many flag officers to give countless briefings and lectures to various audiences on the accident (no doubt because of my unique position as Mark McGeehan’s son).
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:23:31 2007)
Lt Col Tony Kern (author of “The Darker Shades of Blue”) served as the head of the History Department during my tenure at the Academy, and he was a close mentor and friend of mine.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:23:50 2007)
In addition, I also wrote an analytical term-paper about the accident, and so with this in mind, please give a certain level of credibility to the following assessment I will provide.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:24:57 2007)
Of all the 4 crew members on board the aircraft that day, my Dad was the only Air Force Academy Graduate. I feel that one advantage the Academy provides is that it instills a deep sense of character in a man.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:25:18 2007)
This character stems through the Academy’s sacred Honor Code, which reads “We will not lie, steal, or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does”. My Dad was a bit of an idealist, and he strongly lived his life by this Code, especially the “toleration” clause.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:25:45 2007)
I believe this quality of refusing to tolerate poor character and leadership enabled him to act in the months preceding the accident to attempt to first ground Col Holland, and second, ensure his men were out of harms way.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:26:08 2007)
From my research and interviews with the pilots and navigators under my Dad’s Command at the squadron level—it is clear that Col Holland had been a good experienced pilot and no one will question this fact.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:26:54 2007)
But it is also self-evident that during the last few years preceding the accident, he had become undisciplined and had continually demonstrated poor-leadership to junior pilots at the squadron and wing levels.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:27:38 2007)
From studying my Dad’s notes and his personal scheduling book, I’ve noted that on at least 2 separate dates, months before the accident, he had scheduled meetings with Col Pellerin---the Group Commander and my Dad’s immediate superior in rank--- regarding Col Holland’s flying habits.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:28:00 2007)
. On March 17th, one entry in my Dad’s scheduling book reads “Meeting with Col Pellerin—Ground Bud Holland!”.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:28:19 2007)
Of course Col Pellerin and the Wing Commander Col Brooks never took action and unfortunately did not approve of my father’s request.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:29:13 2007)
There is also ample evidence from the testimony of several pilots and from Col Pellerin himself that my Dad ordered his squadron not to fly with Holland.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:29:33 2007)
In my Dad’s scheduling book, it appears that he did in fact track the mission and flight schedules at Fairchild for at least 2 months before the accident. He ensured that every time Holland flew, my Dad would put himself in the aircraft and thereby, remove his subordinates from the flight.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:31:01 2007)
In fact, the very morning of the accident flight, my Dad ordered one of his junior pilots, Capt Mark Thomas, off of the aircraft.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:31:19 2007)
Capt Thomas personally told me he was scheduled to “ride-along” in one of the B-52s jump seats, directly behind the cock-pit and next to where Col Wolfe would have been seated.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:31:41 2007)
In short, my Dad would be embarrassed at the labeling of his efforts as “heroic”. He was a very devout Catholic and I know that if he were alive today, he would only ask that we pray for the families of Bud Holland, Ken Houston, and Robert Wolfe.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:32:01 2007)
From the comments I have read on this website from Col Holland’s daughter, I have noted that there is a sense of bitterness to them. I want the family of Bud Holland to know that I have moved on with my life and I do not hold not a single “grudge” against them or anyone else.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:32:23 2007)
I hope that Col Holland’s family can find the peace of mind that I have finally found. The accident was a terrible traumatic event that took place over 10 years ago.
From:	Pat McGeehan (PatMcGeehan)	(Wed Sep 12 11:32:47 2007)
We can best serve the memories of all 4 crew members who perished that day by not only remembering them, but my studying the causes of the accident and teaching future aviators how to prevent another one.
From:	anominoys *star general	(Thu Sep 13 16:41:15 2007)
id say this pilot was good but the b-52 is a fragile auircraft cant do turns like that its suicide.......
From:	B-52RN (D/F/G/H)	(Tue Sep 18 15:20:33 2007)
Read www.crm-devel.org/resources/paper/darkblue/darkblue.htm Reflect on many leadership failures. God Bless the families.
From:	Wapiti	(Mon Oct 8 21:04:48 2007)
BTW Steve E. The B-52 that lost its vertical fin during a low level test in the rockies was a H model Tail number 1023
From:	Wapiti	(Mon Oct 8 21:24:09 2007)
Just an FYI to the beginning aerodynamicists posting. The B-52 H models has NO ailerons. They were found redundant and removed with the first G-model.
From:	Wapiti	(Mon Oct 8 21:50:44 2007)
BTW T/N 1023 landed safely at Barksdale after it lost its fin, a tribute to a well designed and constructed aircraft with a brilliant pilot Charles Fisher
From:	etridge	(Wed Oct 24 00:57:11 2007)
The crash is 13 yrs old now and still a topic of conversation.Only 4 people know what really happened that day and they died in the crash.
From:	People...please	(Sun Oct 28 03:08:33 2007)
Seriously "STEVE E" and every negative comment out there; your comments are pathetic!
From:	People....please	(Sun Oct 28 03:10:55 2007)
Do you know for sure who was at the controls that day?? You guess no I bet?
From:	People....please	(Sun Oct 28 03:13:42 2007)
For all the people who posted a negative comment get a LIFE!!!
From:	People....please	(Sun Oct 28 03:16:12 2007)
Oh by the way "STEVE E" your lack of flying experience doesn't allow you to act like an expert.
From:	Pat McGeehan	(Mon Oct 29 07:48:25 2007)
I'm an expert...so yes, I know who was at the controls that day...so does anyone else with a logical brain
From:	Michael	(Tue Nov 20 05:58:00 2007)
My heart goes out to all who suffer the loss of loved ones in this trajedy. To those who mentioned nukes where onboard another B52 that crashed, I can confirm that a B52 did crash with nuclear bombs onboard but that B52 crashed in Spain.
From:	John	(Mon Dec 3 12:36:16 2007)
How very commendable Mr. McGeehan. Your comments are both selfless, and dignified. I'm sure your father is very proud of the way his son has turned out.
From:	John	(Mon Dec 3 12:36:30 2007)
It's true that time has passed, and the blame game should not be played anymore. The memories of those lost, and the sorrow of those left behind are enough anguish. RIP
From:	Neal	(Tue Dec 18 17:35:07 2007)
The former radar navigator is a good friend of mine. He refused to fly with Holland for the airshow and Ken Huston took his place instead. I'm having dinner with my friend tonight. when I say grace before dinner, I'll include a prayer for those who lost their loved ones in the crash.
From:	Neal	(Tue Dec 18 17:56:52 2007)
To Pat McGeehan: It's probably because of your father standing up for the men under his command, that my friend is alive today. Thank you also for serving our nation too.
From:	KnowItAll	(Fri Dec 21 22:30:53 2007)
Whats all this business about not having ejection seats? I BUILT these things. The pilot and copilot go up, the navigator and other three in the lower part of the compartment FALL through the floor.
From:	KnowItAll	(Fri Dec 21 22:32:48 2007)
To: Steve E. Only a year at USAF flight school?
From:	Aerospace Engineer/ATP	(Tue Dec 25 00:38:39 2007)
When you exceed published flight limits in the Flight Manual 1) You are a test pilot flying outside the tested envelope. Expect the unexpected.....
From:	Aerospace Engineer/ATP	(Tue Dec 25 00:39:07 2007)
2) Everyone who flies that plane after you will unwillingly and unknowingly fly a plane that has been flown outside the envelope. If the unexpected did not happen to you, it may happen to them.
From:	Aerospace Engineer/ATP	(Tue Dec 25 00:51:08 2007)
In any aircraft, a steep bank lays the lift vector over towards the horizon. A horizontal lift vector holds you into the turn, but can't keep the aircraft at the same altitude. You end up falling towards the ground knife-edged....
From:	Aerospace Engineer/ATP	(Tue Dec 25 00:55:46 2007)
..when this happens, the nose will drop through the horizon because airflow is striking the rudder from the side. In a big airplane, this happens slowly and by the time you realize that you have built up a big yaw rate.....
From:	Aerospace Engineer/ATP	(Tue Dec 25 00:56:34 2007)
....there is no amount of opposite 'top' rudder that will correct it. You have to roll out of it using ailerons or roll spoilers and you have to have 15,000 feet.
From:	Aerospace Engineer/ATP	(Tue Dec 25 00:57:08 2007)
In any even, there are two ways a pilot's flying career will end...you will get into an airplane and know it's your last flight...you will get into an airplane and NOT know it's your last flight.
From:	Doogle	(Thu Dec 27 14:01:28 2007)
Everybody lost that day. Pat McGeehan's words should be the end of this. Respect the innocent and the guilty: judgment is not your right.
From:	Aerospace Engineer/ATP	(Sat Dec 29 13:03:50 2007)
'judgement is not your right'. Judgement is exactly what happens in a formal accident investigation. Responsibility is placed squarely on the shoulders of the person at fault. This is not a case of equipment failure. It is a case of pilot stupidity.
From:	German	(Fri Jan 11 11:01:29 2008)
Many experts around here, some are for sure, others maybe wish they were but have never been at the controls of any aircraft. I read several reports and analysis about this accident and I disagree with
From:	German	(Fri Jan 11 11:02:28 2008)
anyone who says that this special incident is related in any way to the reputation Bud Holland seems to have had. As a glider pilot myself I agree with Raven that wind might have been a critical factor
From:	German	(Fri Jan 11 11:02:51 2008)
which added to the other factors which basically are a heavyweight aircraft, too slow at an angle of bank which was far too steep at an altitude which was far too low for that kind of stunt. But a crucial
From:	German	(Fri Jan 11 11:03:16 2008)
factor which was not mentioned here so far is distraction. I guess Mr. Holland was not in the process of flying and concentrating on his "agenda" any more shortly prior to the crash. He had to deal with a
From:	German	(Fri Jan 11 11:03:37 2008)
go around command, took a decision for a specific flight pattern for the new approach, probably realized that he was well out of parameters but stuck to his decision, convinced that he could make it.
From:	German	(Fri Jan 11 11:04:04 2008)
That's the way most accidents happen - you're committed to your decision even if it's deeming on you that it might have been the wrong one. Many car accidents happen like this and I also saw a friend die
From:	German	(Fri Jan 11 11:04:28 2008)
that way in his sailplane when he had to abort takeoff due to a broken winch, turned around to land and stalled the plane in his last turn for final. The same story as with the giant B-52 in a small glider,
From:	German	(Fri Jan 11 11:04:50 2008)
set up by a disastrous mix of an uncommon situation, flight physics and human behavior: take off abort, too slow, aob too steep, too low and a "it's gonna be alright this time" attitude which is just
From:	German	(Fri Jan 11 11:05:19 2008)
simply human nature. Flying a jet into a ridgeline on a hot rod show might have been something different but I think this was just another accident. Though he was the AC and in full responsibilty of what happened nothing to judge on Bud Holland as hard as many "experts" do.
From:	George	(Tue Jan 15 18:33:44 2008)
Not the ejection seat butthe escape hatch. Co-pilot started ejection sequence. He hated the pilot. Last words on voice recorder, pilot saying "sorry guys"
From:	DOESN'T_MATTER	(Thu Jan 24 15:20:15 2008)
The way you guys talk is absurd. You may not like the pilot or agree with his actions, but to talk about him like you do, while his family can see what you type, is totally uncalled for. Nothing you say will change what happened, so why bash someone's deceased father?
From:	fucked over	(Thu Jan 24 18:00:59 2008)
this was ordered in combat standard procedure as all of have read and viewed. holland took them on there last flight.which real sad. may god rest there souls
From:	Dr. Chicago	(Thu Jan 24 21:25:56 2008)
Sorry Meg, But Bud was the pilot. He'd pulled crazy stuff, prior to the Fairchild crash, numerous times before. A great many people refused to fly with him. The B-52 isn't a stunt plane. The Air Force came to the right conclusion: pilot error.
From:	BudMan	(Fri Jan 25 14:08:33 2008)
I find it amazing that here we are, almost 14 years after this tragic incident, and people are still discussing it like it happened yesterday.
From:	dutch guy	(Sun Feb 10 03:51:52 2008)
if someone was standing underneath that b-52 he just had an airplane of 51.2 m wide and 47.5 m long on his ass... i thik thats painfull
From:	dutch guy	(Sun Feb 10 03:56:40 2008)
all guys who think it was the pilots falt you're wright but i think if you say that you don't know how difficult it is to control such a big thing so shut the fuck up
From:	dutch guy	(Sun Feb 10 03:57:48 2008)
fucked over you're damned wright
From:	dutch guy	(Sun Feb 10 03:59:34 2008)
by the way i am dutch. dus hou je focking muil!
From:	HAD TO SAY IT	(Mon Feb 25 09:28:26 2008)
dutch guy you are an ignorant moron
From:	HM2FMF	(Mon Feb 25 18:03:44 2008)
Sounds Col. Holland's daughter was trying to shift blame from her father to someone else by saying that he wasn't in control. Accept that your father was responsible, it won't help by blaming others. Of the 4 people on the flight, only 1 had a record of irresponsibility.
From:	HM2FMF	(Mon Feb 25 18:07:53 2008)
And as far as the "academy makes better officers" argument goes, that is a load of horse manure. I've seen ROTC officers do well in combat and Academy grads fold. And vice versa. That is simple arrogance which is not based in reality.
From:	TankerKC	(Tue Feb 26 08:05:26 2008)
Want a pant load on this thread. Folks (darksanly) claiming to have flown with Holland, but he can’t even spell and thinks that all of the victims were O-6s.
From:	TankerKC	(Tue Feb 26 08:06:01 2008)
Others (NikkiHuston) are claiming to be Huston’s daughter and to have been in the air that day. The worst is Meg Holland saying she remembers her dad indicating that he would intentionally do this. All pure BS!
From:	TankerKC	(Tue Feb 26 08:06:39 2008)
Pat McGeehan looses all credibility when he indicates that his dad was a better officer because he went to the academy.
From:	TankerKC	(Tue Feb 26 08:06:57 2008)
We had a bit of a cheating scandal when I was at AFIT. The class leader said he couldn’t deal with it because, as an Academy grad, he had no concept of cheating. The culprits turned out to be Academy guys.
From:	TankerKC	(Tue Feb 26 08:07:51 2008)
Booyah!
From:	Pat McGeehan	(Tue Feb 26 08:34:48 2008)
I apologize if that is what my comment indicated. I only meant to bring out the honor code I believe so much in---the same one my Dad did as well.
From:	Pat McGeehan	(Tue Feb 26 08:35:22 2008)
I am very proud of my alma mater in Colorado Springs, as was my Dad before me.
From:	Pat McGeehan	(Tue Feb 26 08:36:18 2008)
...just as any other officer should be proud of their own school, regardless of where or which one---some of the best officer's in history were citizen-soldiers.
From:	Bemerish	(Fri Feb 29 16:22:33 2008)
Pat - I tried to contact you after you left your last assignment re: your project at home.
From:	BB	(Fri Feb 29 16:26:20 2008)
I'm in England now. Your father was a great man (I've read DSOB etc as well). Time to step away from these negative websites. Any way to get in touch with you?
From:	Pat McGeehan	(Fri Feb 29 16:31:29 2008)
great to hear from you----you can e-mail me at mcgeehan@mountainsp.com, we'll go from there, looking forward to it
From:	chas	(Sun Mar 16 22:47:49 2008)
Anyone ever heard of wind shear? It almost killed me once.
From:	tiff	(Mon Mar 31 15:12:57 2008)
has anyone ever thought that the just needed help?
From:	Dennis220	(Mon Apr 7 22:18:50 2008)
Bud Holland: "The rules don't apply to me!" Holland = George W. Bush.
From:	Elvisf16	(Sat May 3 10:46:43 2008)
I'm a pilot (military F-16 and civilian airline) and an attorney. No disrespect to his daughter, but Lt. Col. Holland had a well-documented history of serious breakdowns of discipline while flying airplanes.
From:	chad from tinker afb	(Sun May 4 17:54:31 2008)
You don't realize how old this aircraft is till you work on it. I would have never stressed the airframe like Mr. Holland did. Watching the old clips of how Holland flew the BUFF told me he was a gambler, a lucky one till that last bet
From:	Mac in OKC	(Thu May 8 21:36:55 2008)
I was once a B-52F EWO at Carswell AFB & Anderson AFB, Guam (Arc Lite). Son was an AF Huey pilot at Fairchild and had just left helo practice landing site where the BUFF crashed, maybe 10 min prior to crash. I was there a few months later and big black spot of the crash was still very visible.
From:	Pilot96732	(Fri May 16 19:07:30 2008)
I have been a pilot since 1965 and have long been a very careful observer of aircraft in flight. A factor uncommented upon here follows. There appears to be a considerable time in the last turn during which
From:	Pilot96732	(Fri May 16 19:17:26 2008)
the right spoiler is not deployed. It does not come up until the nose is well below the horizon and the aircraft is about two wingspans above impact. This is most counterintuitive for anyone flying any non-aerobatic
From:	Pilot96732	(Fri May 16 19:30:44 2008)
aircraft. I would expect that right spoiler to be partially or fully deployed during the entire turn, due to the pilot's continuing "feel" of the aircraft in such a critical attitude,
From:	Pilot96732	(Fri May 16 19:37:50 2008)
especially for an excellent stick and rudder pilot. This is irrespective of stall presence. It is not surprising that no bank recovery is ever seen.
From:	Pilot96732	(Sat May 17 00:06:52 2008)
Aircraft which have no dihedral or are anhedral, such as the B52, can easily roll inverted from a 90 degree bank or with even slight use of the rudder to keep the nose above the horizon in that attitude. Why was there no roll control from the right spoiler continuously?
From:	Pilot96732	(Sat May 17 00:23:38 2008)
Hard right rudder can be seen up to three seconds to impact, when one frame shows zero rudder and then hard left rudder can be seen to impact. This very late change seems to shows a major lack of awareness of how dire the situation was. At this point the co-pilot was ejecting.
From:	Jones	(Tue May 20 05:30:34 2008)
i worked on buffs for 10 years. a sad day for crews and aircraft. saw the video. wanted to cry.
From:	1ofGODZkids	(Thu May 29 03:48:57 2008)
Just wondering if TankerKC realizes he should look under the person's name to read their comments. Trying to help, but am soooo new @ this.
From:	rob	(Tue Jul 8 20:46:16 2008)
I think the guy just got plain bored with flying b 52 s so why not get crazy.
From:	magnat	(Thu Jul 10 00:45:07 2008)
I would like to express my respect to the families who lost their loved ones in that fatal day, in my point of view they were all great men who died that day, although i feel that the accident could be avoided with some precaution from the part of the B52 pilot.
From:	Collin McGeehan	(Fri Jul 11 14:51:44 2008)
My name's Collin McGeehan,and I'm the youngest son of Lt. Col. Mark McGeehan. I'm currently a 3/c Midshipman at the Naval Academy and ran across this website. I just wanted to agree with my brother, Pat. I don't hold any grudges against the Holland family and I keep them in my prayers.
From:	Collin McGeehan	(Fri Jul 11 14:53:25 2008)
Every man that died that day was a patriot and the only way we can truly honor them is to love and serve this country as they did.
From:	Qlc01	(Fri Jul 18 01:15:35 2008)
Condolences to all family members of all the crew who died. The instant finality of death is crushing - all blame thereafter is of no remedial effect whatsoever.
From:	Steve	(Mon Jul 21 01:33:59 2008)
I know little about flying but much more about sensitivity regarding a berieved widow and two children without a father. Allow me to praise Col Holland for the two decades he gave to all of us.
From:	Rhoter	(Mon Jul 21 10:34:19 2008)
Even Non-Pilots know with extreme turns your aircaft loses altittude.Duh what was that pilot thinking
From:	Matt	(Mon Jul 21 13:28:43 2008)
A note on the nuclear weapons depot. Bud Holland was NOT trying to avoid that. The steeply-banked turn around the control tower was a choreographed part of the upcoming airshow.
From:	Matt	(Mon Jul 21 13:29:43 2008)
See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:B52_crash_overview.jpg If he was trying to avoid something in an effort to be heroic, he could have just flown down the runway centerline.
From:	TOO Close	(Mon Jul 21 17:49:24 2008)
I was the 3rd closest witness to this crash besides the 2 SP's in the Blazer. I can still hear the scream of those engines and being able to see from wing tip to wing tip. Crazy to think that this was practice for his retirement flight.
From:	TOO Close	(Mon Jul 21 18:03:34 2008)
I had just entered the WSA and was waiting for my buddy, we came back from Airway Heights with pizza's and movies for our crew.
From:	TOO Close	(Mon Jul 21 18:04:04 2008)
Holland was doing stunts with that plane that where amazing. At one point, he accelerated and climbed so fast, I saw vapor trails on the tips of the wings when it was close to a power-on stall.
From:	TOO Close	(Mon Jul 21 18:07:36 2008)
He had been following the KC-135 for .5 hour in the pattern when he finally got in front of it. This was the next manuver he performed about 300 AGL. Fortunally for me, he turned a couple seconds late.
From:	Opinionated	(Tue Jul 22 16:10:54 2008)
My opinion is that Bud Holland was very capable with the airplane, just pushed too much and then something unexpected occurred. We all love to watch aerobatics with Bombers, but we all should study the tragedy and stop blaming Bud.
From:	TOO Close	(Tue Jul 22 17:10:54 2008)
Your right Opinionated, I should stop blaming Bud and muffle those screaming engines. Who cares that he was soley responsible for those other men in the cockpit that I saw scrambling to eject. GOD BLESS BUD
From:	B52IRN	(Tue Jul 22 22:11:50 2008)
To the McGeehans. I flew with your Dad at Wurtsmith. He was a good stick. The quickest way for a pilot to tell a B-52 crew to bailout, is to bailout. It causes the bailout light to illuminate in each area.
From:	B52IRN	(Tue Jul 22 22:19:16 2008)
I also had one opportunity to fly with Bud Holland at Castle AFB. While waiting for some F-16s to come play with us, he decided to show the student crew what the B-52 could do if maintaining 1G. He put the aircraft into a 120 degrees of bank.
From:	B52IRN	(Tue Jul 22 22:19:54 2008)
We started at ~ 25,000 feet and rolled out between 3000 to 5000 feet lower. The rest of the instructors had words with him upon landing. Castle CCTS rules required all unusual maneuvers to be cleared with all instructors on the flight before being performed.
From:	B52IRN	(Tue Jul 22 22:28:38 2008)
B-52s are hardy airplanes and with enough airspeed they can make high degree turns at low altitudes. BTW, the greatest B-52 pilot was Maj Steve Moore.
From:	Flapsb52	(Wed Jul 23 02:02:47 2008)
To the McGeehan boys, I was one of your dad's copilots at Wurtsmith and even baby sat Pat and Brendan once. Your comments about your dad are all true and he would be very proud of how you have lived your lives since that tragic day and your comments on this site.
From:	flapsb52	(Wed Jul 23 02:04:42 2008)
He taught me a lot about how to handle the old Buff and fly within the rules, but more than that he showed me how to lead a crew and respect those who maintained and supported the B-52 mission. He was a great mentor.
From:	flapsb52	(Wed Jul 23 02:07:25 2008)
Do not get caught up in these ugly and often inaccurate comments. There are a lot of armchair fliers that have no idea how aircraft fly, especially a Buff which has many unique characteristics.
From:	flapsb52	(Wed Jul 23 02:09:07 2008)
I ended my career with over 21 years and 6400 hours in both G and Hs and I was still learning every day. Becoming complacent, thinking you know everything about your aircraft and that you are the best at what you do will always set you up for trouble.
From:	flapsb52	(Wed Jul 23 02:09:40 2008)
The T.O.s,rules and regulations have been written because of hard learned lessons, so that others may not have to experience what you lived. People that do not heed this lesson in life are walking a dangerous path. Godspeed, ELJ aka "Chief"
From:	flapsb52	(Wed Jul 23 02:15:29 2008)
B52IRN Ditto on Maj Moore. The best B-52 pilot and instructor I ever had the priviledge to fly with. He respected the rules and knew the limitations and hammered anyone that did not abide by them! It was an honor to fly and serve with warriors like that in the old 524th.
From:	Banzai	(Thu Jul 31 03:10:01 2008)
Was a member of the investigation team. Holland was flying at time of impact. Copilot's ejection attempt was outside the envelope (time, altitude and angle)
From:	Mike McCarthy	(Tue Aug 12 20:58:50 2008)
I was an assistant scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 23 with Mark McGeehan at Maxwell AFB when Mark was teaching at ACSC.
From:	Mike McCarthy	(Tue Aug 12 20:59:48 2008)
I was honored to know him. He was a man of impeccable character and faith.
From:	Mike McCarthy	(Tue Aug 12 21:02:16 2008)
When my wife Cindy and I renewed our wedding vows in a very private ceremony we turned around after the ceremony was over and the only person in the pews that morning was Mark McGeehan with a big old grin on his face--
From:	Mike McCarthy	(Tue Aug 12 21:03:10 2008)
I didn't tell anyone about the ceremony -- He just found out and made time to be there. He was and still is the most honest man I've known. I had never been so shocked and saddned in all of my life when I learned of his passing.
From:	Mike McCarthy	(Tue Aug 12 21:04:28 2008)
Patrick and Collin, I am overjoyed that both you and your brother Brendan are doing so well both personally and professionally. I look forward to hearing great things from you. I know your dad is proud of you. God Bless you all.
From:	wife of a standboard p[lot	(Sun Aug 24 09:30:08 2008)
My husband went to USAFA w/ Slim (Mark), & said he was a "good guy". He wouldn't allow members of his own sqaudron fly w/ the hotdog. Says a lot about the character of the man...not so much about the pilot or wing commander...
From:	B52IRN	(Fri Aug 29 22:46:03 2008)
Flaps, was that you at the Albuquerque Airport a few months ago? JF My daughter is an airline pilot in Alaska. This accident was used in several of her college aviation classes. Hopefully others will learn from the mistakes made on this flight.
From:	Colonel George Nixon, USAF (Ret)	(Thu Sep 4 23:59:55 2008)
I knew your dad; was an ACSC classmate and played softball with him. I've been to your house in those Alabama days. Your dad is a saint and a hero. I know the story of the religious medal passed on before the flight. If you ever need mentoring/advice, call on me. dr.nixon@usa.net.
From:	Tampaslice	(Sun Sep 21 11:40:06 2008)
Total lack of crew coordination! All 4 crew are to blame, Lt. Col Mcgeehan failed to notice airspeed drop, as did Col. Wolff. They didn't do their jobs and paid with their lives. If Holland was so reckless, they should've been backing him up, assuring he didn't kill them all!
From:	RANDALL	(Sat Oct 4 07:49:51 2008)
AS A PILOT THERE IS NO EXCUSE TO BE BANKING AN AIRCRAFT THAT LARGE AS IF ITS A FIGHTER. CO PILOT SHOULD HAVE SAID AFTER BANKING THE FIRST TIME THAT IT WAS RECKLESS AND TRY TO TAKE CONTROLS. WHY ISN'T ANY COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER DATA RELEASED, BECAUSE ITS MILITARY AND NOT NTSB?
From:	Cyirra	(Thu Oct 9 08:01:19 2008)
No voice recorder or black box on a B-52
From:	Magoo	(Thu Oct 30 18:11:07 2008)
Thruth is, only Holland knew the reasons, not even the other 3 could figure out the reasons in their last seconds of life ! When they noticed... it was too late. And the co-pilot decided to die differently. Bad day ! Holland family: so is life. Sorry for all of you. You deserved an explanation.
From:	Looking Glass	(Tue Nov 18 10:27:41 2008)
Lt. Col. Holland - a tremendous pilot. Obvious engine failure. He protected this nation when we are sleeping safe and sound. If we asked Mr. Holland to ram a big one down the commies throats, he would have accomplished the task. Don't any of you besmirch this patriotic and brave man.
From:	Looking Glass	(Tue Nov 18 10:28:02 2008)
Lt. Col. Holland - a tremendous pilot. Obvious engine failure. He protected this nation when we are sleeping safe and sound. If we asked Mr. Holland to ram a big one down the commies throats, he would have accomplished the task. Don't any of you besmirch this patriotic and brave man.
From:	Sandman	(Sat Dec 6 01:51:03 2008)
Colonel Holland was an excellent "Stick", and at one time a very good pilot. However,he was an unscientific pilot. He did not, literally, know what he was doing at the time he stalled the aircraft.
From:	Sandman	(Sat Dec 6 01:57:22 2008)
All of Col. Holland's stall recognition/recovery training and experience was in wings level, "unaccellerated" flight, and almost all flaps up.
From:	Sandman	(Sat Dec 6 02:03:44 2008)
He neglected the guidance in the flight manual concerning the lack of buffet (stall warning) in an accelerated stall or a flaps-down configuration.
From:	Sandman	(Sat Dec 6 02:10:28 2008)
The mishap video reveals that the left wing was in a stalled condition while the aircraft vector was still upward, and Col. Holland was still commanding left roll.
From:	Baloney Grinder	(Mon Dec 8 20:55:26 2008)
This crash is extensively documented. The A.C. was an out-of-control (no pun intended) ego maniac. It is not patriotic to fly with a man like Holland--he should have been stopped--this was predictible and avoidable.
From:	Baloney Grinder	(Mon Dec 8 20:58:46 2008)
This crash is extensively documented. Holland should have been grounded long before this happened. It was predictible and avoidable.
From:	Sandman	(Tue Dec 9 15:00:21 2008)
The crash has indeed been extensively documented. The facts are clear enough. I believe we should avoid discussions of such things as Patriotism and Sanity, however. Patriotism has nothing whatever to do with Airmanship, Piloting Skill, or the lack thereof.
From:	Sandman	(Tue Dec 9 15:04:42 2008)
From my personal knowledge of Col. Holland over a period of several years, I would categorize his Patriotism as "absolute" and "beyond question." The same goes for Col. McGeehan.
From:	Sandman	(Tue Dec 9 15:30:17 2008)
Similarly, they were both very brave men, if we consider bravery as the willingness to take risks in the service of a higher purpose. But at the crucial moment in this culmination of a long chain of events, what was needed was Airmanship, not bravery or patriotism.
From:	Sandman	(Tue Dec 9 15:35:43 2008)
And Col. Holland's Airmanship had been deteriorating for a long time. Col. Holland had been engaged in not simply dangerous behavior, but a pattern of increasingly dangerous behavior. The wonder is not that he crashed, but that he avoided crashing for so long.
From:	Colin	(Sat Dec 27 04:52:08 2008)
Steve E, and P. McGeehan, Sandman, these are a few of the saner heads around here. While the man, Bud Holland may have been a great father and decent all-around guy,
From:	Colin	(Sat Dec 27 04:54:31 2008)
as an airman, I submit that he had no business in the sky. It takes a lot more than some stick and rudder skills to make a great airman... Lt. Col Holland obviously did not have those skills.
From:	Colin	(Sat Dec 27 05:00:58 2008)
by the way, if anyone doubts my qualifications, I have 41 years in the business and currently I command B-747's. I've known more than my share of Bud Holland type pilots.
From:	FAFB Crash/Rescue	(Thu Feb 19 16:39:11 2009)
Anyone remember the size of the field that it went down in? Afew feet in any direction would of been bad for A LOT of people, survival school, SP's in buses at shift change, ATC or the fire truck crossing at the gate.
From:	WIL	(Sun May 24 03:27:57 2009)
This was very saddening to see. I must say that looking at the video makes me wonder how much more can happen until people realize, everything happens for a reason and no one is to blame. Life is full of lessons. GOD bless everyone who seeks him.
From:	Jacob t	(Sat May 30 21:46:01 2009)
my friend was there and he was standing next to the pilots son when the plane crashed then another friend when he was leaving air force piloting school he saw the new arrivals and the pilots son was there lets just hope his son doesn't take after his father
From:	Mr. Hyphy	(Thu Jul 23 05:33:08 2009)
R.I.P. to the air crew and unless you were actually in the plane or you were actually one of those people how would you know how to judge this horrible tradegy?
From:	Thomas M.	(Tue Aug 18 12:47:53 2009)
I just want to say that as much as we all have our opinions as to what we think happened & what we saw on the video - lets never forget that good men died that day!
From:	Thomas M.	(Tue Aug 18 20:22:05 2009)
I will say this though had the people in charge who were well aware of what was going on - simply done what they were supposed to - this very well could have been prevented... Those good men might still be alive today! Those who were in charge should have been held accountable...
From:	Thomas M.	(Tue Aug 18 20:24:49 2009)
I don't know if they were... Pat McGeehan I know your father is looking down with pride for the comments you made!
From:	IFlySky5	(Fri Sep 18 16:33:47 2009)
All said & done the (AC) aircraft commander is responsible party here for loss of life & aircraft. Bud Holland was the AC on this flight he is to blame! He was either on the controls or allowed them to be manipulated banking the aircraft beyond the dash parameters.
From:	DawgDays	(Thu Oct 22 05:44:21 2009)
In Air Command and Staff College, this crash and the sequence of events that led to it was a topic in accountability.
From:	HawkerDriver	(Tue Oct 27 18:37:41 2009)
I don't believe anybody took off that day with intent of not coming home...an accident happened for whatever reasons, learn what we can from it and move forward. Raise your glass to the west in a toast to the pilots & crew that have gone before us...tailwinds forever!
From:	sp steve	(Fri Oct 30 02:22:41 2009)
I was an SP at castle when this happened. Very sad. I heard years later on the discovery channel that the pilot was turning to avoid another aircraft that was entering the airspace. Is this true?
From:	X AFoutlaw	(Mon Nov 2 13:05:20 2009)
My first duty base after Shepard AFB,TX technical school was good old Fairchild AFB, WA. From new years day 1998 to about 24th June 2000 when i left for Kunsan AB ROK.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 13:09:19 2009)
This was my first base as a jet engine mechanic on KC-135R`s. First in black flight, but they just re aranged it into Falcon flight and Eagle flight 92 AGS for those who know.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 13:12:32 2009)
I did not know much about CZAR52 crash, just saw it in wildest videos i believe,until i got to the base and found out it happend here from the guys in the shop. This was three and a half years after the crash i was there but it still was a big topic.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 13:15:00 2009)
Not going to call his name, but my newcomers sponcer was there and saw it the day of the crash. Also.. he was on the detail for the recovery of bodys of those who lost there lives that day.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 13:17:54 2009)
Also reckage which there are some guys that have titanium compresser and turbine blades from thoses TF-33 engines that was all over..even logged in building walls nere by.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 13:20:24 2009)
I will not give out details of what he said of the crew for the sake of the families..but it made me feel so sad for them, even Lt Col Arthur "bud" Holland.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 13:22:27 2009)
I feel so sad for Lt Col Mcgeehan because he was just on his way out of the aircraft!(half way up the rails he said). It brings up sad feeling even as i am typing this.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 13:32:54 2009)
As Adults..We all know what happend. If you watch all the airshow videos from 1991 till the crash, also the 30ft or less AGL pass over the ridge in Yakima(which i have been to a few occations)we dont need these crazy ideas of what happend.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 13:44:34 2009)
theorys like" Mcgeehan was flying at the time of the crash" retards..dont you see the hatch blow off cuz he was trying to eject!! and there are to levers left and right side of the ejection set to pull!!
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 13:52:07 2009)
And for those people who just did not watch enough TV, B52`s have ejection seats lol. Bud was pushing it for years,then one day he pushed it to far! and it was a sad day where people lost fathers in a Fire Ball.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 14:05:45 2009)
If you want to blame someone or a grope of people,dont blame Lt Col Bud Holland, blame the Officers and commanders over him for not doing nothing about his behavior for at least 3 years before the crash.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 14:19:31 2009)
I was a tall young black male lower enlisted airman that showed no fear of white people like other negros was born to do.. so (people)did wrongs to me and told lies after to cover it up.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 14:24:26 2009)
I would complain to there superiours and because i was Black and they was not(sometimes),had a stripe or two more than I, was in the"good old boy club"and very good story tellers..crimes again me was sweept under the rug.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 14:31:25 2009)
So i know what happend when Lt Col Mcgeehan and other Officers went to superior's to stop this crash from happening..and you all know it too but pretend you dont in the court room. Thats why i dont blame Lt Col Arthur "Bud" Holland too much.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 15:15:46 2009)
If anyone,even Buds daughter Meg could furnish a photo of Lt col Arthur Holland RIP,could you E-mail it to me at dchrist223@gmail.com?? He has always been a legand at Fairchild and i never knew how he looks
From:	X AF outlaw	(Mon Nov 2 15:21:03 2009)
Its like the Air Force was so angry with him,they try to erase his exsistans..like what they try to do with me lol. people.. we all are not perfect, some of us are special in our own way. So me and Bud got somthing in coman lol X AF outlaws lol
From:	MSGT Dick Ervin98750	(Sun Nov 8 00:51:56 2009)
This was a tragic accident for the Air Force/Air Guard Community @FAFB one of my Combat communications crews was 1/2 mile from this incident. coupled with the FAFB clinic shootings and the KC 135 crash
From:	X AF outlaw	(Sun Nov 8 11:46:28 2009)
This reply is for SP Steve.. the majority word At FAFB is that the "pilot" increase his bank sharply to avoied flying over the NUKE weapon storage area on the other side of the Main Base.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Sun Nov 8 11:55:33 2009)
Information from another user on this blog that he was in a Buff in the pattern during the time of the crash and did not say Bud banked hard to avoid them.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Sun Nov 8 12:00:06 2009)
Also in the Video that the KC-135 that was in the pattern had just landed,the runway was in use,thats why tower told CZAR52 to go around. So i say he did not try to avoid another AC
From:	X AF outlaw	(Sun Nov 8 12:06:59 2009)
MSGT Dick Ervin98750 you are right.. The shooting at the hospital 2 days before and the crash realy had the people at FAFB at there lows.I Have good friends who was there at the time tell me all about it. I do remember the FAFB ANG KC-135E crashed in Germany
From:	signz	(Fri Nov 20 22:50:46 2009)
Its fairly obvious what happened here, Bud put on a good show and had a good history as a rudder and stick man. They overlooked his transgressions because they needed him for the many shows he did and this is why they kept him around.
From:	signz	(Fri Nov 20 22:55:28 2009)
The fact is, Bud simply got used to pushing the aircraft to its limits and he pushed it too far. Bud bears the most blame but the commanding officer is also guilty.
From:	signz	(Fri Nov 20 22:59:16 2009)
I'm pretty sure Bud was at the controls and knew just what he was doing, He just went too far, Meg needs to accept the facts and get over the denial shes living in.
From:	signz	(Fri Nov 20 23:03:29 2009)
A barrel roll in a B-52? Maybe, Its been said it was a life long ambition of Buds. He would have to do it slow and high, but it would probably damage the AC.
From:	B52IRN	(Sat Dec 5 21:26:35 2009)
Signz. A former B-52 gunner told me of an unplanned barrel roll over Vietnam, avoiding SAMs. He was on board.
From:	accel	(Mon Jan 4 13:28:53 2010)
X AF outlaw: "If you want to blame someone or a grope of people,dont blame Lt Col Bud Holland, blame the Officers and commanders over him for not doing nothing about his behavior for at least 3 years before the crash."
From:	accel	(Mon Jan 4 13:30:41 2010)
I think this summarizes it all. Everyone wanted to share Holland's very special success as AirShowman 'cause nobody else had courage to do it.
From:	accel	(Mon Jan 4 13:31:13 2010)
And I believe everyone with little or no exceptions wanted to make it part of his own success, be connected this or another way, and all that directly or indirectly pushed Holland towards more and more stunts.
From:	accel	(Mon Jan 4 13:32:02 2010)
But once fatal error happened - nobody wanted to share responsibility. Shame on you people.
From:	accel	(Mon Jan 4 13:32:24 2010)
If inevitable wouldn't happen most of you would say today he was a remarkable ace and living legend and it was your honor knowing him.
From:	accel	(Mon Jan 4 13:33:54 2010)
Why nobody had enough guts and brain despite McGeehan's attempts to oppose and try to tell him "that's enough, bud" right there?
From:	accel	(Mon Jan 4 13:34:15 2010)
Or help create safe environment for those stunts?
From:	accel	(Mon Jan 4 13:34:33 2010)
And why everyone becomes this smart, bold and fearless to express obvious things after the crash?
From:	accel	(Mon Jan 4 13:34:58 2010)
' Cause he's an easy target. And those who were actually responsible may wash their hands.
From:	accel	(Mon Jan 4 13:35:25 2010)
So blame his officers and commanders and all others who satisfied their ego with Holland's help but have no real courage to admit their fault.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Tue Jan 5 17:32:57 2010)
Well said accel
From:	X AF outlaw	(Tue Jan 5 18:11:17 2010)
To everyone who reads and comments on this blog, the first photo up top,left side on this site is disturbing! It shows both left and right wing spoilers up.
From:	X AF outlaw	(Tue Jan 5 18:23:43 2010)
I look at the crash videos over and over again on youtube and i also am disturbed by the action of the buff just or right after the zoom and enhanced snapshot photo from the video was taken.
From:	CMEI	(Thu Jan 14 05:40:05 2010)
X AF outlaw wrote: "To everyone who reads and comments on this blog, the first photo up top,left side on this site is disturbing! It shows both left and right wing spoilers up."
From:	CMEI	(Thu Jan 14 05:41:35 2010)
I don't pretend to know anything about the control systems on this aircraft. The only thing I've flown with wing spoilers is a Lear 25D. I've looked at the very same thing in that picture and wondered everytime WHY both spoilerons are in the up position.
From:	CMEI	(Thu Jan 14 05:43:32 2010)
Can ayone clarify if that is a normal position for these control surfaces during the regime of the flight? I agree the aircraft departed from controled flight due to wing stall. Of that there is no doubt.
From:	CMEI	(Thu Jan 14 05:44:52 2010)
Is it just the delayed reaction to the pilots reversal of the roll controls and the inboard (left) winf spoileron has simply not been retracted by the hydraulic system before the right wing spoileron was deployed by the system?
From:	CMEI	(Thu Jan 14 05:46:00 2010)
It looks as if the AOB may not have been the only factor contributing to the total loss of wing lift...although the AOB is, no doubt, plenty of reason to cause the tip stall and the resulting 'slide to the low side.'
From:	CMEI	(Thu Jan 14 05:46:54 2010)
But. . . can we get some comment from you B52 drivers or crewmen on those spoilerons both being deployed at the same time in a high g turn at low airspeed?
From:	Larry	(Mon Jan 18 18:56:46 2010)
From what I have seen, Bud Holland was a great pilot - a legend in the Air Force. The problem was, he too started believing he was a legend and in the final analysis discovered that physics didn't care.
From:	just sayin	(Tue Feb 2 13:43:28 2010)
I believe the pilot was trying to go near vertical in front of the spectators with disastrous results.
From:	Serf # Hellenic Air Force	(Mon Mar 15 19:45:43 2010)
16 years past and still talking for this crash i know is a way wierd how tha hell he could do manuvers like that and in a typical go around to make this big mistake
From:	Serf # Hellenic Air Force	(Mon Mar 15 19:46:20 2010)
i like to ask is there any voice recorder script or audio anywhere? did any one find one over these years?
From:	Serf # Hellenic Air Force	(Mon Mar 15 19:46:37 2010)
can the crew relatives tell us if the know any one told them the last conversation the crew had and post it here? my best regards to the crew famls RIP
From:	circle drive	(Mon May 31 18:09:58 2010)
#1 Bud's career had been shut down long before this incident, he would never make col. he had been in the squadron too long. His admirer who was a general in SAC/ACC saved his career a few times.
From:	circle drive	(Mon May 31 18:22:42 2010)
. #2 3 previous wing commanders did nothing, two of them with direct combat experience in the B-52, they knew the outer limits of this aircraft..with rivets popping out the wings they still did nothing. These commanders knew the consequences of grounding Holland, it could end their career.
From:	circle drive	(Mon May 31 18:24:41 2010)
#3 Col. Pellerin was a KC-135 pilot and an ego maniac. He was basically on his way out the door, more interested in padding his harvard lined resume, his star was rising. Bill could read a book or write a nice poem, he looked good on paper at the pentagon, paper can't fly an airplane though
From:	circle drive	(Mon May 31 18:27:02 2010)
.#4 Richards spent half of his time away from the base anyway and I don't mean in downtown spokane. Bottom line, everyone was more concerned about their careers upward mobility than taking the fall for some washed up pilot who had idiot friends in high places.
From:	circle drive	(Mon May 31 18:30:20 2010)
Answering some of the previous posts, Pellerin retired as a LTC. Richards career hit the brick wall as well. 1 star. The others had either retired long before or were getting their time in teaching at the AF academy.
From:	circle drive	(Mon May 31 18:31:33 2010)
There were also rumors that the person flying the plane was not bud, but someone being instructed by Bud. We will never know this. I feel great sorrow for all their wives and children. God Bless.
From:	Darker shades of Reality	(Mon May 31 20:08:19 2010)
ACC forced Fafb leadership to accept Pellerin as the new DO, as they had bigger plans for him. Notice the word forced. Who was the guy in ACC that championed his placement?
From:	Darker shades of Reality	(Mon May 31 20:16:18 2010)
There was an objection to Pellerin because of his former leadership style..."objection noted."you know. Holland and Pellerin were protected and being forcefully placed by flag officers in ACC.
From:	OER	(Mon May 31 20:34:32 2010)
The leadership in SAC/ACC set the cornerstone for this tragedy, make no mistake. Base leadership was afraid of pissing of those Generals in SAC/ACC that were watching.
From:	Club Fairchild	(Mon May 31 20:42:15 2010)
4 wing kings/coutless sq commanders/3 Dos. and Holland is left unchecked. It's called protection folks. Hollands wife knows it, maybe she needs to tell it.
From:	KellyF disobeys direct oredr b52	(Mon May 31 21:07:13 2010)
Gen Fogleman/first AF Academy grad to become af chief of staff/retired a year early.why?Kelly Flinn was being protected by the W/house&Senate.
From:	The best AF chief of staff period	(Mon May 31 21:19:17 2010)
Fogleman's advice had been ignored and he felt her situation set a dismal example for all af aviators. The commanders at fairchild were in the same situation..powerless b/c of outside interference.
From:	In the know	(Sat Jun 26 02:32:42 2010)
Visit http://www.check-six.com/Crash_Sites/Czar52Crash.htm for an excellent summary of the accident
From:	Airwave	(Sat Jul 17 04:25:24 2010)
The often promoted idea that the PIC banked over hard left to avoid the Nuke storage area - makes no sense at all. He was based at FAFB, therefore he obviously knew the airfield layout intimately, he planned the flying display, and before the airshow, he practiced the scripted manoeuvres.
From:	Mark Lincoln	(Sat Jul 17 19:45:11 2010)
As a child, I often listened to airline pilots swearing they though 'Ockey' was a great pilot, and he how they could not imagine how he ended up in a smoking hole. Yet many times I had heard them say 'Ockey' was going to end up in a smoking hole if he cept flying like he did.
From:	I understand the passionate pleas	(Sat Jul 17 19:47:52 2010)
Of children and friends. The horrible fact is that Holland flew his airplane and passengers into a smoking hole. To watch the video is sickening, not because I know how it ends, but because it is clear seconds before, that it had to end badly.
From:	BUFF Mechanic	(Wed Aug 11 14:10:44 2010)
Folks, it is never good when a B-52 crashes. Let alone place blame. I have personally been involved with two B-52 crashes.
From:	BUFF Mechanic	(Wed Aug 11 14:11:59 2010)
1) was 0040 at K.I. Sawyer. My crew and I were the first ones to the rolling cockpit when it stopped after watching it blow in mid air.
From:	BUFF Mechanic	(Wed Aug 11 14:12:57 2010)
The blame was placed on maintenance for not reinstalling a spark arrestor in the mid tank fuel pump.
From:	BUFF Mechanic	(Wed Aug 11 14:13:25 2010)
During the touch and goes the mid tank fuel pump sparked causing the mid air explosion. Miraculously everyone survived though not all flew again.C669I
From:	BUFF Mechanic	(Wed Aug 11 14:13:59 2010)
Number 2) was during Desert Storm, when (I don't remember the tail number)when electircal failure caused problems 1 mile out while over the Indian Ocean. The IP advised not to lower flaps but they pilot had already lowered flaps so he raised flaps which shorted out all electrical.
From:	BUFF Mechanic	(Wed Aug 11 14:14:30 2010)
The plan crashed shortly after. Everyone but the radar nav ejected only 3 were found and remenants washed up on shore for a week after. Blame was placed on the pilot for raising flaps after the IP instructed him not to lower the flaps. The fault was an electrical mechanical failure not the pilot.
From:	BUFF Mechanic	(Wed Aug 11 14:15:18 2010)
My point here is that for every crash blame or findings for a better word is documented. It doesn't matter who is at fault, people died. It is horrific to think we as human beings would attack the family members of the men who died in these terrible accidents.
From:	BUFF Mechanic	(Wed Aug 11 14:16:15 2010)
No matter who was at fault or what the investigative reports are. Let's have some compassion and reserve comments.
From:	BUFF Mechanic	(Wed Aug 11 14:16:40 2010)
I for one am today a flyer who does understand the number of variables that can't be planned for that can cause crashes and I only fly single engine props with B-52's the variables grow exponentially.
From:	BUFF Mechanic	(Wed Aug 11 14:17:17 2010)
Both of the crashes I have been involved with haunt me to this day. I remember the day the plane crashed at Failrchild and how even us stationed at K.I. Sawyer felt.
From:	BUFF Mechanic	(Wed Aug 11 14:17:41 2010)
Remember the good the men and families involved did and forget the rest. It is a selfless act to serve this country. Keep it at that. It has been long enough.
From:	BUFF pilot's son	(Mon Aug 23 17:54:52 2010)
Watch the video--at about 3.5 seconds before impact, the engine exhaust trails all disappear simultaneously. Why? Flameout or did someone pull the throttles back
From:	BUFF pilot's son	(Mon Aug 23 17:59:27 2010)
Running the engines at idle in that situation obviously isn't what a pilot would intentionally do--unless he was trying to impact the ground.

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