October 16, 1984, USAF, Boeing B-52G (57-6479) Monument Valley, AZ

ACCIDENT SYNOPSIS:

On October 16, 1984 at 3:46 PM, a Boeing B-52G (SWOON 52) operated by the 92nd BMW of the Strategic Air Command departed Fairchild Air Force Base, WA for a scheduled night T-3 Training Mission.

At 8:55 PM, while flying in and out of snow showers, the B-52's right wing and #4 engine pylon struck the north crest of Hunts Mesa on the Navajo Indian Reservation. The aircraft continued to travel on a 155 degree magnetic heading another 3,465 feet before it crashed onto a lower southern bluff of Hunts Mesa. On board the aircraft were:

Capt. Robert L. Keeney......Pilot
1st.Lt. Douglas J. Schwartz...Co-Pilot
Maj. Eugene J. Daspit......Radar Navigator
1st.Lt. Kenneth O. Portis.....Navigator
Capt. Sean M. Yeronick......Electronic Warfare Officer
Sgt. David W. Felix........Gunner
Col. William L. Ivy........Pilot/Safety Observer

After striking the mesa, the crew managed to eject from the aircraft with serious injuries. The exception being Sgt. David Felix whose parachute failed to deploy before ground contact and Col. William Ivy who was seated in the observers seat without the capability to eject or escape before the plane crashed. Both were killed in the accident.

**********************************************************************************

HISTORICAL SUMMARY:

I have known of this accident since 1992 and have flown over the area many times but had never been able to locate the crash site from the air. I knew from talking with the local Navajos that the area had been "cleaned" by the Air Force a year or so after the accident.

On September 19, 2008, I traveled to Hunts Mesa on the Navajo Indian Reservation to see for myself if anything remains at the site.

Thanks again to Brad Gray for the accident report and the information he provided. Through his assistance, he saved me many hours of searching.

A cast metal fragment with the aircraft manufacturer name "BOEING" on the side.
100 3528
Another component casting fragment with part number and manufacture.
100 3529
A charred circuit board was one of many I encountered as I walked the site.
100 3530
Looking across the crash site to the northwest.
100 3531
The second concentrated burn area as seen from atop a tall rock outcropping.
100 3532
Another view of the second concentrated burn area (circled) looking northeast.
100 3549
The small red circle on the horizon marks the location of my ATV from the crash site.
100 3550
Burned switch panel.
100 3534
Not liking heights, this was as close as I wanted to get. A "chimney" with a 300+ foot drop. Wreckage could be seen far below.
100 3537
More wiring and a circuit breaker.
100 3538
This 35 amp circuit breaker was manufactured by the Klixon Corp.
100 3539
This heavy chunk of wreckage was thrown atop one of the rock outcroppings.

This was one the biggest fragments located. Unfortunately, the military clean-up was very thorough on removing big structural components and all eight power-plants.
100 3541
Looking over the southern edge of the bluff I could see fragments that were thrown several hundred feet below on ledges.
100 3546
On the eastern edge of the bluff where the drop is more than 800 vertical feet, I could see more fragments at the bottom of Double Arch Canyon.
100 3547
A view off the eastern side of the bluff showing Double Arch Canyon as it winds its way to the southeast.
100 3548
Another stamped part with a part number and an inspection stamp marked "BW" for Boeing Wichita. Boeing's military aircraft division.
100 3551
An ironic find. A back-lit panel fragment referring to the B-52G's Terrain Avoidance System.
100 3554
This piece of red plastic vinyl had a clear plastic pouch.
100 3555
Examining a burned circuit board. This one was stamped "Made in Malaysia".
100 3556
This fragment featured the olive green and brown camouflage paint found on the upper surfaces of the aircraft.
100 3558
A burned electrical relay was found partially buried in the sandy surface.
100 3559
Not quite sure what this was a cover for. It had an electrical cannon plug type connector and two air or fluid connection lines.
100 3562
The B-52G was an old aircraft so it was not too surprising to discover that not all of the electronics and avionics were of modern solid state design. All that remains of a smashed vacuum tube.
100 3570
A cap/cover assembly from a Vernitron pressure sensor.
100 3571
An electrical component switch that escaped the fire.
100 3572
Not sure what this was either. It's heavy and made of iron.
100 3574
I found this piece of petrified wood on my hike back to the ATV. A million or so years ago this vast desert was once a swamp or forest.

This area has it all; Wreckchasing, Archaeology, and Geology!
100 3590
Monument Valley Petrified Wood.
100 3591
Ten hours later and over four miles of rough road, it was time to load the ATV back on the truck.
100 3594
With the ATV loaded and secured, I was ready for the four hour drive back home to Flagstaff.
100 3597
It was interesting to finally see in the daylight how bad the road really was.
About three miles of the driving was in sandy flash flood prone washes. With thunderstorms in the area, travel in these washes can be deadly.
Just two weeks prior to this trip, I flew over this area and witnessed a huge flash flood roaring down this very wash. Scary stuff.
Traditional housing for the Navajo Indian is the "Hogan". This one is made of logs with plaster walls and a mud roof.

Thank you for viewing.

THE END.