crashes S of Stone Lake ≈Hayward, WI–9

lornajarrettblanchard November 18, 1966

–9 Associated Press. “B52 Crashes in Wisconsin.” Racine Journal-Times, WI. 11-9-1966, p. 1.
–9 Aviation Safety Network. USAF B-52, crash S of Stone Lake, WI, 18-Nov-1966

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database:
“Date: 18- Nov-1966
“Time: evening
“Type: Boeing B-52G-105-BW Stratofortress
“Owner/operator: United States Air Force (USAF)
“Registration: 58-0228
“MSN: 464296
“Fatalities: Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9
…
“Location: S of Stone Lake, Sawyer County, WI…
“Phase: En route
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: Barksdale AFB, LA (15:00)
“Destination airport: K. I. Sawyer AFB, MI
“Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
“Narrative:

“Flew into the ground in swampland south of Stone Lake, Sawyer County, Wisconsin, northeast of Hauer, and west of Signor, WI.

“The 19 Nov 66 crash identified as having been a KI Sawyer AFB B-52 in refueling actually was a B-52G from Barksdale AFB, Louisiana . They were on a low level terrain avoidance night mission (before SAC stopped the night TA flights). They had just entered low level and were calibrating their terrain avoidance radar, when they got too low, clipped the tops of the forest and crashed.”

Newspaper

Nov 19, AP: “Hayward, Wis. (AP) – Air Force investigators searched the wreckage of a B52 bomber in remote country near here today for nine airmen believed killed in the crash. A spokesman at Duluth, Minn., AFV said communications had not been established with the crash site, four miles from the nearest road in north-western Wisconsin. Location of the crash was seven miles east of Stone Lake, a small community about 14 miles south of Hayward.

“The pilot of the bomber was Capt. Curtis E. Robertson, Schuyler, Va., father of six children.

“The Strategic Air Command bomber was on a training mission from Barksdale AFB, La. The Air Force said the jet had just completed in-flight refueling and contacted all radio check points moments before it went down at 6:30 p.m. Friday. An Air Force investigation team from K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich., tried to find the wreckage Friday night, but 11-degree temperatures nd darkness ended operations until this morning. Air Force spokesmen held out slim hope that some of the crew might have got out of the bomber before it crashed. ‘I happened to be looking right at it when it crashed. There was a terrific explosion,’ said Roger Langhamm, a Wisconsin Conservation Department employee. Langhamm said he and a half dozen friends and hunting companions made their way to the scene, more than a mile from the nearest road. ‘We saw several bodies,’ he said. ‘There were just fragments of the plane, although the engines were more or less intact.’

“The Air Force released names of men aboard the plane, but declined to list them as dead pending identification by a team from Barksdale.” (Associated Press. “B52 Crashes in Wisconsin.” The Racine Journal-Times, WI. 11-9-1966, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “B52 Crashes in Wisconsin.” The Racine Journal-Times, WI. 11-9-1966, p. 1. Accessed 7-14-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/racine-journal-times-nov-19-1966-p-1/

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database. USAF B-52 Stratofortress crash S of Stone Lake, WI, 18-Nov-1966. Accessed 7-14-2023 at:
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/48304