B-1 bomber crashes at South Dakota Air Force base, crew ejects safely

By TARA COPP
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Air Force says a B-1 Lancer bomber from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota crashed Thursday, with all four of its crew members ejecting. At the time of the crash visibility was poor with freezing temperatures and low clouds, according to automated weather reporting equipment recording airfield conditions. The B-1 is a conventional supersonic bomber that first came into service in the 1980s. It has been used to support the U.S. bomber presence in the Asia Pacific region and to conduct close air support missions in U.S. operations in Afghanistan. It does not carry nuclear weapons.