B-52 Crash, Yuba City CA “Broken Arrow“ (1961)

Declassified video of 1961 crash scene of a B-52 Stratofortress near Yuba City, California. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Film Catalog number ; Department of Energy TF 0800082 On 14 March 1961 an aircraft accident occurred near Yuba City, California. A United States Air Force B-52F-70-BW Stratofortress bomber, AF Serial No. 57-0166, c/n 464155, carrying two nuclear weapons departed from Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento. According to the official USAF report, the aircraft experienced an uncontrolled decompression that required it to descend to 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in order to lower the cabin altitude. Increased fuel consumption caused by having to fly at lower altitude, combined with the inability to rendezvous with a tanker in time caused the aircraft to run out of fuel. The aircrew ejected safely, and then the unmanned aircraft crashed 15 miles (24 km) west of Yuba City, tearing the nuclear weapons from the aircraft on impact. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Film Catalog number