“Left Wing In Dirt”: B-2 Stealth Bomber Damaged During Emergency Landing

A Northrop Grumman stealth bomber experienced an in-flight emergency and was forced to land at Whiteman Air Force Base Saturday evening. The bomber experienced damage during the landing and caught fire, according to reports. 

“A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit experienced an in-flight malfunction during routine operations today and was damaged on the runway at Whiteman Air Force Base after it successfully completed an emergency landing,” USAF’s 509th Bomb Wing told Task and Purpose in a statement. 

The only image of what could be the damaged stealth bomber that emerged on social media appears to be a Facebook post that reads: “B2 off runway at Whiteman AFB. May or may not have been on fire. Left wing in the dirt.” 

Around 2300 UTC, Whiteman AFB issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) that declared “RUNWAY 01/19 CLOSED.” The NOTAM covering the runway closure expires on Dec. 16. 

Only 21 B-2 bombers were built between 1987-2000. The 509th Bomb Wing didn’t expand on the malfunction and damage sustained during the emergency landing. 

This mishap followed a B-2 incident in September 2021 when one skidded off the runway in an emergency landing. 

“With such a tiny fleet, and just over half of it being fully operational at any given, any significant damage to a B-2 is a major event,” The Drive explained. 

And the incident occurred more than a week after Northrop and the USAF unveiled the world’s first sixth-generation bomber that will replace the B-2 in the coming years.