In a tragic incident, an Air Force bomber jet crashed during a training mission at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota on Thursday. The B-1B Lancer was attempting to land when it lost control of the aircraft, leading to the crash. Fortunately, all four aircrew members on board were able to safely eject from the plane before it smashed into the ground just before 6 p.m.

The cause of the accident is still unknown, but there are speculations about the role of icy and foggy weather conditions. At the time of the crash, the area was facing below-freezing temperatures and cloudy weather. This prompted a response from multiple local fire departments due to reports of a small fire at the crash site.

The Air Force has announced that a board of officers will be investigating the incident to determine the exact cause. This crash adds to a series of military aircraft training accidents, although previous collisions had resulted in fatalities. In November, eight crew members were killed when their Osprey aircraft crashed off southern Japan during a training mission. Investigators later concluded that the tragedy was caused by a plane malfunction rather than human error. Additionally, in August, there were two separate fatal Marine Corps-related aviation accidents within a week. Three US Marines died when their plane crashed during a joint-nation exercise in Australia, while another soldier died while piloting a helicopter during training in California.

The B-1 Lancer, a conventional supersonic bomber, has been in service since the 1980s. It has been utilized to support the U.S. bomber presence in the Asia-Pacific region and to conduct close air support missions in Afghanistan. However, it does not carry nuclear weapons. Originally, 100 B-1 Lancers were built, but currently, less than 60 remain in service, with Dyess Air Force Base in Texas and Ellsworth Air Force Base being the two locations where they are stationed.

This incident serves as a reminder of the risks and challenges faced by military personnel during training missions. The Air Force will continue to investigate the crash to prevent similar incidents in the future and ensure the safety of its aircrew members.