Airman 1st Class Rhea Beil
Capt. Charles Powell attempted to restart the engines and managed to bring back two of the four that had given out.
Lt. Col. John Conway, another crew member, said “the reason Captain Powell was able to recover the aircraft safely is because he has trained to a six-engine approach many times and holds himself to a high standard when he trains.”
He added that “Capt. Powell and Capt. Walls both performed admirably and with immense poise that day.”
The bomber lost its engines on one side. Shortly after the two engines restarted, the crew was able to make an unusual turn back against the roll, declare an emergency, and achieve a safe landing with assistance from air traffic control.
The crew’s actions were significant, as they successfully recovered the unwieldy aircraft at a low altitude of just 1,200 feet while flying over a populated area in Bossier City.
“The Scout 94 crew overcame multiple catastrophic failures to safely land the aircraft, averting potential disaster in the air and on the ground,” the Air Force said.
During the 2023 Air Force Global Strike Command Operations Awards, the B-52 crew received the Air Force Global Strike Command General Curtis E. LeMay Award in the outstanding bomber crew category.
“I’m very proud of how we handled the situation,” Walls said of the emergency that lasted only minutes but required a quick response. “It was fast and intense, and there wasn’t time for discussion, just action. In my opinion, everyone fell into their role and did what was required.”