B-1B accident report released Published Sept. 3, 2008 Air Combat Command Public Affairs LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. -- Release No: 09-08-02 A brake metering valve failure caused a B-1B bomber to collide with two aircraft rescue firefighting vehicles on March 7, 2008, according to an Air Combat Command accident investigation board. The board determined the aircraft began to roll forward after engine shutdown at Anderson AB, Guam. Malfunction of the right hand brake metering valve caused depletion of the associated brake system accumulators, rendering the aircraft's brake systems inoperative when the engines shut down. There were no injuries. Damage to the B-1B assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth AFB, S.D., and the two firefighting vehicles assigned to Andersen AB, totaled $5.8 million. Contributing factors to the mishap included a slight taxiway declination, failure of the aircraft to be chalked in a timely manner and the inability of the firefighting vehicles to successfully clear the path of the rolling B-1B. The in-flight loss of the #3 hydraulic system due to improper swage operations and post-task inspection caused the initial in-flight emergency that necessitated landing at Andersen AB, so it was also cited as a substantially contributing factor. For more information, contact the Air Combat Command Public Affairs office at (757) 764-5014 or e-mail acc.pam@langley.af.mil.