Wired’s got some awesome video of a B2 Stealth Bomber crashing as it took off last February. Looking at these things taking off in the video it’s hard to see why they fly at all.
Wired.com: “On takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base, the $1.4 billion plane abruptly ‘pitched up, rolled and yawed to the left before plunging to the ground,’ the AP describes. The reason why: ‘Water distorted preflight readings in three of the plane’s 24 sensors, making the aircraft’s control computer force the B-2 to pitch up on takeoff, resulting in a stall and subsequent crash.’ Luckily, ‘both pilots ejected safely just after the left wing made contact with the ground in the first crash since the maiden B-2 flights nearly 20 years ago.’ Check out the video, and you’ll see just how fortunate the pilots were to make it out.”