1961 Yuba City B-52 crash

On 14 March 1961 an aircraft accident occurred near Yuba City, California. A United States Air Force B-52F-70-BW Stratofortress bomber, AF Serial No. 57-0166, c/n 464155, carrying two nuclear weapons departed from Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento. The aircraft experienced an uncontrolled decompression that required it to descend to 10000 ft in order to lower the cabin altitude. Increased fuel consumption caused by having to fly at lower altitude, combined with the inability to rendezvous with a tanker in time caused the aircraft to run out of fuel. The aircrew ejected safely, and then the unmanned aircraft crashed 15 mi west of Yuba City, tearing the nuclear weapons from the aircraft on impact.

The weapons did not detonate as their safety devices worked properly. A fireman was killed and several others injured in a road accident while en route to the accident scene.