A U2 spy plane has crashed in Northern rural California. One pilot was killed and another injured when the spy plane crashed shortly after takeoff Tuesday morning.
Shortly after takeoff from Beale Air Force Base, the U2 spy plane crashed into a rural area north of Sacramento. The crash occurred around 9 AM local time. The aircraft was assigned to the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron at Beale Air Force Base and was on a training mission, officials said. The cause of the crash is being investigated.
Official reports indicate one pilot has been killed. The extent of the other pilots injuries are not known at this time. With two pilots on board, the crash would appear to be a TU-2S, which is the trainer version of the U2. The TU-2S is very rare, with only 5 believed to still be in operation.
TU-2S (www.beale.af.mil)
The original U-2A first flew in August 1955.
Early flights over the Soviet Union in the late 1950s provided the president and other U.S. decision makers with key intelligence on Soviet military capability. The last time a U-2 Dragon Lady crashed in the area was on Aug. 7, 1996, in Oroville, CA.
TU-2S crash site (@sfchronicle)
More updates as they become available.
You can read the Los Angeles Times full article here.
Top image: Los Angeles Times