Security Summaries are comprehensive reports compiled by the FAA that encapsulate the security-related events, incidents, and measures taken within a specified period. These summaries are designed to provide a high-level overview of the security landscape in the aviation sector, highlighting trends, notable incidents, and responses to security threats.

Key elements typically included in Security Summaries are:

• Incident Reports: A detailed account of security incidents, including unauthorized access attempts, security breaches, and any suspicious activities detected at airports and other aviation facilities.
• Response Actions: Information on the actions taken by security personnel and authorities in response to the reported incidents, including any preventative measures implemented to mitigate future risks.
• Security Assessments: Evaluations of the current security protocols and their effectiveness, identifying any vulnerabilities and recommending improvements.

Below you will find archived releases by the FAA of these documents.

Document Archive

Security Summaries and Security Summary Memoranda: FAA’s Northwest Mountain Region – 1998, 1999 and 2000 [916 Pages, 103MB]

The post Security Summaries and Security Summary Memoranda: FAA’s Northwest Mountain Region first appeared on The Black Vault.

Document Archive

Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Records

DIA Records Released on the Incident [10 Pages, 2MB]

Note: These DIA records were first requested by The Black Vault in 2005! They were originally denied in full, and exempt from release due to them being entirely classified. In 2016, The Black Vault filed again to try and pry them loose. The above is the result.

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [2.17 MB]

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Records

 CIA Intelligence which contained references to this incident [16 Pages, 700kb]

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [706.53 KB]

The post Collision Between USS Baton Rouge and Russian K-276 Crab (later B-276 Kostroma), 2/11/1992 first appeared on The Black Vault.

Background

Here is, according to Wikipedia, what is believed to have happened to the Kursk:

The Kursk submarine disaster occurred during a major Russian naval exercise in the Barents Sea on Saturday, 12 August 2000. The Kursk, an Oscar-class submarine (Russian: Project 949A Антей), was preparing to load a dummy 65-76 “Kit” torpedo when a fire, followed by a large explosion, caused the ship to sink. Nearby ships registered the explosion but did not know what to make of it. A second, much larger, explosion took place two minutes and 15 seconds later, and was powerful enough to register on seismographs as far away as Alaska.

The Russian Navy did not recognise that the vessel had sunk for more than six hours and because the emergency rescue buoy had been intentionally disabled, it took more than 16 hours for them to locate the sunken ship. Over four days they used four different diving bells and submersibles to try to attach to the escape hatch without success. The navy’s response was criticized as slow and inept. The government initially misled the public and media about the timing of the accident, stating that communication had been established and that a rescue effort was under way, and refused help from other governments. The Russian Navy offered a variety of reasons for the sub’s sinking, including blaming the accident on a collision with a NATO vessel. On the fifth day, the Russians accepted British and Norwegian offers of assistance. Seven days after the submarine went down, Norwegian divers finally opened a hatch to the rescue tube in the ship’s ninth compartment, hoping to locate survivors, but found it flooded.

An official investigation after most of the wreck was raised along with analysis of pieces of debris concluded that a faulty weld in the casing of the practice torpedo caused high-test peroxide (HTP) to leak, which caused the kerosene fuel to explode. The initial explosion destroyed the torpedo room, severely damaged the control room, incapacitated or killed the control room crew, and caused the submarine to sink. The fire resulting from this explosion in turn triggered the detonation of between five and seven torpedo warheads after the submarine had struck bottom. This second explosion was equivalent to between 2 to 3 tonnes (2.0 to 3.0 long tons; 2.2 to 3.3 short tons) of TNT. It collapsed the first three compartments and all the decks, and destroyed compartments four and five, killing everyone forward of the nuclear reactor compartment. An alternative explanation offered by critics suggested that the crew was not familiar with nor trained on firing HTP torpedoes and had unknowingly followed preparation and firing instructions intended for a very different type of torpedo. Combined with poor oversight and incomplete inspections, the sailors initiated a set of events that led to the explosion.

It was later determined that 23 sailors in the sixth through ninth compartments survived the two explosions and took refuge in the ninth compartment. They survived more than six hours before an oxygen cartridge contacted the oily sea water, triggering an explosion and flash fire that consumed the remaining oxygen. All 118 sailors and officers—111 crew members, five officers from 7th SSGN Division Headquarters, and two design engineers—aboard the Kursk died. The following year, a Dutch team was contracted by the Russians to raise the hull. Employing newly developed lifting technologies, they recovered all but the bow of the vessel, including the remains of 115 sailors, who were buried in Russia.

Despite the public story, it is not fully known what truly happened to the Kursk.  Many theorize that it could have been brought down by a collision with an American ship in the area, but of course, evidence to prove it is hard to come by.

Below, you will find the records uncovered via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Declassified Documents

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

 CIA Declassified KURSK Documents, Released June 2016 [17 Pages, 2.3MB]

 CIA Declassified KURSK Documents, Released February 2022 [15 Pages, 1.1MB] – In 2019, The Black Vault filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) case to get the above June 2016 released documents reviewed. Although some redactions were lifted – it is clear many secrets remain about the sinking of the Kursk.

 CIA Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Documents, Released March 2017 [9 Pages, 2.1MB]

Department of the Navy

 Department of the Navy Declassified Maritime Reports [16 Pages, 0.8MB] – This, according to the NAVY, is all the material they currently have about the sinking of the Kursk.  These records were declassified in January of 2015.

National Security Agency

 NSA MDR Denial, April 2019 [3 Pages, 0.8MB] – In October of 2014, I requested records from the NSA regarding the Kursk. They were fully denied and exempt from release. In November of 2018, I requested a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) on the records found, but were fully exempt. In April of 2019, they denied the MDR, and said the documents remained TOP SECRET and SECRET.

 NSA MDR APPEAL Denial, September 2019 [3 Pages, 0.8MB] – I did try to appeal the above denial, however, that too, was denied.

The post The Sinking of the K-141 “Kursk” Russian Submarine first appeared on The Black Vault.

On 21 January 1968, an aircraft accident involving a United States Air Force (USAF) B-52 bomber occurred near Thule Air Base in the Danish territory of Greenland. The aircraft was carrying four hydrogen bombs on a Cold War”Chrome Dome” alert mission over Baffin Bay when a cabin fire forced the crew to abandon the aircraft before they could carry out an emergency landing at Thule Air Base. Six crew members ejected safely, but one who did not have an ejection seat was killed while trying to bail out. The bomber crashed onto sea ice in North Star Bay, Greenland, causing the conventional explosives aboard to detonate and the nuclear payload to rupture and disperse, which resulted in radioactive contamination.

The United States and Denmark launched an intensive clean-up and recovery operation, but the secondary stage of one of the nuclear weapons could not be accounted for after the operation completed. USAF Strategic Air Command “Chrome Dome” operations were discontinued immediately after the accident, which highlighted the safety and political risks of the missions. Safety procedures were reviewed and more stable explosives were developed for use in nuclear weapons. (Description of event courtesy of Wikipedia)

Declassified Documents

Department of the Air Force

•  USAF FOIA Response, April 25, 2018 [2 Pages, 0.3MB]
  • “Thule Nuclear Weapons Accident DOSE Evaluation Report” dated April 2001 [48 Pages, 0.6MB]
  • PROJECT CRESTED ICE – USAF B-52 Accident at Thule, Greenland, 21 January 1968 [214 Pages, 5.5MB]
  • USAF Nuclear Safety, Volume 65 (Part 2) Special Edition – Jan/Feb/March 1970, No.1 [100 Pages, 16.6MB]
  • Thule Photographs, 72dpi Thumbnails[11 Pages, 3.0MB]
  • Search for Personal Information – Thule Nuclear Weapons Accident, November 8, 2017 [6 Pages, 3.0MB]
  • USAF FOIA Reading Room Printout Regarding Palomares, Spain and Thule Air Base Nuclear Accidents [2 Pages, 0.5MB]
  • Response to Freedom of Information Act for Records Related to Project Crested Ice, 22 November 2017 [12 Pages, 0.7MB]

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

 CIA Documents on the 1968 B-52 Crash [247 Pages, 47MB]

National Security Agency (NSA)

 NSA Documents on the 1968 B-52 Crash [21 Pages, 6.2MB]

 Full FOIA Case File for the above [40 Pages, 15MB]

The post 1968 Thule Air Base B-52 Crash with 4 Hydrogen Bombs On Board first appeared on The Black Vault.

According to a 2013 Press Release by the US Navy:

WASHINGTON (NNS) — The Navy awarded a $0.01 delivery order Oct. 22 for dismantling and recycling ex-USS Forrestal (AVT 59).

The delivery order was made under an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract to All Star Metals for the towing, dismantling and recycling of conventionally powered aircraft carriers stricken from the Naval Vessel Register.

The price of the delivery order reflects the net price proposed by All Star Metals, which considered the estimated proceeds from the sale of the scrap metal to be generated from dismantling.

In May 2012, the Navy solicited proposals for the award of up to three contracts for the dismantling and recycling of inactive conventionally-powered aircraft carriers. All Star Metals is the first of three successful offerors to receive its facility security clearance, which is required prior to contract award. After the initial award of one carrier to each successful offeror, the Navy has the capability of scrapping additional conventionally-powered aircraft carriers over a five-year period under delivery orders competed between the three contractors.

In October of 2013, The Black Vault filed a request for all records pertaining to this sale. This included communications, contracts, etc. and the below was released in September of 2020. The entire request took about 7 years to process.

Document Archive

All records from the Naval Sea Systems Command, released September 2020 [264 Pages, 4MB]

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [4.19 MB]

FULL Navy Press Release About Sale

Release Date: 10/22/2013 1:28:00 PM

WASHINGTON (NNS) — The Navy awarded a $0.01 delivery order Oct. 22 for dismantling and recycling ex-USS Forrestal (AVT 59).

The delivery order was made under an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract to All Star Metals for the towing, dismantling and recycling of conventionally powered aircraft carriers stricken from the Naval Vessel Register.

The price of the delivery order reflects the net price proposed by All Star Metals, which considered the estimated proceeds from the sale of the scrap metal to be generated from dismantling.

In May 2012, the Navy solicited proposals for the award of up to three contracts for the dismantling and recycling of inactive conventionally-powered aircraft carriers. All Star Metals is the first of three successful offerors to receive its facility security clearance, which is required prior to contract award. After the initial award of one carrier to each successful offeror, the Navy has the capability of scrapping additional conventionally-powered aircraft carriers over a five-year period under delivery orders competed between the three contractors.

All Star Metals will now develop its final tow plan for the Navy’s approval for the tow of ex-Forrestal from its current berth at the Navy’s inactive ship facility in Philadelphia to All Star Metals’ facility in Brownsville. The ship is expected to depart Philadelphia before the end of the year. Navy civilian personnel will be on site full time to monitor the contractor’s performance during dismantling of the ship.

Forrestal was decommissioned Sept. 11, 1993, after more than 38 years of service. On June 16, 1999, the Navy announced the ship would be available for donation to an eligible organization for use as a museum or memorial. However, no viable applications were received and the vessel was removed from donation hold in December 2003 and redesignated for disposal.

The first of the “supercarriers,” Forrestal was launched Dec. 11, 1954, by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., and commissioned Sept. 29, 1955.

The award of contracts for two additional conventional carriers – ex-Saratoga (CV 60) and ex-Constellation (CV 64) – are pending, as they are contingent upon the two other successful offerors receiving their facility security clearances.

For more news from Naval Sea Systems Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/navsea/.

###

The post The 2013 Sale of the USS Forrestal for One Penny first appeared on The Black Vault.

This report explains the accident involving USAir flight 427, a Boeing 737-300, which entered an uncontrolled descent and impacted terrain near Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, on September 8, 1994. Safety issues in the report focused on Boeing 737 rudder malfunctions, including rudder reversals; the adequacy of the 737 rudder system design; unusual attitude training for air carrier pilots; and flight data recorder parameters. Safety recommendations concerning these issues were addressed to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Background

Aircraft Accident Report – Uncontrolled Descent and Collision With Terrain, USAir Flight 427, Boeing 737-300, N513AU, Near Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1994 [370 Pages, 3MB]

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [3.02 MB]

The post Aircraft Accident Report – Uncontrolled Descent and Collision With Terrain, USAir Flight 427, Boeing 737-300, N513AU, Near Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1994 first appeared on The Black Vault.

This series of 12 video segments examines some of the lessons learned from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident. The segments include the unique perspective of two survivors of Chernobyl. The videos offer information about radiation and how EPA is preparing to respond to a large-scale radiological or nuclear incident in the United States.

It was produced and released by the EPA — and archived by TheBlackVault.com. It is an official U.S. Government video.

Document Archive

Recovering from a Nuclear Incident – Lessons Learned from Chernobyl [294 Pages, 8.5MB]

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [6.51 MB]

Video Archive

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Part 12

The post Recovering from a Nuclear Incident – Lessons Learned from Chernobyl first appeared on The Black Vault.

Iran Air Flight 655 was an Iran Air passenger flight from Tehran to Dubai. On 3 July 1988, the aircraft operating on this route was shot down by the United States Navy guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes under the command of William C. Rogers III. The incident took place in Iranian airspace, over Iran’s territorial waters in the Persian Gulf, and on the flight’s usual flight path. The aircraft, an Airbus A300 B2-203, was destroyed by SM-2MR surface-to-air missiles fired from Vincennes. All 290 people on board died. The cruiser Vincennes had entered Iranian territorial waters after one of its helicopters drew warning fire from Iranian speedboats operating within Iranian territorial limits.

According to the United States government, the crew incorrectly identified the Iranian Airbus A300 as an attacking F-14A Tomcat fighter, a plane made in the United States and operated at that time by only two forces worldwide, the United States Navy and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force. While the Iranian F-14s had been supplied by manufacturer Grumman in an air-to-air configuration only in the 1970s, the crew of Vincennes had been briefed when entering the region that the Iranian F-14s carried unguided bombs as well as Maverick missiles and unguided rockets.  The Vincennes crew made ten attempts to contact the crew of the flight on military and civilian radio frequencies, but received no response. The International Civil Aviation Organization said that the flight crew should have been monitoring the civilian frequency.

According to the Iranian government, Vincennes negligently shot down the civilian aircraft: the airliner was making IFF squawks in Mode III (not Mode II used by Iranian military planes), a signal that identified it as a civilian craft.[9][10] The event generated a great deal of criticism of the United States. Some analysts blamed the captain of Vincennes, who had entered Iran’s waters, for reckless and aggressive behavior in a tense and dangerous environment.

In 1996, the United States and Iran reached a settlement at the International Court of Justice which included the statement “…the United States recognized the aerial incident of 3 July 1988 as a terrible human tragedy and expressed deep regret over the loss of lives caused by the incident…”. As part of the settlement, the United States did not admit legal liability or formally apologize to Iran but agreed to pay on an ex gratia basis US$61.8 million, amounting to $213,103.45 per passenger, in compensation to the families of the Iranian victims.

Iran Air continues to use flight number 655 on the Tehran to Dubai route as a memorial to the victims. This event ranks eighth among the deadliest disasters in aviation history; the incident retains the record for highest death toll of any aviation incident in the Persian Gulf.

Declassified Documents

Department of Defense (DOD)

 Formal Investigation into the Circumstances Surrounding the Downing of Iran Air Flight 655 on 3 July 1988 [153 Pages, 5.1MB]

 Systematic Analysis of Complex Dynamic Systems: The Case of the USS Vincennes, June 1992 [263 Pages, 8.6MB] – Recent studies on the Vincennes incident have centered around the impact of stress in decision making. This thesis, which is a case analysis of a historical event, offers another perspective through the use of organizational and contextual factors as a means to ascertain what happened when the USS vincennes shot down Iran Air Flight 655. Data extracted from the unclassified investigation report by Rear Admiral William M. Fogarty and the transcripts from the Senate Hearing before the Committee on Armed Services were analyzed quantitatively, through regression and correlation analysis in conjunction with a graphical analysis and interpretation, in an effort to resolve the lack of reconciliation between system and recollected data by witnesses. A comparative analysis was also conducted between these archival sources of data and interview data from Captain Will Rogers, 111, former Commanding Officer of the Vincennes. Additionally, to identify causal factors that led to the outcome, further analysis using the Events Path Model, Dynamic Systems Model, and Cybernetic Model of Mutual Causality was conducted. The findings of the quantitative analysis portion supports Captain Rogers’ argument, which included a track number issue and the existence of another aircraft…. Command and Control, C2, Cybernetics, Organizational Learning, Vincennes Incident, Complex Dynamic Systems, Negative/Positive Feedback, Systems Analysis, Garbage Can Model, Mutual Causality, Wholistic Approach to Change, Decision Making, Ambiguity.

Department of State

 State Department Records on Iran Flight 655 [11 Pages, 2.5MB]

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

 FBI Records on Iran Flight 655 [29 Pages, 9.9MB]

Special Thanks

Wikipedia, for the background information above.

The post The Shootdown of Iran Air Flight 655 – July 3, 1988 first appeared on The Black Vault.

An Aviat A-1C Husky, flown by actor Harrison Ford, was involved in an incident during landing at Orange County-John Wayne Airport, California.
The pilot had been cleared to land on runway 20L but touched down on the parallel taxiway C instead. On final approach the aircraft passed over American Airlines flight AA1456 that was taxiing on taxiway L for takeoff on a flight to Dallas, Texas.

Flight AA1456 was a Boeing 737-800, N959NN, with 110 passengers and a six crew members on board.

Flight tracking website Flightradar24 shows a calibrated altitude of 125 feet as the aircraft overflew taxiway L.

Audio Archive

• John Wayne Tower 1 (WAV, 6.5 MB) 

• John Wayne Tower 2 (WAV, 10.8 MB)

• John Wayne Recorded Line 2 (WAV, 9.9 MB)

• John Wayne Recorded Line 3 (WAV, 7.3 MB

Document Archive

 Harrison Ford Incident With Passenger Plane at California Airport, February 13, 2017 [41 Pages, 4.7MB]

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [4.40 MB]

The post Harrison Ford Incident With Passenger Plane at California Airport, February 13, 2017 first appeared on The Black Vault.

On July 23, 2015, CBS News published the following:

An explosion inside a federal laboratory in Maryland appears to be connected to a security officer’s small-scale efforts to manufacture methamphetamine, according to a federal law enforcement official.

Authorities who responded to the explosion Saturday night on the campus of the National Institute of Standards and Technology recovered pseudoephedrine, Epsom salt and other materials associated with the manufacture of meth, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because potential charges are pending.

The materials indicate production of small batches of meth, the official said.

The chemical reaction might have been caused by the manufacturing of drugs, Montgomery County police spokesman Capt. Paul Starks said. Police said that they are investigating the case jointly with the Drug Enforcement Administration and that no charges have yet been filed.

Laura Harris, a spokeswoman for the DEA’s Washington, division, confirmed the ongoing investigation Tuesday but declined to comment further.

NIST spokeswoman Gail Porter said the explosion occurred in Building 236 on the institute’s campus. The portion of the building where the explosion happened is not currently used for scientific research, she said, and previously was used for combustion research.

The NIST officer was treated at a hospital and released after suffering injuries in the explosion, and he resigned from his job, Porter said.

I learned that a FOIA Requester asked for all emails containing the number string “236” but was denied access due to the fact that it was an ongoing investigation. So, in April of 2017, I re-requested those records, since the investigation has since closed.

In June of 2017, they were reviewed and declassified, and are now available below.

Declassified Documents

 Explosion of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Building 236 [237 Pages, 71MB]

The post Explosion of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Building 236, July 18, 2015 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The Tybee Island B-47 crash was an incident on February 5, 1958, in which the United States Air Force lost a 7,600-pound (3,400 kg) Mark 15 nuclear bomb in the waters off Tybee Island near Savannah, Georgia, United States.

During a practice exercise, an F-86 fighter plane collided with the B-47 bomber carrying the bomb. To protect the aircrew from a possible detonation in the event of a crash, the bomb was jettisoned. Following several unsuccessful searches, the bomb was presumed lost somewhere in Wassaw Sound off the shores of Tybee Island.

The B-47 bomber was on a simulated combat mission from Homestead Air Force Base in Florida. It was carrying a single 7,600-pound (3,400 kg) bomb. At about 2:00 AM, an F-86 fighter collided with the B-47. The F-86 crashed, after the pilot ejected from the plane. The damaged B-47 remained airborne, plummeting 18,000 feet (5,500 m) from flight level 380 (38,000 feet (12,000 m)) when Major Richardson regained flight control.

The crew requested permission to jettison the bomb, in order to reduce weight and prevent the bomb from exploding during an emergency landing. Permission was granted, and the bomb was jettisoned at 7,200 feet (2,200 m) while the bomber was traveling at about 200 knots (370 km/h). The crew did not see an explosion when the bomb struck the sea. They managed to land the B-47 safely at the nearest base, Hunter Air Force Base. The pilot, Colonel Howard Richardson, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross after this incident.

Declassified Documents

 B-47B/F-86L Aircraft Mishap Report, 5 February 1958 2000 Release [154 Pages, 64.7MB]

 B-47B/F-86L Aircraft Mishap Report, 5 February 1958 2017 Release [142 Pages, 65.3MB] – Originally I requested a Mandatory Declassified Review (MDR) on this document, and they asked if I would submit a FOIA instead. I agreed, with the stipulation the record would be reviewed in its entirety for release.  In February of 2017, I received the documents with the exemptions properly cited this time, however, I received a document MORE redacted than originally released in 2000!

The post B-47B/F-86L Aircraft Mishap Report, 5 February 1958 first appeared on The Black Vault.

NOTE: This manual is a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) staff product and is intended to provide information and guidance to NTSB employees who are involved in organizing and conducting investigations. This manual has not been adopted by the NTSB Board Members, is not regulatory in nature, is not a binding statement of policy, and is not all-inclusive.

The recommended procedures are not intended to become obligations of the NTSB or to create any rights in any of the parties to an NTSB investigation. Deviation from the guidance offered in this manual will at times be necessary to meet the specific needs of an investigation. However, such deviations from the guidance offered in this manual shall be within the sole discretion of the appropriate NTSB employees and shall not be the prerogative of parties to the investigation or other individuals not employed by the NTSB.

The procedures in this NTSB Aviation Investigation Manual—Major Team Investigations apply to “Go Team” investigations of major aviation accidents. An investigation of this type could involve more than 100 technical specialists, representing as many as a dozen parties and multiple Federal and local government agencies.

This manual provides general information to assist the investigator-in-charge (IIC), group chairmen, and others who may participate in a major aviation accident investigation. It is intended to provide guidance on the process of conducting a major investigation, from initial notification to the adoption of the final report, probable cause, and recommendations by the Members of the Safety Board.

Although this publication includes some technical information related to investigative activities in major aviation accidents, it is primarily intended to provide guidance of a procedural or administrative nature. Investigators should refer to Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for procedural references and to the ICAO Manual of Aircraft Accident Investigation for technical information and examples of investigative techniques. Other sources, such as military investigation manuals, can also be used to supplement information in the NTSB’s Aviation Investigation Manual.

The Manual

 National Transportation Safety Board – Aviation Investigation Manual – Major Team Investigations, November 2002 [61 Pages, 0.2MB]

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/ntsb/MajorInvestigationsManual.pdf

The post National Transportation Safety Board – Aviation Investigation Manual – Major Team Investigations, November 2002 first appeared on The Black Vault.

While sifting through thousands of different pages of documents, I found references to some previously, never-before-released (that I saw) documents about nuclear accidents.

I have always been fascinated by the topic, ever since I saw the 1996 film Broken Arrow.  Yes, I know, a bit cheesy, but I was 15 when it came out – and I was just about to start The Black Vault. I was fascinated to learn, that Broken Arrow was a real term, and in fact, nuclear accidents have plagued American history. So,  when I saw these documents existed, I had to get them!

It took quite a few years – and my FOIA requests bounced around from a few offices. I had to refile to the NNSA in 2015, and in September of 2016, finally received them, declassified.

Declassified Documents

 FOIA Response Letter, Dated September 15, 2016 [3 Pages, 1.1MB]

 History of Accidents Involving Nuclear Materials, May 2, 1971 [5 Pages, 1.8MB]

 Summary of Air Force Nuclear Accidents, February 6, 1968 [4 Pages, 2.2MB]

 History of Accidents Involving Nuclear Materials, May 25, 1966 [8 Pages, 19.9MB]

The post Summaries of Nuclear Weapon and Material Accidents – Department of Energy – National Nuclear Security Administration first appeared on The Black Vault.

The following documents is a COMMISSIONER ACTION memo, labeled SECY-79-235 from Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, dated April 2, 1979.

The purpose of the action report is listed as:

To advise the Commission of some decisions that will need to be made in the immediate future regarding the application of the Price Anderson Act to the Three Mile Island Unit 2 accident.

The Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) reactor, near Middletown, Pa., partially melted down on March 28, 1979. This was the most serious accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant operating history, although its small radioactive releases had no detectable health effects on plant workers or the public. Its aftermath brought about sweeping changes involving emergency response planning, reactor operator training, human factors engineering, radiation protection, and many other areas of nuclear power plant operations. It also caused the NRC to tighten and heighten its regulatory oversight. All of these changes significantly enhanced U.S. reactor safety.

A combination of equipment malfunctions, design-related problems and worker errors led to TMI-2’s partial meltdown and very small off-site releases of radioactivity.

Document Archive

 SECY-79-235, April 2, 1979, Possible Determination of an Extraordinary Nuclear Occurrence at Three Mile Island Unit 2 [17 Pages, 0.7MB]

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [612.06 KB]

The post Possible Determination of an Extraordinary Nuclear Occurrence at Three Mile Island Unit 2, April 2, 1979 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The FAA NAS Daily Events Log, prepared each day by the Federal Aviation Administration, provides a unique window into the odd and unusual events that occur within the National Airspace System.

 

The FAA Air Traffic Organization – office of System Operations Services prepares this document daily, comprising between five and ten pages per day, a wealth of information that include reportable events such as:

 

• Lost communications with aircraft, called NORDO ¬ no radio aircraft;
  emergency beacon code 7600;
• Displaying or requesting unusual deviations from assigned routing;
• Change of destination while on an IFR flight plan – COD;
• Security Incidents ¬ terminal evacuation, bomb threats, breach of airport
  perimeter, airport closure, airport security;
• Emergencies ¬ aircraft displaying emergency beacon code 7700 or reporting an
  emergency;
• Hijack ¬ aircraft displaying emergency beacon code 7500 or reporting a
  hijack;
• Aircraft experiencing a disturbance either on the ground or in flight;
• Special Interest Flights ¬ overflights by aircraft from certain nations;
• Special Penetration Air Defense Exercise ¬ SPADE:
• VIP movements;
• Special Speed Authorizations;
• Mechanical Problems;
• Laser Incidents;
• Intrusions into the National Capitol Region Control Center ¬ NCRCC
• And so on.

 

The number of incidents each day is large.

 

The NAS Daily Events Log covers the entire nation. Events are not separated  out geographically.

Back in 2013, I began requesting these logs, and it was not until September of 2015 that my requests began being answered.

Below, you will find the available logs, thus far.

Declassified NAS Daily Logs

 January 1, 2013 – January 31, 2013 [192 Pages, 56.2MB]

The post Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) NAS Daily Event Logs first appeared on The Black Vault.

The incident was reported to the top levels of the United States (U.S.) military and referred to by observers as a Bent Spear incident, which indicates a nuclear weapon incident that is of significant concern, but does not involve the immediate threat of nuclear war. The USAF, however, has yet to officially classify the incident.

In response to the incident, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and USAF conducted an investigation, the results of which were released on October 19, 2007. The investigation concluded that nuclear weapons handling standards and procedures had not been followed by numerous USAF personnel involved in the incident. As a result, four USAF commanders were relieved of their commands, numerous other USAF personnel were disciplined and/or decertified to perform certain types of sensitive duties, and further cruise missile transport missions from and nuclear weapons operations at Minot Air Force Base were suspended. In addition, the USAF issued new nuclear weapons handling instructions and procedures.

Separate investigations by the U.S. Defense Science Board and a USAF “Blue Ribbon” panel reported that concerns existed on the procedures and processes for handling nuclear weapons within the U.S. DoD but did not find any failures with the security of U.S. nuclear weapons. Based on this and other incidents, on June 5, 2008, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and Chief of Staff of the Air Force General T. Michael Moseley, resigned. In response to recommendations by a review committee, in October 2008 the USAF announced the creation of Air Force Global Strike Command to control all USAF nuclear bombers, missiles, and personnel.

 Unauthorized  Transfer of Nuclear Warheads Briefing [7 Pages, 190kb]

 Commander Directed Investigation [67 Pages, 2.4MB]

 Sole Vouching Authority Storage Structure Procedures [13 Pages, 14kb]

 Index of Witnesses [222 Pages, 10.3MB]

 Index of Exhibits [173 Pages, 4.3MB]

The post Bent Spear: Minot Air Force Base (08-29-2007) first appeared on The Black Vault.

 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Aviation Research Report Index for April 1995 (the date on which the Office was established within the FAA) to April 2001 [66 Pages, 9.42mb]

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/aviation/FAAReports2001.pdf

The post FAA Office of Aviation Research Report Index first appeared on The Black Vault.

Below are documents obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

 Teterboro Airport Audio (42mb, .MP3)

 Teterboro Airport Traffic Control Tower, Clearance Delivery, Partial Transcript (PDF)

 Teterboro Airport Traffic Control Tower, Local Control, Full Transcript (PDF)

 Newark Airport Traffic Control Tower, Class B Airspace, Partial Transcript (PDF)

 Image of Hudson Midair Radar Hits (JPG)

The post N71MC — Hudson Mid-Air Collision (08-08-2009) first appeared on The Black Vault.

Department of the Navy Documents

The following documents were released under the FOIA to the Military Times.

 CFFC Response to FOIA Request [2 Pages, 19kb]

 Command Investigation with endorsements [67 Pages, 4.7mb]

 Enclosures 1 through 13 [55 Pages, 17.56mb]

 Enclosure 14, video files and player [256.5mb] – Download contents of .zip file to CD-R and click “run.” This is a .zip file of the exact contents of the CD-ROM that accompanied the original report’s release.

 Enclosures 15 through 112 [258 Pages, 19mb]

The post USS Minneapolis St. Paul, Four Sailor Deaths, 12/29/2006 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The USS Hartford and USS New Orleans collision was a collision between the United States Navy Los Angeles-class submarine USS Hartford (SSN-768) and the United States Navy San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans (LPD-18) on March 20, 2009.

It occurred in the Strait of Hormuz, between Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Musandam, an exclave of Oman. A US Navy investigation into the collision found that the the Hartford was solely to blame for the accident.

According to the Navy, the accident was caused by poor, lax leadership on the submarine and a failure to adequately prepare for and conduct the crossing of the Hormuz Strait by the sub’s crew. As a result, the skipper and several other officers and sailors from the sub’s crew were removed or disciplined.

 NAVY Final Report on the Incident [102 Pages, 4.2mb]

 Additional Documents Released by the NAVY [5 Pages, 1.26MB]

 Ship Deck Logs [10 Pages, 1MB]

The post Collision between USS Hartford and the USS New Orleans, March 20, 2009 first appeared on The Black Vault.

On 8 January 2005 at 02:43 GMT, San Francisco collided with an undersea mountain about 675 kilometers (364 Nautical Miles, 420 statute miles) south-east of Guam while operating at flank (maximum) speed and more than 200 feet (61 m) deep. The collision was so serious that the vessel was almost lost — accounts detail a desperate struggle for positive buoyancy to surface after the forward ballast tanks were ruptured.

Twenty-three crewmen were injured, and Machinist’s Mate Second Class Joseph Allen Ashley, 24, of Akron, Ohio, died on 9 January from head injuries. Other injuries to the crew included broken bones, lacerations, and a back injury. San Francisco’s forward ballast tanks and her sonar dome were severely damaged, but her inner hull was not breached, and there was no damage to her nuclear reactor.

She surfaced and, accompanied by the USCGC Galveston Island (WPB-1349), USNS GYSGT Fred W. Stockham (T-AK-3017), and USNS Kiska (T-AE-35), as well as MH-60S Knighthawks and P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft, arrived in Guam on 10 January. The U.S. Navy immediately stated that there was “absolutely no reason to believe that it struck another submarine or vessel.” Later, an examination of the submarine in drydock showed unmistakably that the submarine had indeed struck an undersea mountain which had only vague references on the charts available to San Francisco.  (Source: Wikipedia)

Department of the Army Documents on Incident [7 Pages, 316 kb]- Original request filed to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) back in 2005. These documents took 6 years to get.  Other documents are being processed.

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [316.99 KB]

The post USS San Francisco (SSN-711) Crash, January 2005 first appeared on The Black Vault.

More than 4,000 tons of shells exploded near a military testing ground some 40 kilometers from the city of Orenburg in Central Russia, prompting the mass evacuation of two nearby towns.

Those 4,000 tons included 1,379 tons of 100mm shells, 400 tons of air bombs and 2,300 tons of 280mm reactive shells, the head of the military investigative committee announced.

Witnesses recorded video of a massive plume of smoke rising into the air shortly after the explosions. Local residents said that the blasts were powerful enough to rattle windows dozens of kilometers away from the epicenter.

Declassified Documents

All documents from EUCOM [4 Pages, 0.6 MB] – Although mostly blacked out from “non-responsive” expemptions, this shows what is available, along with photos.

All documents from the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency [6 Pages, 0.9 MB]

The post 4,000 tons of shells explode in Central Russia, October 2012 first appeared on The Black Vault.

 USAF Aircraft Accident Investigation Board Report [ 1,448 Pages, 59.10MB ]

The post Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska C-17 Crash, 06/28/2010 first appeared on The Black Vault.

Korean Air Lines Flight 007 was a Korean Air Lines civilian airliner that was shot down by Soviet interceptors on September 1, 1983, over the Sea of Japan/East Sea, near Moneron Island just west of Sakhalin island over prohibited Soviet airspace. All 269 passengers and crew aboard were killed, including Lawrence McDonald, a sitting member of the United States Congress. The aircraft was en route from New York City via Anchorage to Seoul when it strayed into prohibited Soviet airspace because of a navigational error.

Declassified Documents

 FBI File on the Shootdown of KAL 007 [ 121 Pages, 3.5MB ]

 The Shootdown of KAL (Korean Air Lines) 007: Accident or Conspiracy? [34 Pages, 2MB] – The Soviet shootdown of Korean Air Lines flight 007 in September 1983 raised many disturbing questions. Many theories were developed to explain what happened and why. The book Shootdown by R.W. Johnson proposed that the airliner was part of a US sponsored intelligence operation. This study evaluates Johnson’s thesis and logic and compares it to other investigations. The study concludes that flight 007 was not part of a US intelligence gathering mission and that it strayed off course as a result of a human error in navigation.

The post KAL (Korean Air Lines) 007, September 1983 first appeared on The Black Vault.

Five NATO troops and an Afghan soldier were killed in a friendly-fire airstrike in southern Afghanistan, Afghan officials and Taliban said on Tuesday.

The NATO—led international military alliance said the soldiers were killed on Monday in the southern part of the country, but did not give details on the nationalities of the deceased soldiers or the exact location of the incident.

Afghan police said that NATO aircraft bombed the soldiers. (Source)

The below are documents relating to this incident.

 Investigation Report of the Fixed Wing Close Air Support Airstrike In the Vicinity of Arghandab, Afghanistan June 2014 [ 283 Pages, 66.47MB ]

The post Friendly fire strike in Afghanistan – June 2014 first appeared on The Black Vault.