List of military nuclear accidents
Updated: 5/24/2026, 6:56:14 PM Wikipedia source
This article lists notable military accidents involving nuclear material. Civilian accidents are listed at List of civilian nuclear accidents. For a general discussion of both civilian and military accidents, see nuclear and radiation accidents. For other lists, see Lists of nuclear disasters and radioactive incidents.
Tables
· 1940s
June 23, 1942
June 23, 1942
Date
June 23, 1942
Location
Leipzig, Nazi Germany
Type
Steam explosion and reactor fire
Description
Leipzig L-IV experiment accident: Shortly after the Leipzig L-IV atomic pile – worked on by Werner Heisenberg and Robert Doepel – demonstrated Germany's first signs of neutron propagation, the device was checked for a possible heavy water leak. During the inspection, air leaked in, igniting the uranium powder inside. The burning uranium boiled the
February 11, 1945
February 11, 1945
Date
February 11, 1945
Location
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States
Type
Accidental criticality
Description
During an experiment with the Dragon machine (a "fast burst" criticality experiment designed by Otto Frisch), uranium hydride cubes were used in increasingly larger amounts. During the final experiment, 1015 fissions were produced, blistering and swelling the cubes by approximately 1/8th of an inch. No personnel were injured.
June 6, 1945
June 6, 1945
Date
June 6, 1945
Location
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States
Type
Accidental criticality
Description
A pseudosphere of 35 kg of highly enriched uranium (enriched to an average of 79 % U-235) was put inside of a polyethylene box, and the box put into a tank that was filled with water. Before the tank was filled, the system unexpectedly went critical. An estimated 3-4×1016 fissions occurred and the temperature of the metal may have risen to 200 °
August 21, 1945
August 21, 1945
Date
August 21, 1945
Location
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States
Type
Accidental criticality
Description
Harry Daghlian dropped a tungsten carbide brick onto a plutonium core, inadvertently creating a critical mass at the Los Alamos Omega site. He quickly removed the brick, but was fatally irradiated, and died on September 15.
May 21, 1946
May 21, 1946
Date
May 21, 1946
Location
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States
Type
Accidental criticality
Description
A sketch of Louis Slotin's criticality accident used to determine exposure of those in the room at the time.
While demonstrating his technique to visiting scientists at Los Alamos, Canadian physicist Louis Slotin manually assembled a critical mass of plutonium. A momentary slip of a screwdriver caused a prompt critical reaction. Slotin died on May
| Date | Location | Type | Description |
| June 23, 1942 | Leipzig, Nazi Germany | Steam explosion and reactor fire | Leipzig L-IV experiment accident: Shortly after the Leipzig L-IV atomic pile – worked on by Werner Heisenberg and Robert Doepel – demonstrated Germany's first signs of neutron propagation, the device was checked for a possible heavy water leak. During the inspection, air leaked in, igniting the uranium powder inside. The burning uranium boiled the |
| February 11, 1945 | Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States | Accidental criticality | During an experiment with the Dragon machine (a "fast burst" criticality experiment designed by Otto Frisch), uranium hydride cubes were used in increasingly larger amounts. During the final experiment, 1015 fissions were produced, blistering and swelling the cubes by approximately 1/8th of an inch. No personnel were injured. |
| June 6, 1945 | Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States | Accidental criticality | A pseudosphere of 35 kg of highly enriched uranium (enriched to an average of 79 % U-235) was put inside of a polyethylene box, and the box put into a tank that was filled with water. Before the tank was filled, the system unexpectedly went critical. An estimated 3-4×1016 fissions occurred and the temperature of the metal may have risen to 200 ° |
| August 21, 1945 | Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States | Accidental criticality | Harry Daghlian dropped a tungsten carbide brick onto a plutonium core, inadvertently creating a critical mass at the Los Alamos Omega site. He quickly removed the brick, but was fatally irradiated, and died on September 15. |
| May 21, 1946 | Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States | Accidental criticality | A sketch of Louis Slotin's criticality accident used to determine exposure of those in the room at the time. While demonstrating his technique to visiting scientists at Los Alamos, Canadian physicist Louis Slotin manually assembled a critical mass of plutonium. A momentary slip of a screwdriver caused a prompt critical reaction. Slotin died on May |
· 1950s
February 13, 1950
February 13, 1950
Date
February 13, 1950
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Type
Non-nuclear detonation of an atomic bomb
Description
Main article: 1950 British Columbia B-36 crash
A USAF B-36 bomber was flying a simulated combat mission from Eielson Air Force Base, near Fairbanks, Alaska, to Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas, carrying a Mark 4 nuclear bomb (minus a fissile core). After six hours of flight, the bomber experienced mechanical problems and was forced to s
April 11, 1950
April 11, 1950
Date
April 11, 1950
Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico, US
Type
Non-nuclear detonation of an atomic bomb
Description
Three minutes after departure from Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque a USAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress carrying a Mark 4 nuclear bomb (minus a fissile core), four spare detonators, and a crew of thirteen crashed into a mountain near Manzano Base. The crash resulted in a fire that The New York Times reported as being visible from 15 miles (24 km
July 13, 1950
July 13, 1950
Date
July 13, 1950
Location
Lebanon, Ohio, US
Type
Non-nuclear detonation of an atomic bomb
Description
A USAF B-50 aircraft on a training mission from Biggs Air Force Base with a Mark 4 nuclear bomb (minus a fissile core) flew into the ground resulting in a high-explosive detonation, but no nuclear explosion. The cause of the accident could not be established; the aircraft gave no signals of distress, and was flying on a clear day, but simply went i
August 5, 1950
August 5, 1950
Date
August 5, 1950
Location
Fairfield-Suisun AFB, California, US
Type
Non-nuclear detonation of an atomic bomb
Description
Main article: 1950 Fairfield-Suisun Boeing B-29 crash
A USAF B-29 bomber with a Mark 4 nuclear bomb (minus a fissile core) on board, flying to Guam, experienced malfunctions with two propellers and with landing gear retraction during take-off and crashed while attempting an emergency landing at Fairfield Suisun-AFB. In the resulting fire, the bomb'
November 10, 1950
November 10, 1950
Date
November 10, 1950
Location
Rivière-du-Loup, Québec, Canada
Type
Non-nuclear detonation of an atomic bomb
Description
Main article: 1950 Rivière-du-Loup B-50 nuclear weapon loss incident
Returning one of several U . Mark 4 nuclear bombs (minus a fissile core) secretly deployed in Canada, a USAF B-50 had engine trouble and jettisoned the weapon at 10,500 feet (3,200 m). The crew set the bomb to self-destruct at 2,500 ft (760 m) and dropped over the St. Lawrence Ri
March 1, 1954
March 1, 1954
Date
March 1, 1954
Location
Bikini Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands (then Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
Type
Nuclear test accident
Description
The Castle Bravo fallout pattern the Castle Bravo test of the first deployable hydrogen bomb, a miscalculation resulted in the explosion being over twice as large as predicted, with a total explosive force of 15 megatons of TNT (63 PJ). Of the total yield, 10 Mt (42 PJ) were from fission of the natural uranium tamper, but those fission react
November 29, 1955
November 29, 1955
Date
November 29, 1955
Location
Idaho, US
Type
Partial meltdown
Description
Operator error led to a partial core meltdown in the experimental EBR-I breeder reactor, resulting in temporarily elevated radioactivity levels in the reactor building and necessitating significant repair.
March 10, 1956
March 10, 1956
Date
March 10, 1956
Location
Over the Mediterranean Sea
Type
Loss of two capsules of nuclear weapons material in carrying cases
Description
Main article: 1956 B-47 disappearance
A USAF B-47 Stratojet on a non-stop mission from MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, to an overseas base descended into a cloud formation at 14,000 feet over the Mediterranean in preparation for an in-air refueling and vanished while transporting two capsules of nuclear weapons material in carrying cases (and no c
July 27, 1956
July 27, 1956
Date
July 27, 1956
Location
RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, UK
Type
Nuclear weapons damaged
Description
Main article: RAF Lakenheath nuclear weapons accidents
A USAF B-47 crashed into a storage igloo, spreading burning fuel over three Mark 6 nuclear bombs at RAF Lakenheath. A bomb disposal expert stated it was a miracle exposed detonators on one bomb did not fire. The weapons were in a storage configuration and there were no fissile capsules inside t
May 22, 1957
May 22, 1957
Date
May 22, 1957
Location
Kirtland AFB in New Mexico, US
Type
Non-nuclear detonation of a Mark 17 thermonuclear bomb
Description
A B-36 ferrying a Mark 17 nuclear bomb from Biggs AFB to Kirtland AFB dropped a thermonuclear weapon on approach to Kirtland. The weapon struck the ground 4 miles south of the Kirtland control tower and 0 miles west of the Sandia Base reservation. The weapon was completely destroyed by the detonation of its high explosive material, creating a c
July 28, 1957
July 28, 1957
Date
July 28, 1957
Location
Atlantic Ocean
Type
Two nuclear weapons jettisoned and not recovered
Description
A USAF C-124 aircraft from Dover Air Force Base, Delaware was carrying three weapons and one nuclear capsule aboard the aircraft at the time. Nuclear components were not installed in the weapons. While flying over the Atlantic Ocean, the aircraft experienced a loss of power. For their own safety, the crew jettisoned two bombs which were never reco
September 11, 1957
September 11, 1957
Date
September 11, 1957
Location
Rocky Flats Plant, Golden, Colorado, US
Type
Fire, release of nuclear materials
Description
Main article: Radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant
A fire began in a theoretically fireproof area inside the plutonium processing building, in a glovebox used to handle radioactive materials, igniting the combustible rubber gloves and plexiglas windows of the box. The fire quickly spread to the plutonium as various safety features
September 29, 1957
September 29, 1957
Date
September 29, 1957
Location
Kyshtym, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, USSR (now Russian Federation)
Type
Explosion, release of nuclear materials
Description
Main article: Kyshtym disaster
A cooling system failure at the Mayak nuclear processing plant resulted in a major explosion and release of radioactive materials. A large area was subjected to radioactive contamination and thousands of local inhabitants were evacuated.
October 8–12, 1957
October 8–12, 1957
Date
October 8–12, 1957
Location
Sellafield, Cumbria, UK
Type
Reactor core fire
Description
Main article: Windscale fire
Technicians mistakenly overheated Windscale Pile No. 1 during an annealing process to release Wigner energy from graphite portions of the reactor. Poorly placed temperature sensors indicated the reactor was cooling rather than heating. The excess heat led to the failure of a nuclear cartridge, which in turn allowed uran
October 11, 1957
October 11, 1957
Date
October 11, 1957
Location
Homestead Air Force Base, Florida
Type
Nuclear bomb burned after B-47 aircraft accident
Description
B-47 aircraft crashed during take-off after a wheel exploded; one Mark 15 Mod 0 nuclear bomb burned in the resulting fire. The aircraft was carrying the unarmed weapon in a ferry configuration in the bomb bay, and the nuclear capsule in the crew compartment. Two "low-order" explosions occurred during the two hours that the plane and weapons burned.
January 31, 1958
January 31, 1958
Date
January 31, 1958
Location
Sidi Slimane Air Base, Morocco
Type
Nuclear bomb damaged in crash
Description
During a simulated takeoff, a wheel casting failure caused the tail of a USAF B-47 carrying a Mark 36 Mod 1 nuclear bomb to hit the runway, rupturing a fuel tank and sparking a fire which burned for some 7 hours. The weapon used in-flight insertion and the weapon was in its retracted, unarmed state. The high explosives in the weapon burned but did
February 5, 1958
February 5, 1958
Date
February 5, 1958
Location
Savannah, Georgia, US
Type
Unarmed nuclear bomb lost
Description
Main article: 1958 Tybee Island mid-air collision
A USAF B-47 bomber jettisoned a Mark 15 Mod 0 nuclear bomb (the nuclear capsule was not aboard the aircraft; the bomb contained a simulated 150-pound (68 kg) capsule made of lead) over the Atlantic Ocean after a midair collision with a USAF F-86 Sabre during a simulated combat mission from Homestead
February 28, 1958
February 28, 1958
Date
February 28, 1958
Location
Greenham Common US Base, Newbury, England
Description
A B-47E of the USAF 310th Bomb Wing developed problems shortly after takeoff and jettisoned its two 1,700 gallon external fuel tanks. They missed their designated safe impact area, and one hit a hangar while the other struck the ground 65 feet (20 m) behind a parked B-47E. The parked plane, which was fuelled, had a pilot on board, and was carrying
March 11, 1958
March 11, 1958
Date
March 11, 1958
Location
Mars Bluff, South Carolina
Type
Non-nuclear detonation of a nuclear bomb
Description
Main article: 1958 Mars Bluff B-47 nuclear weapon loss incident
A USAF B-47E bomber, number 53-1876A, was flying from Hunter Air Force Base in Savannah, Georgia, to England in a formation of four B-47s on a top-secret mission called Operation Snow Flurry to perform a mock bombing exercise. The flight navigator/bombardier was checking the locking ha
June 16, 1958
June 16, 1958
Date
June 16, 1958
Location
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, US
Type
Accidental criticality
Description
A supercritical portion of highly enriched uranyl nitrate was allowed to collect in the drum causing a prompt neutron criticality in the C-1 wing of building 9212 at the Y-12 complex. It is estimated that the reaction produced 1 × 1018 fissions. Eight employees were in close proximity to the drum during the accident, receiving neutron doses rangi
November 4, 1958
November 4, 1958
Date
November 4, 1958
Location
Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, US
Type
Non-nuclear detonation of a nuclear bomb
Description
A USAF B-47 bomber developed a fire shortly after take-off and went down with a sealed-pit Mark 39 Mod 1 nuclear weapon on board from an altitude of 1,500 ft (460 m). The detonation of the high explosive material in the bomb left a crater 35 feet (11 m) in diameter and 6 feet (1 m) deep. Three crew members escaped, and one was killed. All weapons
November 26, 1958
November 26, 1958
Date
November 26, 1958
Location
Chennault Air Force Base, Louisiana, US
Type
Non-nuclear detonation of a nuclear bomb
Description
A USAF B-47 bomber with a sealed-pit nuclear weapon on board developed a fire while on the ground. The aircraft wreckage and the site of the accident were contaminated after a limited explosion of non-nuclear material.
December 30, 1958
December 30, 1958
Date
December 30, 1958
Location
Los Alamos, New Mexico, US
Type
Accidental criticality
Description
During chemical purification, a critical mass of a plutonium solution was accidentally assembled at Los Alamos National Laboratory. A chemical operator named Cecil E. Kelley died of acute radiation sickness. The March 1961 Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine printed a special supplement medically analyzing this accident. Hand manipul
January 18, 1959
January 18, 1959
Date
January 18, 1959
Location
Osan Air Base, South Korea
Type
Nuclear weapon on fire
Description
A parked USAF F-100C Super Sabre, loaded with a nuclear weapon, developed a fire after its external fuel tanks were dropped and exploded during a practice alert. The resulting fire was put out in seven minutes and there was no nuclear explosion. When originally disclosed in 1980, the location was identified as a base in the Pacific region. In 2016,
July 6, 1959
July 6, 1959
Date
July 6, 1959
Location
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, US
Type
Limited contamination
Description
A USAF C-124 transporting three Mark 39 Mod 2 sealed-pit nuclear weapons crashed and burned down during take-off. The high explosives did not detonate, but one weapon was completely destroyed by the fire, and the other two suffered heat damage and tritium leakage. The wreckage area experienced limited contamination.
September 25, 1959
September 25, 1959
Date
September 25, 1959
Location
Eastern Pacific Ocean
Type
Lost nuclear weapon casing
Description
A U . Navy P5M antisubmarine aircraft patrolling out of NAS Whidbey Island with an unarmed Mark 90 nuclear depth charge casing on board crash-landed in the Pacific Ocean, about 100 miles (160 km) west of the Washington-Oregon border. The casing was not recovered.
October 15, 1959
October 15, 1959
Date
October 15, 1959
Location
Hardinsburg, Kentucky, US
Type
Nuclear weapon partially damaged
Description
After both planes took off from Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, a USAF B-52F-100-BO (No. 57-036), with two sealed-pit nuclear weapons collided at 32,000 feet (9,754 m) with a KC-135 refueling aircraft (No. 57-1513), during a refueling procedure near Hardinsburg, Kentucky. Both planes crashed killing eight crew members. One unarmed nuclear w
November 20, 1959
November 20, 1959
Date
November 20, 1959
Location
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, US
Type
Explosion
Description
A chemical explosion occurred during decontamination of processing machinery in the radiochemical processing plant at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee . (Report ORNL-2989, Oak Ridge National Laboratory). The accident resulted in the release of about 15 grams (0 oz) of 239Pu.
| Date | Location | Type | Description |
| February 13, 1950 | British Columbia, Canada | Non-nuclear detonation of an atomic bomb | Main article: 1950 British Columbia B-36 crash A USAF B-36 bomber was flying a simulated combat mission from Eielson Air Force Base, near Fairbanks, Alaska, to Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas, carrying a Mark 4 nuclear bomb (minus a fissile core). After six hours of flight, the bomber experienced mechanical problems and was forced to s |
| April 11, 1950 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, US | Non-nuclear detonation of an atomic bomb | Three minutes after departure from Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque a USAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress carrying a Mark 4 nuclear bomb (minus a fissile core), four spare detonators, and a crew of thirteen crashed into a mountain near Manzano Base. The crash resulted in a fire that The New York Times reported as being visible from 15 miles (24 km |
| July 13, 1950 | Lebanon, Ohio, US | Non-nuclear detonation of an atomic bomb | A USAF B-50 aircraft on a training mission from Biggs Air Force Base with a Mark 4 nuclear bomb (minus a fissile core) flew into the ground resulting in a high-explosive detonation, but no nuclear explosion. The cause of the accident could not be established; the aircraft gave no signals of distress, and was flying on a clear day, but simply went i |
| August 5, 1950 | Fairfield-Suisun AFB, California, US | Non-nuclear detonation of an atomic bomb | Main article: 1950 Fairfield-Suisun Boeing B-29 crash A USAF B-29 bomber with a Mark 4 nuclear bomb (minus a fissile core) on board, flying to Guam, experienced malfunctions with two propellers and with landing gear retraction during take-off and crashed while attempting an emergency landing at Fairfield Suisun-AFB. In the resulting fire, the bomb' |
| November 10, 1950 | Rivière-du-Loup, Québec, Canada | Non-nuclear detonation of an atomic bomb | Main article: 1950 Rivière-du-Loup B-50 nuclear weapon loss incident Returning one of several U . Mark 4 nuclear bombs (minus a fissile core) secretly deployed in Canada, a USAF B-50 had engine trouble and jettisoned the weapon at 10,500 feet (3,200 m). The crew set the bomb to self-destruct at 2,500 ft (760 m) and dropped over the St. Lawrence Ri |
| March 1, 1954 | Bikini Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands (then Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) | Nuclear test accident | The Castle Bravo fallout pattern the Castle Bravo test of the first deployable hydrogen bomb, a miscalculation resulted in the explosion being over twice as large as predicted, with a total explosive force of 15 megatons of TNT (63 PJ). Of the total yield, 10 Mt (42 PJ) were from fission of the natural uranium tamper, but those fission react |
| November 29, 1955 | Idaho, US | Partial meltdown | Operator error led to a partial core meltdown in the experimental EBR-I breeder reactor, resulting in temporarily elevated radioactivity levels in the reactor building and necessitating significant repair. |
| March 10, 1956 | Over the Mediterranean Sea | Loss of two capsules of nuclear weapons material in carrying cases | Main article: 1956 B-47 disappearance A USAF B-47 Stratojet on a non-stop mission from MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, to an overseas base descended into a cloud formation at 14,000 feet over the Mediterranean in preparation for an in-air refueling and vanished while transporting two capsules of nuclear weapons material in carrying cases (and no c |
| July 27, 1956 | RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, UK | Nuclear weapons damaged | Main article: RAF Lakenheath nuclear weapons accidents A USAF B-47 crashed into a storage igloo, spreading burning fuel over three Mark 6 nuclear bombs at RAF Lakenheath. A bomb disposal expert stated it was a miracle exposed detonators on one bomb did not fire. The weapons were in a storage configuration and there were no fissile capsules inside t |
| May 22, 1957 | Kirtland AFB in New Mexico, US | Non-nuclear detonation of a Mark 17 thermonuclear bomb | A B-36 ferrying a Mark 17 nuclear bomb from Biggs AFB to Kirtland AFB dropped a thermonuclear weapon on approach to Kirtland. The weapon struck the ground 4 miles south of the Kirtland control tower and 0 miles west of the Sandia Base reservation. The weapon was completely destroyed by the detonation of its high explosive material, creating a c |
| July 28, 1957 | Atlantic Ocean | Two nuclear weapons jettisoned and not recovered | A USAF C-124 aircraft from Dover Air Force Base, Delaware was carrying three weapons and one nuclear capsule aboard the aircraft at the time. Nuclear components were not installed in the weapons. While flying over the Atlantic Ocean, the aircraft experienced a loss of power. For their own safety, the crew jettisoned two bombs which were never reco |
| September 11, 1957 | Rocky Flats Plant, Golden, Colorado, US | Fire, release of nuclear materials | Main article: Radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant A fire began in a theoretically fireproof area inside the plutonium processing building, in a glovebox used to handle radioactive materials, igniting the combustible rubber gloves and plexiglas windows of the box. The fire quickly spread to the plutonium as various safety features |
| September 29, 1957 | Kyshtym, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, USSR (now Russian Federation) | Explosion, release of nuclear materials | Main article: Kyshtym disaster A cooling system failure at the Mayak nuclear processing plant resulted in a major explosion and release of radioactive materials. A large area was subjected to radioactive contamination and thousands of local inhabitants were evacuated. |
| October 8–12, 1957 | Sellafield, Cumbria, UK | Reactor core fire | Main article: Windscale fire Technicians mistakenly overheated Windscale Pile No. 1 during an annealing process to release Wigner energy from graphite portions of the reactor. Poorly placed temperature sensors indicated the reactor was cooling rather than heating. The excess heat led to the failure of a nuclear cartridge, which in turn allowed uran |
| October 11, 1957 | Homestead Air Force Base, Florida | Nuclear bomb burned after B-47 aircraft accident | B-47 aircraft crashed during take-off after a wheel exploded; one Mark 15 Mod 0 nuclear bomb burned in the resulting fire. The aircraft was carrying the unarmed weapon in a ferry configuration in the bomb bay, and the nuclear capsule in the crew compartment. Two "low-order" explosions occurred during the two hours that the plane and weapons burned. |
| January 31, 1958 | Sidi Slimane Air Base, Morocco | Nuclear bomb damaged in crash | During a simulated takeoff, a wheel casting failure caused the tail of a USAF B-47 carrying a Mark 36 Mod 1 nuclear bomb to hit the runway, rupturing a fuel tank and sparking a fire which burned for some 7 hours. The weapon used in-flight insertion and the weapon was in its retracted, unarmed state. The high explosives in the weapon burned but did |
| February 5, 1958 | Savannah, Georgia, US | Unarmed nuclear bomb lost | Main article: 1958 Tybee Island mid-air collision A USAF B-47 bomber jettisoned a Mark 15 Mod 0 nuclear bomb (the nuclear capsule was not aboard the aircraft; the bomb contained a simulated 150-pound (68 kg) capsule made of lead) over the Atlantic Ocean after a midair collision with a USAF F-86 Sabre during a simulated combat mission from Homestead |
| February 28, 1958 | Greenham Common US Base, Newbury, England | A B-47E of the USAF 310th Bomb Wing developed problems shortly after takeoff and jettisoned its two 1,700 gallon external fuel tanks. They missed their designated safe impact area, and one hit a hangar while the other struck the ground 65 feet (20 m) behind a parked B-47E. The parked plane, which was fuelled, had a pilot on board, and was carrying | |
| March 11, 1958 | Mars Bluff, South Carolina | Non-nuclear detonation of a nuclear bomb | Main article: 1958 Mars Bluff B-47 nuclear weapon loss incident A USAF B-47E bomber, number 53-1876A, was flying from Hunter Air Force Base in Savannah, Georgia, to England in a formation of four B-47s on a top-secret mission called Operation Snow Flurry to perform a mock bombing exercise. The flight navigator/bombardier was checking the locking ha |
| June 16, 1958 | Oak Ridge, Tennessee, US | Accidental criticality | A supercritical portion of highly enriched uranyl nitrate was allowed to collect in the drum causing a prompt neutron criticality in the C-1 wing of building 9212 at the Y-12 complex. It is estimated that the reaction produced 1 × 1018 fissions. Eight employees were in close proximity to the drum during the accident, receiving neutron doses rangi |
| November 4, 1958 | Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, US | Non-nuclear detonation of a nuclear bomb | A USAF B-47 bomber developed a fire shortly after take-off and went down with a sealed-pit Mark 39 Mod 1 nuclear weapon on board from an altitude of 1,500 ft (460 m). The detonation of the high explosive material in the bomb left a crater 35 feet (11 m) in diameter and 6 feet (1 m) deep. Three crew members escaped, and one was killed. All weapons |
| November 26, 1958 | Chennault Air Force Base, Louisiana, US | Non-nuclear detonation of a nuclear bomb | A USAF B-47 bomber with a sealed-pit nuclear weapon on board developed a fire while on the ground. The aircraft wreckage and the site of the accident were contaminated after a limited explosion of non-nuclear material. |
| December 30, 1958 | Los Alamos, New Mexico, US | Accidental criticality | During chemical purification, a critical mass of a plutonium solution was accidentally assembled at Los Alamos National Laboratory. A chemical operator named Cecil E. Kelley died of acute radiation sickness. The March 1961 Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine printed a special supplement medically analyzing this accident. Hand manipul |
| January 18, 1959 | Osan Air Base, South Korea | Nuclear weapon on fire | A parked USAF F-100C Super Sabre, loaded with a nuclear weapon, developed a fire after its external fuel tanks were dropped and exploded during a practice alert. The resulting fire was put out in seven minutes and there was no nuclear explosion. When originally disclosed in 1980, the location was identified as a base in the Pacific region. In 2016, |
| July 6, 1959 | Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, US | Limited contamination | A USAF C-124 transporting three Mark 39 Mod 2 sealed-pit nuclear weapons crashed and burned down during take-off. The high explosives did not detonate, but one weapon was completely destroyed by the fire, and the other two suffered heat damage and tritium leakage. The wreckage area experienced limited contamination. |
| September 25, 1959 | Eastern Pacific Ocean | Lost nuclear weapon casing | A U . Navy P5M antisubmarine aircraft patrolling out of NAS Whidbey Island with an unarmed Mark 90 nuclear depth charge casing on board crash-landed in the Pacific Ocean, about 100 miles (160 km) west of the Washington-Oregon border. The casing was not recovered. |
| October 15, 1959 | Hardinsburg, Kentucky, US | Nuclear weapon partially damaged | After both planes took off from Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, a USAF B-52F-100-BO (No. 57-036), with two sealed-pit nuclear weapons collided at 32,000 feet (9,754 m) with a KC-135 refueling aircraft (No. 57-1513), during a refueling procedure near Hardinsburg, Kentucky. Both planes crashed killing eight crew members. One unarmed nuclear w |
| November 20, 1959 | Oak Ridge, Tennessee, US | Explosion | A chemical explosion occurred during decontamination of processing machinery in the radiochemical processing plant at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee . (Report ORNL-2989, Oak Ridge National Laboratory). The accident resulted in the release of about 15 grams (0 oz) of 239Pu. |
· 1960s
June 7, 1960
June 7, 1960
Date
June 7, 1960
Location
New Egypt, New Jersey, US
Type
Nuclear warhead damaged by fire
Description
A helium tank exploded and ruptured the fuel tanks of a USAF BOMARC-A surface-to-air missile at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. The fire destroyed the missile, and contaminated the area directly below and adjacent to the missile.
October 13, 1960
October 13, 1960
Date
October 13, 1960
Location
Barents Sea, Arctic Ocean
Type
Release of nuclear materials
Description
A leak developed in the steam generators and in a pipe leading to the compensator reception on the ill-fated K-8 while the Soviet Northern Fleet November-class submarine was on exercise. While the crew rigged an improvised cooling system, radioactive gases leaked into the vessel and three of the crew suffered visible radiation injuries according to
January 3, 1961
January 3, 1961
Date
January 3, 1961
Location
National Reactor Testing Station, Idaho, US
Type
Accidental criticality, steam explosion, 3 fatalities, release of fission products
Description
SL-1 reactor being removed from the National Reactor Testing Station information: SL-1 § Accident_and_responseDuring a maintenance shutdown, the SL-1 experimental nuclear reactor underwent a prompt critical reaction causing core materials to explosively vaporize. Water hammer estimated at 10,000 pounds per square inch (69,000 kPa) struck th
January 24, 1961
January 24, 1961
Date
January 24, 1961
Location
Goldsboro, North Carolina, US
Type
Physical destruction of a nuclear bomb, loss of nuclear materials
Description
Main article: 1961 Goldsboro B-52 crash
A USAF B-52 bomber caught fire and exploded in midair due to a major leak in a wing fuel cell 12 miles (19 km) north of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Five crewmen parachuted to safety, but three others died—two in the aircraft and one on landing. The incident released the bomber's two Mark 3
March 14, 1961
March 14, 1961
Date
March 14, 1961
Location
Yuba City, California, US
Type
Physical destruction of a nuclear bomb, loss of nuclear materials
Description
Main article: 1961 Yuba City B-52 crash
USAF B-52 bomber departed Mather Air Force Base, California and experienced a decompression event that required it to fly below 10,000 feet. Resulting increased fuel consumption led to fuel exhaustion; the aircraft crashed near Yuba City, California with two nuclear bombs, which did not trigger a nuclear exp
July 4, 1961
July 4, 1961
Date
July 4, 1961
Location
Coast of Norway
Type
Near meltdown
Description
The Soviet Hotel-class submarine K-19 suffered a failure in its cooling system. Reactor core temperatures reached 800 °C (1,500 °F), nearly enough to melt the fuel rods, although the crew was able to regain temperature control by using emergency procedures. The incident contaminated parts of the ship, some of the onboard ballistic missiles and the
May 1, 1962
May 1, 1962
Date
May 1, 1962
Location
Sahara desert, French Algeria (now Algeria)
Type
Accidental venting of underground nuclear test
Description
The second French underground nuclear test, codenamed Béryl, took place in a shaft under Mount Taourirt, near In Ecker, 150 km (93 mi) north of Tamanrasset, Algerian Sahara. Due to improper sealing of the shaft, a spectacular flame burst through the concrete cap and radioactive gases and dust were vented into the atmosphere. The plume climbed up to
May 22, 1962
May 22, 1962
Date
May 22, 1962
Location
Chico, California, US
Type
Explosion of Titan I ICBM
Description
A Titan I ICBM exploded in its silo in Chico, California. During a contractor checkout, a leak and subsequent explosion occurred at launcher 1 at complex 4C at Chico, destroying a Titan I and causing heavy damage to the silo. The Air Force concluded that the two separate explosions occurred because of a blocked vent and blocked valve. All contract
June 20, 1962
June 20, 1962
Date
June 20, 1962
Location
Johnson Island
Type
Self-destruction of nuclear-armed Thor missile
Description
Part of the Starfish test series by the US military, a Thor missile was launched but had its flight aborted one minute after its takeoff. No nuclear explosion took place. However, heavily contaminated missile components fell back down upon the island where service personnel worked and lived.
July 25, 1962
July 25, 1962
Date
July 25, 1962
Location
Johnson Island
Type
Explosion of nuclear-armed Thor missile
Description
A Thor missile exploded on its launchpad, scattering highly contaminated debris all over the island. Service personnel were heavily exposed to radiation both during the explosion and in subsequent emergency clean-up efforts. Veterans who were exposed to the high radiological hazards all suffered lethal long-term effects of radiation-based cancers.
April 10, 1963
April 10, 1963
Date
April 10, 1963
Location
Atlantic Ocean
Type
Loss of nuclear reactor
Description
The United States Navy submarine USS Thresher sank about 190 nmi (220 mi; 350 km) east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts due to improper welds allowing in seawater which forced a shutdown of the reactor. Poor design of its emergency blow system prevented the ship from surfacing and the disabled ship ultimately descended to crush depth and imploded, killin
January 13, 1964
January 13, 1964
Date
January 13, 1964
Location
Salisbury, Pennsylvania and Frostburg, Maryland, US
Type
Accidental loss and recovery of thermonuclear bombs
Description
Main article: 1964 Savage Mountain B-52 crash
A USAF B-52 on airborne alert duty encountered a severe winter storm and extreme turbulence, ultimately disintegrating in midair over South Central Pennsylvania. Only the two pilots survived. One crew member failed to bail out and the rest succumbed to injuries or exposure to the harsh winter weather. A
December 5, 1964
December 5, 1964
Date
December 5, 1964
Location
Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
Type
Minuteman ICBM missile warhead separation
Description
The warhead separated in the launch tube due to an electrical short circuit and fell to the bottom of the tube, at launch facility Lima-02 near Vale, South Dakota. The missile site was part of the former 44th Missile Wing at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota.
December 8, 1964
December 8, 1964
Date
December 8, 1964
Location
Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana, US
Type
Fire, radioactive contamination
Description
A USAF B-58 aircraft carrying a B53 nuclear bomb internally, and four B43 nuclear bombs externally, caught fire while taxiing after its landing gear collapsed. The B53 burned, causing contamination of the crash area. Two of the B43s caused some plutonium and uranium contamination. One of the B43 bombs was crushed between the plane's collapsed wing
January 1965
January 1965
Date
January 1965
Location
Livermore, California, US
Type
Release of nuclear materials
Description
An accident at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory released 300 kCi (11 PBq) of tritium gas. Subsequent study found this release was not likely to produce adverse health effects in the surrounding communities.
October 11, 1965
October 11, 1965
Date
October 11, 1965
Location
Rocky Flats Plant, Golden, Colorado, US
Type
Fire, exposure of workers
Description
Further information: Radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats PlantA fire at Rocky Flats exposed a crew of 25 to up to 17 times the legal limit for radiation.
December 5, 1965
December 5, 1965
Date
December 5, 1965
Location
Philippine Sea
Type
Loss of a nuclear bomb
Description
Main article: 1965 Philippine Sea A-4 incident
A U . Navy A-4E Skyhawk aircraft with one B43 nuclear bomb on board fell off the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga into 16,200 feet (4,900 m) of water while the ship was underway from Vietnam to Yokosuka, Japan. The plane, pilot and weapon were never recovered. There is dispute over exactly where the i
January 17, 1966
January 17, 1966
Date
January 17, 1966
Location
Palomares, Almería, Spain
Type
Accidental destruction, loss and recovery of nuclear bombs
Description
Main article: 1966 Palomares B-52 crash
A USAF B-52 carrying four hydrogen bombs collided with a USAF KC-135 jet tanker during over-ocean in-flight refueling. Four of the B-52's seven crew members parachuted to safety while the remaining three were killed along with all four of the KC-135's crew. The conventional explosives in two of the bombs deto
January 21, 1968
January 21, 1968
Date
January 21, 1968
Location
Thule Air Base, Greenland
Type
Loss and partial recovery of nuclear bombs
Description
Main article: 1968 Thule Air Base B-52 crash
A fire broke out in the navigator's compartment of a USAF B-52 near Thule Air Base, Greenland. The bomber crashed 7 miles (11 km) from the airbase, rupturing the bomber's bomb bay and causing the conventional explosives in the four B28FI thermonuclear bombs to detonate, fragmenting and spreading the radi
March 8, 1968
March 8, 1968
Date
March 8, 1968
Location
1,560 nautical miles (2,890 km) northwest of Oahu in the Pacific Ocean
Type
?
Description
The Soviet nuclear submarine K-129 sank with a crew of 98 due to an explosion of unknown cause. The International Atomic Energy Agency stated that two nuclear warheads from K-129 were located in the Pacific 1,230 miles from Kamchatka at coordinates 40°6'N and 179°57'E at a depth of 6,000 metres (20,000 ft), and lists them as recovered.
Spring 1968
Spring 1968
Date
Spring 1968
Location
Atlantic Ocean
Type
?
Description
An official US Department of Defense summary of accidents in 1981 has one listing that reads only as: "Spring 1968 / At Sea, Atlantic. Details remain classified." It has been suggested that this was a reference to the sinking of the USS Scorpion, and that its classification status was because at the time, the US Navy did not acknowledge that it con
May 22, 1968
May 22, 1968
Date
May 22, 1968
Location
740 km (400 nmi) southwest of the Azores
Type
Loss of nuclear reactor and two W34 nuclear warheads
Description
Mark 45 nuclear torpedo, similar to the two that were lostThe U . submarine USS Scorpion sank while en route from Rota, Spain, to Norfolk, Virginia, United States. All 99 officers and men on board were killed, and while the cause of the sinking remains unknown, Scorpion's originally planned full overhaul was reduced in scope, and long-overdue SUBS
May 24, 1968
May 24, 1968
Date
May 24, 1968
Location
Barents Sea, Arctic Ocean
Type
Loss of cooling, radioactive contamination, nuclear fuel damaged
Description
During sea trials, the Soviet nuclear submarine K-27 (Project 645) suffered severe problems with its reactor cooling systems. After spending some time at reduced power, reactor output inexplicably dropped and sensors detected an increase of gamma radiation in the reactor compartment to 150 rad/h. The safety buffer tank released radioactive gases fu
August 27, 1968
August 27, 1968
Date
August 27, 1968
Location
Severodvinsk, Russia (then USSR)
Type
Reactor power excursion, contamination
Description
While in the naval yards at Severodvinsk for repairs, the Soviet Yankee-class nuclear submarine K-140 suffered an uncontrolled increase of the reactor's power output. One of the reactors activated automatically when workers raised control rods to a higher position and power increased to 18 times normal, while pressure and temperature levels in the
May 11, 1969
May 11, 1969
Date
May 11, 1969
Location
Rocky Flats Plant, Golden, Colorado, US
Type
Plutonium fire, contamination
Description
Further information: Radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant § 1969 fireAn accident in which 5 kilograms of plutonium burnt inside a glovebox at Rocky Flats. Cleanup took two years and was the costliest industrial accident ever to occur in the United States at that time.
| Date | Location | Type | Description |
| June 7, 1960 | New Egypt, New Jersey, US | Nuclear warhead damaged by fire | A helium tank exploded and ruptured the fuel tanks of a USAF BOMARC-A surface-to-air missile at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. The fire destroyed the missile, and contaminated the area directly below and adjacent to the missile. |
| October 13, 1960 | Barents Sea, Arctic Ocean | Release of nuclear materials | A leak developed in the steam generators and in a pipe leading to the compensator reception on the ill-fated K-8 while the Soviet Northern Fleet November-class submarine was on exercise. While the crew rigged an improvised cooling system, radioactive gases leaked into the vessel and three of the crew suffered visible radiation injuries according to |
| January 3, 1961 | National Reactor Testing Station, Idaho, US | Accidental criticality, steam explosion, 3 fatalities, release of fission products | SL-1 reactor being removed from the National Reactor Testing Station information: SL-1 § Accident_and_responseDuring a maintenance shutdown, the SL-1 experimental nuclear reactor underwent a prompt critical reaction causing core materials to explosively vaporize. Water hammer estimated at 10,000 pounds per square inch (69,000 kPa) struck th |
| January 24, 1961 | Goldsboro, North Carolina, US | Physical destruction of a nuclear bomb, loss of nuclear materials | Main article: 1961 Goldsboro B-52 crash A USAF B-52 bomber caught fire and exploded in midair due to a major leak in a wing fuel cell 12 miles (19 km) north of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Five crewmen parachuted to safety, but three others died—two in the aircraft and one on landing. The incident released the bomber's two Mark 3 |
| March 14, 1961 | Yuba City, California, US | Physical destruction of a nuclear bomb, loss of nuclear materials | Main article: 1961 Yuba City B-52 crash USAF B-52 bomber departed Mather Air Force Base, California and experienced a decompression event that required it to fly below 10,000 feet. Resulting increased fuel consumption led to fuel exhaustion; the aircraft crashed near Yuba City, California with two nuclear bombs, which did not trigger a nuclear exp |
| July 4, 1961 | Coast of Norway | Near meltdown | The Soviet Hotel-class submarine K-19 suffered a failure in its cooling system. Reactor core temperatures reached 800 °C (1,500 °F), nearly enough to melt the fuel rods, although the crew was able to regain temperature control by using emergency procedures. The incident contaminated parts of the ship, some of the onboard ballistic missiles and the |
| May 1, 1962 | Sahara desert, French Algeria (now Algeria) | Accidental venting of underground nuclear test | The second French underground nuclear test, codenamed Béryl, took place in a shaft under Mount Taourirt, near In Ecker, 150 km (93 mi) north of Tamanrasset, Algerian Sahara. Due to improper sealing of the shaft, a spectacular flame burst through the concrete cap and radioactive gases and dust were vented into the atmosphere. The plume climbed up to |
| May 22, 1962 | Chico, California, US | Explosion of Titan I ICBM | A Titan I ICBM exploded in its silo in Chico, California. During a contractor checkout, a leak and subsequent explosion occurred at launcher 1 at complex 4C at Chico, destroying a Titan I and causing heavy damage to the silo. The Air Force concluded that the two separate explosions occurred because of a blocked vent and blocked valve. All contract |
| June 20, 1962 | Johnson Island | Self-destruction of nuclear-armed Thor missile | Part of the Starfish test series by the US military, a Thor missile was launched but had its flight aborted one minute after its takeoff. No nuclear explosion took place. However, heavily contaminated missile components fell back down upon the island where service personnel worked and lived. |
| July 25, 1962 | Johnson Island | Explosion of nuclear-armed Thor missile | A Thor missile exploded on its launchpad, scattering highly contaminated debris all over the island. Service personnel were heavily exposed to radiation both during the explosion and in subsequent emergency clean-up efforts. Veterans who were exposed to the high radiological hazards all suffered lethal long-term effects of radiation-based cancers. |
| April 10, 1963 | Atlantic Ocean | Loss of nuclear reactor | The United States Navy submarine USS Thresher sank about 190 nmi (220 mi; 350 km) east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts due to improper welds allowing in seawater which forced a shutdown of the reactor. Poor design of its emergency blow system prevented the ship from surfacing and the disabled ship ultimately descended to crush depth and imploded, killin |
| January 13, 1964 | Salisbury, Pennsylvania and Frostburg, Maryland, US | Accidental loss and recovery of thermonuclear bombs | Main article: 1964 Savage Mountain B-52 crash A USAF B-52 on airborne alert duty encountered a severe winter storm and extreme turbulence, ultimately disintegrating in midair over South Central Pennsylvania. Only the two pilots survived. One crew member failed to bail out and the rest succumbed to injuries or exposure to the harsh winter weather. A |
| December 5, 1964 | Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota | Minuteman ICBM missile warhead separation | The warhead separated in the launch tube due to an electrical short circuit and fell to the bottom of the tube, at launch facility Lima-02 near Vale, South Dakota. The missile site was part of the former 44th Missile Wing at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. |
| December 8, 1964 | Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana, US | Fire, radioactive contamination | A USAF B-58 aircraft carrying a B53 nuclear bomb internally, and four B43 nuclear bombs externally, caught fire while taxiing after its landing gear collapsed. The B53 burned, causing contamination of the crash area. Two of the B43s caused some plutonium and uranium contamination. One of the B43 bombs was crushed between the plane's collapsed wing |
| January 1965 | Livermore, California, US | Release of nuclear materials | An accident at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory released 300 kCi (11 PBq) of tritium gas. Subsequent study found this release was not likely to produce adverse health effects in the surrounding communities. |
| October 11, 1965 | Rocky Flats Plant, Golden, Colorado, US | Fire, exposure of workers | Further information: Radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats PlantA fire at Rocky Flats exposed a crew of 25 to up to 17 times the legal limit for radiation. |
| December 5, 1965 | Philippine Sea | Loss of a nuclear bomb | Main article: 1965 Philippine Sea A-4 incident A U . Navy A-4E Skyhawk aircraft with one B43 nuclear bomb on board fell off the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga into 16,200 feet (4,900 m) of water while the ship was underway from Vietnam to Yokosuka, Japan. The plane, pilot and weapon were never recovered. There is dispute over exactly where the i |
| January 17, 1966 | Palomares, Almería, Spain | Accidental destruction, loss and recovery of nuclear bombs | Main article: 1966 Palomares B-52 crash A USAF B-52 carrying four hydrogen bombs collided with a USAF KC-135 jet tanker during over-ocean in-flight refueling. Four of the B-52's seven crew members parachuted to safety while the remaining three were killed along with all four of the KC-135's crew. The conventional explosives in two of the bombs deto |
| January 21, 1968 | Thule Air Base, Greenland | Loss and partial recovery of nuclear bombs | Main article: 1968 Thule Air Base B-52 crash A fire broke out in the navigator's compartment of a USAF B-52 near Thule Air Base, Greenland. The bomber crashed 7 miles (11 km) from the airbase, rupturing the bomber's bomb bay and causing the conventional explosives in the four B28FI thermonuclear bombs to detonate, fragmenting and spreading the radi |
| March 8, 1968 | 1,560 nautical miles (2,890 km) northwest of Oahu in the Pacific Ocean | ? | The Soviet nuclear submarine K-129 sank with a crew of 98 due to an explosion of unknown cause. The International Atomic Energy Agency stated that two nuclear warheads from K-129 were located in the Pacific 1,230 miles from Kamchatka at coordinates 40°6'N and 179°57'E at a depth of 6,000 metres (20,000 ft), and lists them as recovered. |
| Spring 1968 | Atlantic Ocean | ? | An official US Department of Defense summary of accidents in 1981 has one listing that reads only as: "Spring 1968 / At Sea, Atlantic. Details remain classified." It has been suggested that this was a reference to the sinking of the USS Scorpion, and that its classification status was because at the time, the US Navy did not acknowledge that it con |
| May 22, 1968 | 740 km (400 nmi) southwest of the Azores | Loss of nuclear reactor and two W34 nuclear warheads | Mark 45 nuclear torpedo, similar to the two that were lostThe U . submarine USS Scorpion sank while en route from Rota, Spain, to Norfolk, Virginia, United States. All 99 officers and men on board were killed, and while the cause of the sinking remains unknown, Scorpion's originally planned full overhaul was reduced in scope, and long-overdue SUBS |
| May 24, 1968 | Barents Sea, Arctic Ocean | Loss of cooling, radioactive contamination, nuclear fuel damaged | During sea trials, the Soviet nuclear submarine K-27 (Project 645) suffered severe problems with its reactor cooling systems. After spending some time at reduced power, reactor output inexplicably dropped and sensors detected an increase of gamma radiation in the reactor compartment to 150 rad/h. The safety buffer tank released radioactive gases fu |
| August 27, 1968 | Severodvinsk, Russia (then USSR) | Reactor power excursion, contamination | While in the naval yards at Severodvinsk for repairs, the Soviet Yankee-class nuclear submarine K-140 suffered an uncontrolled increase of the reactor's power output. One of the reactors activated automatically when workers raised control rods to a higher position and power increased to 18 times normal, while pressure and temperature levels in the |
| May 11, 1969 | Rocky Flats Plant, Golden, Colorado, US | Plutonium fire, contamination | Further information: Radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant § 1969 fireAn accident in which 5 kilograms of plutonium burnt inside a glovebox at Rocky Flats. Cleanup took two years and was the costliest industrial accident ever to occur in the United States at that time. |
· 1970s
April 12, 1970
April 12, 1970
Date
April 12, 1970
Location
Bay of Biscay
Type
Loss of a nuclear submarine
Description
The Soviet November-class attack submarine K-8 sank during salvage with 52 sailors on board after suffering fires in two compartments simultaneously. Both reactors were shut down. The crew attempted to hook a tow line to a Bulgarian merchant vessel, but ultimately failed.
December 18, 1970
December 18, 1970
Date
December 18, 1970
Location
Nevada Test Site
Type
Accidental venting of nuclear explosion
Description
Baneberry's radioactive plume rises from a shock fissure. Contaminants were carried in three different directions by the wind Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963 was meant to prevent the nuclear fallout freely associated with the earlier above ground tests. Some venting might still happen on site, but the 1970 "Baneberry" test blast – part
December 12, 1971
December 12, 1971
Date
December 12, 1971
Location
New London, Connecticut, US
Type
Spill of irradiated water
Description
During the transfer of radioactive coolant water from the submarine USS Dace to the submarine tender USS Fulton 500 US gallons (1,900 L; 420 imp gal) were spilled into the Thames River (US).
December 1972
December 1972
Date
December 1972
Location
Pawling, New York, US
Type
Contamination
Description
A major fire and two explosions contaminated the plant and grounds of a plutonium fabrication facility resulting in a permanent shutdown.
April 21, 1973
April 21, 1973
Date
April 21, 1973
Location
Pacific Ocean, 370 miles from Puget Sound
Type
Primary coolant leak
Description
The primary coolant leaked on board the submarine USS Guardfish while underway
1975
1975
Date
1975
Location
Location unknown
Type
Contamination
Description
Radioactive resin contaminated the American Sturgeon-class submarine USS Guardfish after the wind unexpectedly blew the powder back towards the ship. The resin is used to remove dissolved radioactive minerals and particles from the primary coolant loops of submarines. This type of accident was fairly common; however, U . Navy nuclear vessels no lo
October 1975
October 1975
Date
October 1975
Location
Apra Harbor, Guam
Type
Spill of irradiated water
Description
While disabled, the submarine tender USS Proteus discharged radioactive coolant water. A Geiger counter at two of the harbor's public beaches showed 100 millirems/hour, fifty times the allowable dose.
August 1976
August 1976
Date
August 1976
Location
Benton County, Washington, United States
Type
Explosion, contamination of worker
Description
An explosion at the Hanford site Plutonium Finishing Plant blew out a quarter-inch-thick lead glass window. Harold McCluskey, a worker, was showered with nitric acid and radioactive glass. He inhaled the largest dose of 241Am ever recorded, about 500 times the U . government occupational standards. The worker was placed in isolation for five month
1977
1977
Date
1977
Location
Coast of Kamchatka
Type
Loss and recovery of a nuclear warhead
Description
The Soviet submarine K-171 accidentally released a nuclear warhead. The warhead was recovered after a search involving dozens of ships and aircraft.
January 24, 1978
January 24, 1978
Date
January 24, 1978
Location
Northwest Territories, Canada
Type
Spill of nuclear fuel
Description
Kosmos 954, a Soviet Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite with an onboard nuclear reactor, failed to separate from its booster and broke up on reentry over Western and Northern Canada. The fuel was spread over a wide area and some radioactive pieces were recovered. The Soviet Union eventually paid the Canadian government 3 million CAD ($13 million
May 22, 1978
May 22, 1978
Date
May 22, 1978
Location
Near Puget Sound, Washington, United States
Type
Spill of irradiated water
Description
A valve was mistakenly opened aboard the submarine USS Puffer releasing up to 500 US gallons (1,900 L; 420 imp gal) of radioactive water.
| Date | Location | Type | Description |
| April 12, 1970 | Bay of Biscay | Loss of a nuclear submarine | The Soviet November-class attack submarine K-8 sank during salvage with 52 sailors on board after suffering fires in two compartments simultaneously. Both reactors were shut down. The crew attempted to hook a tow line to a Bulgarian merchant vessel, but ultimately failed. |
| December 18, 1970 | Nevada Test Site | Accidental venting of nuclear explosion | Baneberry's radioactive plume rises from a shock fissure. Contaminants were carried in three different directions by the wind Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963 was meant to prevent the nuclear fallout freely associated with the earlier above ground tests. Some venting might still happen on site, but the 1970 "Baneberry" test blast – part |
| December 12, 1971 | New London, Connecticut, US | Spill of irradiated water | During the transfer of radioactive coolant water from the submarine USS Dace to the submarine tender USS Fulton 500 US gallons (1,900 L; 420 imp gal) were spilled into the Thames River (US). |
| December 1972 | Pawling, New York, US | Contamination | A major fire and two explosions contaminated the plant and grounds of a plutonium fabrication facility resulting in a permanent shutdown. |
| April 21, 1973 | Pacific Ocean, 370 miles from Puget Sound | Primary coolant leak | The primary coolant leaked on board the submarine USS Guardfish while underway |
| 1975 | Location unknown | Contamination | Radioactive resin contaminated the American Sturgeon-class submarine USS Guardfish after the wind unexpectedly blew the powder back towards the ship. The resin is used to remove dissolved radioactive minerals and particles from the primary coolant loops of submarines. This type of accident was fairly common; however, U . Navy nuclear vessels no lo |
| October 1975 | Apra Harbor, Guam | Spill of irradiated water | While disabled, the submarine tender USS Proteus discharged radioactive coolant water. A Geiger counter at two of the harbor's public beaches showed 100 millirems/hour, fifty times the allowable dose. |
| August 1976 | Benton County, Washington, United States | Explosion, contamination of worker | An explosion at the Hanford site Plutonium Finishing Plant blew out a quarter-inch-thick lead glass window. Harold McCluskey, a worker, was showered with nitric acid and radioactive glass. He inhaled the largest dose of 241Am ever recorded, about 500 times the U . government occupational standards. The worker was placed in isolation for five month |
| 1977 | Coast of Kamchatka | Loss and recovery of a nuclear warhead | The Soviet submarine K-171 accidentally released a nuclear warhead. The warhead was recovered after a search involving dozens of ships and aircraft. |
| January 24, 1978 | Northwest Territories, Canada | Spill of nuclear fuel | Kosmos 954, a Soviet Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite with an onboard nuclear reactor, failed to separate from its booster and broke up on reentry over Western and Northern Canada. The fuel was spread over a wide area and some radioactive pieces were recovered. The Soviet Union eventually paid the Canadian government 3 million CAD ($13 million |
| May 22, 1978 | Near Puget Sound, Washington, United States | Spill of irradiated water | A valve was mistakenly opened aboard the submarine USS Puffer releasing up to 500 US gallons (1,900 L; 420 imp gal) of radioactive water. |
· 1980s
September 18, 1980
September 18, 1980
Date
September 18, 1980
Location
Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, US
Type
Nuclear missile fuel explosion
Description
Main article: 1980 Damascus Titan missile explosion
At about 6:30 p ., an airman conducting maintenance on a USAF Titan-II missile at Little Rock Air Force Base's Launch Complex 374–7 in Southside (Van Buren County), just north of Damascus, Arkansas, dropped a nine-pound (4 kg) socket from a socket wrench, which fell about 80 feet (24 m) before hi
February 1982 to December 1989
February 1982 to December 1989
Date
February 1982 to December 1989
Location
Kola Peninsula, Russia (former USSR)
Type
Release of nuclear materials
Description
The Andreev Bay nuclear accident was associated with leaks in a massive cooling and storage pool. The leaks caused about 700,000 tonnes of highly radioactive water to leak into the Barents Sea during that time period. During the extensive period of attempted repairs and subsequent dismantling of the pool, other incidents occurred on site, includin
August 8, 1982
August 8, 1982
Date
August 8, 1982
Location
Barents Sea
Type
Release of nuclear materials
Description
While on duty in the Barents Sea, there was a release of liquid metal coolant from the reactor of the Soviet Project 705 Alfa-class submarine K-123. The accident was caused by a leak in the steam generator. Approximately two tons of metal alloy leaked into the reactor compartment, irreparably damaging the reactor so it had to be replaced. It took n
January 3, 1983
January 3, 1983
Date
January 3, 1983
Location
South Atlantic
Type
Contamination
Description
The Soviet nuclear-powered spy satellite Kosmos 1402 burned up over the South Atlantic.
August 10, 1985
August 10, 1985
Date
August 10, 1985
Location
Chazhma Bay, Vladivostok
Type
Release of nuclear materials
Description
About 35 miles (56 km) from Vladivostok in Chazhma Bay, the Soviet Echo-class submarine K-431 suffered a reactor explosion, producing fatally high levels of radiation. Ten men were killed, but the deadly cloud of radioactivity did not reach Vladivostok.
1986
1986
Date
1986
Location
Hanford Site, Washington, US
Type
Release of nuclear materials
Description
The U . government declassified 19,000 pages of documents indicating that between 1946 and 1986, the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington, released thousands of US gallons of radioactive liquids. Many of the people living in the affected area received low doses of radiation from 131I.
October 3, 1986
October 3, 1986
Date
October 3, 1986
Location
North Atlantic
Type
Loss of two nuclear reactors and either 32 or 48 warheads
Description
480 miles (770 km) east of Bermuda, the Soviet Yankee I-class submarine K-219 experienced an explosion in one of its missile tubes and at least three crew members were killed. Sixteen nuclear missiles and two reactors were on board. Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev privately communicated news of the disaster to U . President Ronald Reagan before pu
October 1988
October 1988
Date
October 1988
Location
Rocky Flats Plant, Golden, Colorado, US
Type
Contamination, exposure of workers
Description
At the nuclear pit fabrication facility at Rocky Flats in Colorado, two employees and a United States Department of Energy inspector inhaled radioactive particles, causing closure of the plant. Several safety violations were cited, including uncalibrated monitors, inadequate fire equipment, and groundwater contaminated with radioactivity.
| Date | Location | Type | Description |
| September 18, 1980 | Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, US | Nuclear missile fuel explosion | Main article: 1980 Damascus Titan missile explosion At about 6:30 p ., an airman conducting maintenance on a USAF Titan-II missile at Little Rock Air Force Base's Launch Complex 374–7 in Southside (Van Buren County), just north of Damascus, Arkansas, dropped a nine-pound (4 kg) socket from a socket wrench, which fell about 80 feet (24 m) before hi |
| February 1982 to December 1989 | Kola Peninsula, Russia (former USSR) | Release of nuclear materials | The Andreev Bay nuclear accident was associated with leaks in a massive cooling and storage pool. The leaks caused about 700,000 tonnes of highly radioactive water to leak into the Barents Sea during that time period. During the extensive period of attempted repairs and subsequent dismantling of the pool, other incidents occurred on site, includin |
| August 8, 1982 | Barents Sea | Release of nuclear materials | While on duty in the Barents Sea, there was a release of liquid metal coolant from the reactor of the Soviet Project 705 Alfa-class submarine K-123. The accident was caused by a leak in the steam generator. Approximately two tons of metal alloy leaked into the reactor compartment, irreparably damaging the reactor so it had to be replaced. It took n |
| January 3, 1983 | South Atlantic | Contamination | The Soviet nuclear-powered spy satellite Kosmos 1402 burned up over the South Atlantic. |
| August 10, 1985 | Chazhma Bay, Vladivostok | Release of nuclear materials | About 35 miles (56 km) from Vladivostok in Chazhma Bay, the Soviet Echo-class submarine K-431 suffered a reactor explosion, producing fatally high levels of radiation. Ten men were killed, but the deadly cloud of radioactivity did not reach Vladivostok. |
| 1986 | Hanford Site, Washington, US | Release of nuclear materials | The U . government declassified 19,000 pages of documents indicating that between 1946 and 1986, the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington, released thousands of US gallons of radioactive liquids. Many of the people living in the affected area received low doses of radiation from 131I. |
| October 3, 1986 | North Atlantic | Loss of two nuclear reactors and either 32 or 48 warheads | 480 miles (770 km) east of Bermuda, the Soviet Yankee I-class submarine K-219 experienced an explosion in one of its missile tubes and at least three crew members were killed. Sixteen nuclear missiles and two reactors were on board. Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev privately communicated news of the disaster to U . President Ronald Reagan before pu |
| October 1988 | Rocky Flats Plant, Golden, Colorado, US | Contamination, exposure of workers | At the nuclear pit fabrication facility at Rocky Flats in Colorado, two employees and a United States Department of Energy inspector inhaled radioactive particles, causing closure of the plant. Several safety violations were cited, including uncalibrated monitors, inadequate fire equipment, and groundwater contaminated with radioactivity. |
References
- The missiles involved in the accident must have been the R-27U version as the original version was retired by 1983. Sour
- R. Döpel (1941 bzw. 1942), Beschreibung zweier Unfälle mit Uranoxid.http://www.deutsches-museum.de/archiv/archiv-online/geheimdokumente/forschungszentren/leipzig/unfaelle/dokument-1/
- Bulletin of the Atomic Scientistshttps://books.google.com/books?id=vA0AAAAAMBAJ&q=Leipzig%20pile%20fire&pg=PA343
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