One of eight medium-thrust engines fell off a U.S. Air Force B-52 heavy bomber from Minot AFB, North Dakota, while it was conducting a local training mission.

The crew “declared an in-flight emergency when the pilot discovered that an engine departed the aircraft,” according to an Air Force spokesman.

“There were no weapons on board and it was a local training mission. The aircraft landed safely with no injuries to the five personnel on board.

The engine broke apart and landed in an underpopulated area 25 nautical miles from the base, at which time the Air Force dispatched a helicopter to retrieve the debris.

Picture Rob Vogelaar