An unarmed B-52 bomber crashed into Lake Michigan just missing the Big Rock Point nuclear power plant near Charlevoix on this day in 1971. Nine Air Force crew members were killed. According to the official report, the 15-year-old B-52 Model C had suffered catastrophic structural failure of its left wing between the two giant engine pods. This failure, due to metal fatigue, then caused the plane to nose dive into the waters of Lake Michigan before the crew could even issue an alarm.