Edwards Air Force Base, northeast of Los Angeles, reported that eight crew members perished in a B-52 bomber crash on Monday morning shortly after takeoff.
It is the deadliest B-52 bomber crash since 1982. The Associated Press reported at the time that nine crew members perished in that disaster while undergoing test training at the Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento.
According to officials, the B-52 Stratofortress involved in Monday's collision was on a standard test trip that began at the remote air base at 11:20 a.m. local time. These days, it is regarded as a recovery operation.
At a press conference, Colonel James Hayes declared, "It was horrible and unsurvivable."
The aircraft crashed, leaving a towering black smoke in its path, and emergency personnel responded right away, according to the base.
Chief Master Sgt. Joshua T. Skarloken stated that teams are working over the next few hours to inform relatives about the deaths. According to Skarloken, the crew consisted of a combination of government contractors, citizens, and military officials.
The aircraft's manufacturer, Boeing, reported that two of its workers flew on Monday. In a statement, Boeing added, "We are in contact with their families and are extending support."
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink expressed their sympathies on social media on the deaths.
A base where test flights are common
Because of its lengthy runways, Edwards Air Force Base has
long been utilized as a testing ground for various aircraft, helicopters,
drones, and even space shuttles in addition to Air Force aircraft.
According to former US Navy commander and P-3 pilot Richard
Kolko, "if anything flies, it is tested at Edwards Air Force Base."
"It has some of the top engineers and test pilots in the world."
According to Kolko, test flights usually involve some of the
most experienced pilots and air crew members available, as well as civilian
engineers or manufacturing staff, depending on what is being tested. He also
mentioned that the base has a strong emergency reaction team for any mishaps.
According to Kolko, officials will now have to secure the accident site, collect any possible remains and evidence, get maintenance records, and examine everything to learn as much as they can about the crash.
In military missions, the B-52 is a mainstay.
One of the Air Force's oldest aircraft, the B-52 was first put into service in 1955 and is the subject of Monday's tragedy. Up to 70,000 pounds of bombs and other armaments can be carried by the long-range heavy bomber, which normally has a crew of five.
The Air Force's arsenal, which contained 76 of the aircraft before to the crash, still heavily relies on the currently flown version, the B-52H. During the ongoing US-Iranian confrontation, it was employed in bombing missions. Nuclear bombs and nuclear-armed cruise missiles can also be carried by the B-52H.
Prior to Monday's mishap, the most recent deadly incident
involving the aircraft occurred in 2008, when six Air Force members perished
when their B-52 crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Guam while
getting ready for a parade flyover.
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/15/us/b-52-crash-edwards-california
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