California, United States – Web Desk: A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California on Monday, killing all eight people on board .
The incident occurred at approximately 11:20 AM local time during what officials described as a “routine test mission” supporting the radar modernization program . The aircraft was completely destroyed in the crash and subsequent fire, with aerial footage showing virtually nothing left of the bomber and a large swath of charred desert near the runway .
“Today, Edwards Air Force Base experienced a terrible tragedy, and we lost eight great Americans,” Colonel James Hayes, deputy commander for the 412th Test Wing, told reporters. “This crash is deemed to be unsurvivable” .
The crew comprised a mix of uniformed military personnel, government civilians, and government contractors. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing confirmed that two of its employees were on board the flight . The identities of the victims have not been released as officials work to notify their families .
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, nicknamed “the Buff,” has been in service with the US military since 1955. It is a long-range strategic bomber capable of carrying up to 70,000 pounds of munitions, including hundreds of conventional bombs and nuclear-armed cruise missiles . Typically carrying a crew of five, Monday’s flight had eight personnel due to the nature of the test mission .
The aircraft has been used in numerous conflicts spanning from the Vietnam War to recent operations in the Iran conflict . The B-52 involved in Monday’s crash was part of an upgrade initiative replacing its antiquated radar with a modern Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) system .
Edwards Air Force Base, located approximately 100 miles (160 km) north of Los Angeles in the Mojave Desert, holds significant historical importance in American aviation. It is the site where pilot Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in 1947. The base serves as the Air Force’s center of excellence for flight research, testing, and evaluation .
Following the crash, the airfield was closed, inbound aircraft diverted, and non-commercial visitor passes suspended . The base has since reopened, though officials have stood down on operations through Tuesday. Military investigators have launched an inquiry into the cause of the crash, with officials stating that a complete investigation is expected to take up to six months .
The crash is the deadliest involving a B-52 bomber since 1982, when nine crew members died during a test training flight near Sacramento, California .
