A B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed shortly after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Tuesday, killing all eight crew members on board, according to US military officials.
Crash Details
The aircraft went down at 11:20 a.m. local time on the Edwards airfield, producing a massive column of smoke visible for miles. The base confirmed in a statement that the crash was not survivable.
"A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff on the Edwards airfield at 11:20 am," authorities said. "Initial indications are that the crash was not survivable. Emergency response personnel are on scene, and officials are working to account for all personnel."
Witnesses reported seeing a large plume of smoke rising from the base, located in the Mojave Desert. Social media posts showed images of the smoke column, with one user asking, "Did something just happen at Edwards Air Force Base?"
Base Operations Halted
Following the incident, the airfield was closed, and all inbound aircraft were diverted. Non-commercial visitor passes were suspended to allow the base to focus on emergency response operations.
Edwards Air Force Base, about 100 miles from Los Angeles, spans over 300,000 acres across Kern, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles counties. It serves as the Air Force Flight Test Center and is a hub for testing new and developmental aircraft, including those used by NASA.
Aircraft Background
The B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range bomber first introduced in the 1950s. Manufactured by Boeing and typically operated by a crew of five, it can deliver conventional and nuclear weapons over vast distances. The aircraft has been used in conflicts from Vietnam to recent operations in the Iran war.
An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway.
