Eight people were killed in a B-52 bomber crash at Edwards Air Force Base in southern California on Monday, according to base officials. The aircraft went down immediately after take-off during what officials described as a routine test mission, sending a large column of black smoke into the sky near the Mojave Desert installation.
The crash happened at 11:20 local time, or 19:20 GMT. Col James Hayes said the victims were a “mixed crew of military, government civilians and government contractors.” Boeing later confirmed that two of its employees were among those on board.
What officials said happened at Edwards Air Force Base
At an afternoon briefing, Hayes said the bomber had been supporting the base’s radar modernisation programme when it crashed just after take-off and burst into flames.
“Today, Edwards Air Force Base experienced a terrible tragedy, and we lost eight great Americans,” Hayes said.
The base had earlier said initial indications were that the crash “was not survivable.” Hayes said officials reviewed early footage and determined the incident was “an unrecoverable crash and unsurvivable.” Grim language, but in this case officials were being direct rather than dramatic.
The crash was “totally contained” within Edwards Air Force Base and occurred on the runway, Hayes said. Aerial footage later showed a charred, smoking area at the crash site.
Victims’ families are being notified
Officials were notifying the crew members’ next of kin. Hayes said the victims would be publicly named 24 hours after those notifications are completed.
Boeing said in a separate statement that two of its employees were on board and that the company was in contact with their families. The aerospace company declined to comment further when contacted by the BBC.
The base temporarily grounded operations after the crash. In an earlier update, Edwards Air Force Base said all inbound aircraft had been diverted and all non-commercial visitor passes had been suspended “until further notice to allow the installation to focus entirely on emergency response operations.”
No cause has been identified. Hayes said an initial investigation could take up to 30 days, while deeper cause analysis could take more than six months. In other words, the part where everyone wants a quick answer is precisely the part investigators tend not to rush.
What the B-52 Stratofortress is built to do
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress has been used by the US military since the 1950s. It is nicknamed “the Buff,” a partially cleaned-up shorthand for “Big Ugly Fat.” The aircraft is a long-range strategic bomber, designed for missions that require heavy payloads over extreme distances.
The B-52 can fly at up to 50,000ft. Commercial airliners, by comparison, generally cruise at around 35,000ft. Its payload capacity is about 70,000lb, or 32,000kg, and can include hundreds of conventional bombs as well as 32 nuclear cruise missiles.
The aircraft can also refuel in mid-air, giving it a potentially unlimited strike range. During the Cold War, that helped form part of the United States’ nuclear deterrent strategy, the era of mutually assured destruction being one of history’s less comforting administrative concepts.
The planes typically carry a crew of five:
- Aircraft commander
- Pilot
- Radar navigator
- Navigator
- Electronic warfare officer
The B-52 has also been involved in bombing raids during the US and Israel’s war in Iran.
Where the crash happened
Edwards Air Force Base is about 100 miles, or 160km, north of Los Angeles in the Mojave Desert. The base is a major US Air Force testing site, which is why a routine test mission involving a strategic bomber was taking place there in the first place.
Officials said the crash remained contained to the base, and there was no immediate report of casualties beyond those on board the aircraft.
Officials respond to the deaths
California Governor Gavin Newsom called the crash “a tragic incident” in a post on X and offered condolences to the victims’ families and the Edwards Air Force Base community.
US Representative Vince Fong, whose California congressional district includes part of the base, also posted on X: “Absolutely heartbreaking. God bless the 8 crew members on board.”
Congressman Jay Obernolte, whose district also includes part of Edwards Air Force Base, wrote on Facebook that he and his wife were “praying for everyone involved in today’s B-52 crash at Edwards Air Force Base, especially the crew, their families, and the first responders on scene.”
Michigan Congresswoman Lisa McClain posted on X: “My prayers are with everyone involved in the B-52 crash at Edwards Air Force Base this afternoon.”
She also thanked emergency crews, adding: “Our service members carry the weight of this nation’s defense every single day. We are with them.”
For now, the public record is limited to what officials have confirmed: eight people are dead, the aircraft crashed immediately after take-off, and investigators have not yet determined why.
