An American B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber crashed on Monday shortly after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base in the Southern California Mojave Desert. According to base command, none of the eight people on board survived. The aircraft crashed at 11:20 a.m. local time during a routine test flight, burst into flames, and sent a column of black smoke into the sky visible for miles.
Among the victims were service members, civilian government employees, and private contractors — a "mixed crew," as described by base deputy commander Colonel James Hayes. Boeing confirmed that two of the deceased were its employees. The base described the accident as "unsurvivable," temporarily closed the airfield, and diverted all incoming aircraft.
The bomber was not on a combat mission. It was flying as part of a radar modernization program, after which the B-52 is expected to remain in service until approximately 2050 — nearly a century after its introduction in 1955. Edwards is a legendary test base, where Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in 1947.
The aircraft, nicknamed the "BUFF," is among the most well-known planes in the U.S. Air Force. It can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons and has been deployed in conflicts from the Vietnam War to recent U.S. operations in the Middle East, including Iran.
The cause of the crash is not yet known, and the investigation could take anywhere from 30 days to more than six months. Aviation investigator Jeff Guzzetti told media that given how quickly the aircraft went down after takeoff, he identified a possible controllability problem as a likely cause — whether a failure of the controls, the engine, or the equipment being tested. California Governor Gavin Newsom described the incident as a "tragic event."
B-52 Bomber Crashes After Takeoff in California, Eight People Killed. The Aircraft Was Testing New Radar
This summary was written in cooperation with AI. It may contain inaccuracies. Please verify information in the original sources below.
Sources (3)
🔥 You might also like
📰
World Politics
Newsom accused Trump of a politically motivated investigation
California Governor Gavin Newsom accused President Donald Trump on Monday of ordering the DOJ to investigate him, hi...
Technology
Crew-12 crew returns to Earth after eight months
The four-member Crew-12 mission crew returned to Earth on Thursday after approximately eight months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The Spac...
📰
Economy & Business
Boeing wins contract for new generation of fighter jets for the US
Boeing has won a contract with an initial value of $20 billion to develop a new generation of carrier-based fighter jets for the US Navy. The selection ...
Geographic locations
From our newsroom original
All →
Obama backs Senator Ossoff in Atlanta ahead of elections
Petr Pavel Honored 51 Personalities at the Castle, Including Iva Janžurová
Netanyahu's Likud leads, but Israeli elections end in a stalemate
Mecca Pact Countries Held Their First Joint Talks in Tehran. They Agreed Only to Keep Talking
Cruise ship with over 3,300 people on board collided with two container ships in Bremerhaven
Swiss court convicts Belarusian over disappearance of Lukashenko opponent in 1999
Orbán for UN Secretary-General? WSJ Editorial Says Washington Is Pushing Him, Moscow Points to Latin America
France ahead of the October 24 protest: Paris bans demonstrations, Macron convenes intelligence chiefs, Le Pen rises in polls
