KERN COUNTY, CA — Eight people were killed Monday when a bomber crashed shortly after takeoff during a routine test mission at an air force base in Kern County, according to authorities.
"Today, Edwards Air Force Base experienced a horrible tragedy and we lost eight great Americans," Col. James Hayes said at a press conference Monday published on YouTube by CBS News.
The B-52 Stratofortress crashed and burst into flames at 11:20 a.m., immediately after takeoff on the airfield at Edwards Air Force Base, according to authorities, who said the aircraft was part of a radar modernization program.
"Initial indications are that the crash was not survivable," the base said in a news release around 3:30 p.m. "Emergency response personnel are on scene, and officials are working to account for all personnel."
The crew included uniformed military and government employees and contractors, according to Hayes, who said teams were notifying next of kin on Monday. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing confirmed Monday evening that two of its employees were on board.
Aerial footage showed virtually nothing left of an aircraft. A photo circulating on social media showed a massive plume of black smoke rising from the base.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said he is deeply saddened by the lives lost.
“We mourn this loss and honor the service of our Airmen, civilians, and contractors who work every day to advance our mission,” he said in a post on X.
The military hasn’t said whether the bomber was armed.
Test missions typically take place multiple times per day at the base, according to Hayes.
Hayes said it could take upwards of six months before information about the crash investigation is released.
However, the way the B-52 crashed so quickly after takeoff without getting very high or going far makes aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti suspect some kind of flight control malfunction. But it’s too soon to say what might have caused the control problem.
“I think it was definitely a controllability issue. Now, whether that was tied to an engine failure, a flight control failure, or some new testing device failure, I’m not sure,” said Guzzetti, who used to investigate crashes for both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, typically crewed by five people, is a long-range bomber that entered service in 1955. Designed to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons, it has been used in conflicts ranging from the Vietnam War to recent operations in the Middle East.
Edwards Air Force Base is home to a large portion of the U.S. Air Force’s aircraft test and development efforts and is about 100 miles north of Los Angeles. The 412th Test Wing, which runs the base, also conducts developmental testing of all U.S. Air Force aircraft, weapons systems, software and components before purchase by the service as well as throughout their lifespan.
The vast desert base is also where Chuck Yeager broke the speed of sound in 1947.
The crash comes almost a year after the pilot of a regional airliner flying over North Dakota made an unexpected sharp turn to avoid a possible midair collision with a military B-52 bomber that was in its flight path last July.
More recently, an F/A-18 Hornet aircraft assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, on Saturday experienced an "aviation mishap" while conducting routine training about 55 miles southeast of Seattle, according to the U.S. Marine Corps, which added the pilot in that incident ejected safely and was recovered.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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