8 Killed In CA B-52 Crash Include Father Of Newborn

KERN COUNTY, CA — The eight people killed in a bomber crash at Edwards Air Force Base were identified by military officials on Wednesday. They include a young father who had just returned to work four months after welcoming his second son.

The B-52 Stratofortress crashed and burst into flames at 11:20 a.m. Monday, shortly after takeoff during a routine test mission at the base in Kern County, authorities said.

“It is with profound sorrow and a heavy heart that I can now share the names of the eight extraordinary Americans we lost during Monday’s B-52 crash,” Col. Thomas Tauer, 412th Test Wing Commander, told workers and families at Edwards AFB. “They were dedicated professionals, beloved family members and irreplaceable teammates.”

The crew members killed were identified as:

• Col. Gregory Watson, 53, weapon systems officer, Air Force reservist assigned 10th Air Force, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth and Boeing employee from Shreveport, Louisiana.
• Lt. Col. Gabriel Estrella, 40, weapon systems officer, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Detachment 5.
• Retired Lt. Col. Miles Middleton, 50, pilot and Boeing employee from Tehachapi.
• Maj. Alexander Davis, 34, weapon systems officer, 419th Flight Test Squadron, from Lancaster.
• Maj. Robert Dee, 40, pilot, 419th Flight Test Squadron.
• Maj. Brad Hovey, 35, pilot, 419th Flight Test Squadron
• Jeromy Smith, 32, flight test engineer, 419th Flight Test Squadron from Rosamond.
• Christopher Rischar, 41, flight test engineer, JT4 contractor from Lancaster.

'He Doesn't Get To Watch Them Grow'

Several of the victims had previously been identified by family members and in media reports.

Smith's wife, Lauren Smith, told KTLA that her husband had told her there were issues with the aircraft just days before the crash.

“My husband told me on Friday that they were supposed to fly on Friday and that something was wrong with the plane,” she told KTLA. “I don’t know what was wrong, but the flight kept getting pushed back."

Jeromy Smith is also survived by the couple's two children, according to a GoFundMe set up to support his family, which noted that the family had recently purchased a home.

Smith had just returned to work about a week before the crash: He had taken time off after he and his wife welcomed a son who is now 4 months old, NBC News reported.

"I'm really sad he doesn't get to watch them grow up, but I hope, hope that I do them proud and grow them to be wonderful human beings just like he was," Smith told NBC Los Angeles.

Middleton leaves behind a wife and two children, according to a GoFundMe set up to go toward family expenses and education for the children.

Middleton's wife, Pamela Helfrich, told NBC Los Angeles that she was unsure exactly what her husband's role was in the flight but “If he was in the (pilot's) seat, he did everything in his power to save that flight,” she said.

A Boeing spokesperson confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that Middleton and Watson were the company employees killed in the crash.

“The loss of Miles and Greg is deeply felt across our teams, and our hearts remain with their families, loved ones and those who worked with them,” the spokesperson told the Times.

The Investigation Continues

The cause of the crash has not been determined. Officials said it could take six months to complete the investigation.

The B-52 Stratofortress has been a cornerstone of the Air Force's bomber fleet since entering service in 1955. The long-range aircraft is capable of carrying up to 70,000 pounds of weapons and is generally operated by a crew of five.

The B-52 that crashed was flying as part of a test mission aimed at making the 65-year-old bomber fleet operable for at least another 24 years. The plane had arrived at Edwards in December after having a modernized radar installed at Boeing’s facility in San Antonio, Air Force officials said at the time.

The plan was to use the bomber as a testbed throughout 2026 to help military officials decide whether to proceed with the B-52 Radar Modernization Program, the Air Force said.

The aircraft took off shortly before noon on a clear day, heading southwest into the prevailing winds. It flew straight and crashed on the same 15,000-foot runway. The compact wreckage indicates the plane dropped sharply.

Aerial footage showed virtually nothing left of the aircraft.

Aviation safety experts have said their first thoughts about what might have caused the crash were about a malfunction in the flight controls or engines, but it is much too early to know.

Material from the Associated Press and City News Service was used in this report.