Key Points:
- All eight crew members aboard the aircraft were killed, US Air Force confirms
- Crash occurred shortly after takeoff during a test mission in California’s Mojave Desert
- Cause of the accident remains unknown as military launches formal investigation
WASHINGTON:
Eight people died when a US B-52 bomber crashed and erupted into a catastrophic fire shortly after takeoff at an air force base in California on Monday, officials said.
The heavy bomber was on a routine testing mission with a mixture of military, government and civilian contractors on board when it came down in a fireball at Edaward Air Force Base, 60 miles (95 kilometres) north of Los Angeles, according to AFP.
Footage of the aftermath of the crash, which officials said was “unsurvivable,” showed a large charred patch of ground on which almost nothing remained of the Boeing-built plane.
“Edwards Air Force Base experienced a horrible tragedy, and we lost eight great Americans,” Colonel James Hayes told reporters at the base.
Hayes said the B-52 Stratofortress — a long-range bomber used by the US military since the 1950s — was on a test sortie as part of a radar modernisation process.
“It took off, and immediately after takeoff, crashed and burst into flames,” he said, adding emergency services quickly swung into action, but soon determined that there would be no one to rescue.
“After reviewing the footage of the crash, it was deemed that this was an unrecoverable crash and unsurvivable.”
There was no immediate indication of the cause of the tragedy, and a safety investigation was immediately begun.
The crash happened around lunchtime at the base, a major operations centre for the US military, and was contained within the perimeter, Hayes told reporters.
In the aftermath of the accident, the airfield was closed, and all inbound aircraft were being diverted, the base said on social media.
Hayes said the identities of those who perished would not be released until all next of kin had been informed, a process he said was ongoing and could last for the rest of the day.
Boeing said two of those killed were employees of the company and it expressed its condolences to families of all the victims.
The B-52 is a heavy bomber that first flew in 1954 and was originally designed for war with the Soviet Union. It has received continual upgrades to keep it in service for decades since the Cold War’s end.
The massive bomber — which can carry a range of weapons, including bombs and cruise missiles — has a wingspan of 185 feet (56 meters) and a length of 159 feet (48 meters).
The United States has deployed the aircraft in conflicts in Vietnam, the Gulf, Iraq, Afghanistan, and most recently in Iran.
With a combat range of up to 8,800 miles, the plane is capable of carrying a nuclear payload.
“Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene, and the situation is ongoing,” the base said in a post on X.
ALERT: A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff on the Edwards airfield at 11:20 a.m.
Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene, and the situation is ongoing. More information will be provided as it becomes available. pic.twitter.com/x932d3HXHz
— Edwards Air Force Base (@EdwardsAFB) June 15, 2026
The military later said that the airfield was closed and “all inbound aircraft are being diverted” in the aftermath of the crash.
Update- 12:48 PDT: The airfield has been closed, and all inbound aircraft are being diverted.
All non-commercial visitor passes have been suspended until further notice to allow the installation to focus entirely on emergency response operations.
— Edwards Air Force Base (@EdwardsAFB) June 15, 2026
Officials have not yet confirmed whether there were any casualties, and the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic strategic bomber capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons. The aircraft can transport payloads of up to 70,000 pounds and is valued at approximately $110 million per unit.
Footage aired by Fox News showed emergency responders battling a fire on a heavily damaged section of the runway following the incident.
BREAKING: A U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber crashed shortly after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base, triggering an emergency response.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene as thick black smoke billowed from the wreckage scattered across the desert airfield.
More details, including… pic.twitter.com/JRx3R4ElJW
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 15, 2026
Edwards Air Force Base, located north of Los Angeles, is home to the world’s largest military airfield and employs roughly 10,000 military personnel, contractors, and civilian staff.
The B-52H, the variant currently operated by the US Air Force, remains a key component of the service’s strategic bomber fleet, with 76 aircraft in active service.
The bomber has been deployed in recent military operations and is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons, including nuclear gravity bombs and nuclear-armed cruise missiles.
Before Monday’s incident, the last fatal B-52 crash occurred in 2008, when six US Air Force personnel lost their lives after their aircraft plunged into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Guam during preparations for a parade flyover.
