8 dead after Air Force B-52 bomber crashes shortly after takeoff in California

Eight people were killed Monday when an Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber operating a “routine test mission” at Edwards Air Force Base in California crashed shortly after takeoff and burst into flames, the base said.

Colonel James Hayes, deputy commander of the base’s 412th Test Wing, stated that the accident was unlivable based on the review of the footage and described the incident as a “terrible tragedy.”

“We lost eight great Americans,” he said at a news conference Monday.

The crew includes uniformed soldiers, government civilians and government contractors, Hayes said. The names of those on board will be announced within 24 hours after notification to their relatives.

The incident was reported around 11.20 local time.

“Emergency response personnel are on scene and authorities are working to account for all personnel,” the base said.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and that process will likely take several months, according to Hayes.

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Test missions at the base occur several times a day, Hayes said.

The base closed its airspace and said all incoming planes were diverted. All operations will cease on Tuesday, Hayes said.

The Air Force and NASA conduct test flights of new and under-development aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base.

The B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range bomber that was first introduced in the 1950s and remains a central part of the U.S. military’s air force. Produced by Boeing and capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons over long distances, the aircraft was used in many conflicts from Vietnam to operations in the Iran war.