8 crew members killed when a B-52 bomber crashes at California’s Edwards Air Force Base

A massive military plane on a routine test mission crashed shortly after takeoff in Southern California on Monday, killing all eight crew members on board and leaving the charred wreckage so mangled it was barely recognisable.

The crash of the B-52 bomber sent a cloud of black smoke billowing into the sky at Edwards Air Force Base, about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles, leaving a huge, blackened scar on the runway and the desert terrain next to it.

“It was tragic and unlivable,” Air Force Col. James Hayes said at a news conference.

He said the crew included military personnel, government civilians and government contractors.

The disaster is the deadliest accident involving a B-52 bomber since 1982. In that incident, nine crew members died during test training at Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento, California, the Associated Press reported at the time.

Air Force officials said Monday’s crash involved a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft taking off at 11:20 a.m. local time to conduct a test in support of the B-52 radar modernization program.

The names of the victims have not been made public, but their relatives are expected to be notified, officials said.

The plane’s manufacturer, Boeing, said two of its employees were on Monday’s flight. “We are in contact with their families and offer support,” Boeing said in a statement.

Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink and House Speaker Mike Johnson both shared They expressed their condolences on social media for the lives lost. California Governor Gavin Newsom offered He offered his condolences “to the entire Edwards Air Force Base community” and thanked first responders.

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There was a large blackened scar and residual smoke on the base’s runway, but it was difficult to distinguish any part of the wreckage. CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS shows.

The base reopened, although officials did not resume operations until Tuesday, Hayes said.

Hayes said military officials will investigate what happened, but exact details won’t be made public for about six months.

A base known for test flights

Edwards Air Force Base has historically been used as a testing ground not only for Air Force aircraft, but also other aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and even space shuttles due to its long runways.

“If it can fly, it’s being tested at Edwards Air Force Base,” said Richard Kolko, a retired U.S. Navy commander and pilot. “There are some of the best test pilots and some of the best engineers out there.”

Test flights are typically conducted with the most experienced pilots and aircrews available and — depending on what is being tested — civilian engineers or production personnel, Kolko said. He added that the base also has a strong emergency response team in case of any accident.

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The base’s rich history as a testing ground is also punctuated by tragedies. according to Aircraft Accident Bureau ArchivesFatal accidents in Edwards, the international aviation accident database, include:

• In 1951, all eight people aboard a B-50 plane used to test equipment died when the plane crashed in the mountains about 25 miles southeast of Edwards.

• In 1948, four people died when an Air Force-operated DC-3 encountered a rainstorm and crashed while descending toward Edwards.

• In 1944, nine people were killed after an Army Air Corps B-24 left Edwards for a training exercise. “Under unknown circumstances, the four-engine aircraft crashed in a desert area approximately 35 miles east of Edwards,” the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives said.

• In 1941, all six crew members aboard an Army Air Corps twin-engine B-26 were killed when the plane stalled, crashed, and burst into flames shortly after takeoff.

Military giant that can carry 35 tons of bombs

The B-52 is one of the Air Force’s oldest aircraft, first entering service in 1955. The long-range heavy bomber, which usually carries a crew of five, can carry up to 70,000 pounds of bombs and other ordnance.

The B-52H, the version currently flown, still plays a key role in the Air Force fleet, which numbered 76 aircraft before the accident. It has been used on bombing missions during the current US-Iran conflict and is capable of carrying nuclear bombs and nuclear-armed cruise missiles.

Monday’s crash occurred during a test flight in support of the B-52 Radar Modernization Program. The program’s goal is to “modernize the B-52 as its planned service life extends to 2050 and potentially beyond” and the aircraft “becomes the long-range strike complement to the Air Force’s newest strategic bomber.” B-21 Raider” Air Force said In December.

Along with a new radar, the B-52s are “planned to receive additional upgrades, including new engines, crew compartments, conventional and nuclear communications systems, avionics, weapons, and other capabilities.”

Before Monday’s crash, the last fatal crash involving the plane was in 2008, when six Air Force personnel were killed when their B-52 crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Guam while preparing for a parade.

The Boeing-built bomber has been discontinued since 1962, but various attempts to extend its life have modernized the airframe and enabled it to fly. According to Defense News, the Air Force recently launched another B-52 upgrade initiative focused on designing new engines with a total expected price tag of $48.6 billion.

As the aircraft is no longer in production, any spare parts must be sourced from dismantled airframes. It is stored in a warehouse called the “Bone Garden” As was done at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona after a non-fatal crash that destroyed a B-52H on Guam in 2016.

This story has been updated with additional information.

Davis Winkie’s work at CNN is supported by a partnership between the Outrider Foundation and Journalism Funding Partners (JFP). CNN retains full editorial control of the story.

CNN’s Michael Callahan and Hanna Park contributed to this report.

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