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EDWARDS AFB, Calif. () — Eight people were aboard an Air Force B-52 Stratofortress that crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, located northeast of Lancaster, officials confirmed Monday. The Air Force Base described the crash as “not survivable.”
“An Air Force B-52 Stratofortress carrying eight people on a routine test mission crashed today shortly after take-off at 11:20 a.m. (PDT). Initial indications are that the crash was not survivable. Emergency response personnel are on scene, and officials are working to account for all personnel. The crash is currently under investigation,” the base wrote in a statement. A press conference is scheduled for 4:15 p.m.
The base is located in the Mojave Desert, about 100 miles north of Los Angeles.
AIR7 flew over the runway at the Air Force Base, where the still-smoldering charred debris of the B-52 bomber was visible. It appeared that what was left of the bomber was mostly ash.
Just a few hundred yards away from the crash site, an intact B-52 bomber was seen in AIR7 video.
Shocking cellphone video shows a massive amount of smoke and fire immediately after the crash.
The base closed the airfield and said all inbound flights have been diverted.
The Air Force and NASA conduct test flights of new and developmental aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base.
The B-52 Stratofortress — which typically carries a crew of five — is a long-range bomber first introduced in the 1950s that remains a central part of the U.S. military’s air power. Built by Boeing, the aircraft is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons over long distances and has been used in conflicts ranging from Vietnam to operations in the Iran war.
FILE: A B-52 Stratofortress flies over the White House during on Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington.
News contributed to this report. This is a developing story and will be updated as details become available.
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