US Air Force B-52 bomber crashes after takeoff at California’s Edwards Base, 8 feared dead

A US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert, killing all eight people on board. The incident took place during a scheduled test mission linked to radar modernization efforts.

According to initial reports, the aircraft went down shortly after departure around 11:20 a.m. local time. Emergency response teams were immediately deployed to the crash site, and operations at the airfield were temporarily halted as authorities secured the area.

Officials have not yet confirmed the cause of the crash. The B-52 was reportedly part of a routine evaluation flight, and the mission involved ongoing upgrades to the long-serving strategic bomber platform used by the US Air Force.

The crash has triggered a full investigation, with military authorities expected to examine technical, operational, and maintenance factors that may have contributed to the incident. Early assessments suggest no survivors among the crew, marking one of the most serious recent losses involving the B-52 fleet.

Edwards Air Force Base, a major hub for US military flight testing and aerospace research, has seen its operations impacted as recovery and investigative procedures continue.