Eight crew members are presumed dead following the crash of a B-52 bomber shortly after it took off from a California Air Force base.
The aircraft, which was carrying military personnel, government contractors, and employees, went down near Los Angeles at approximately 11:20 a.m. PT on Monday. It had just departed from Edwards Air Force Base.
At the time of the incident, the bomber was engaged in a routine test mission aimed at supporting radar modernization, according to officials. Initial assessments suggest the crash was not survivable.
“Today, Edwards Air Force Base faced a terrible tragedy, and we lost eight outstanding Americans,” stated Col. James Hayes during a news conference. He added that authorities were in the process of notifying the next-of-kin.
As of Monday evening, emergency responders remained at the crash site, working diligently to account for all individuals who were onboard the aircraft.
It remains unclear what may have caused the crash, with officials saying a preliminary report may not be available for six months.
Meanwhile, plumes of thick black smoke quickly covered the area after the crash in the Mojave Desert.
The runway was also left with a large char mark on the sandy runway in the aftermath.
The military aircraft plummeted to the ground around 11.20am PT on Monday after departing from Edwards Air Force Base in California
The airfield was then closed and all inbound flights were diverted.
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is one of the oldest aircraft in the US Air Force’s fleet, first entering service in 1955. It has a wingspan of 185ft, which is almost twice the length of a standard NBA basketball court.
The aircraft, which is often referred to as ‘the Buff’ or ‘Bug Ugly Fat’, can carry up to 70,000lb of bombs and other military weapons.
The plane can also hold five crew members, can fly up to 50,000 feet and can refuel mid-air.
The B-52H, the current version of the bomber plane, was used during missions in the conflict between the US and Iran.
That specific version can also hold nuclear-armed cruise missiles and nuclear bombs.
Congressman Jay Obernolte, whose district includes the crash site, said he and his wife ‘are praying for everyone involved in today’s B-52 crash at Edwards Air Force Base, especially the crew, their families, and the first responders on scene.’
‘My prayers are with everyone involved in the B-52 crash at Edwards Air Force Base this afternoon,’ Michigan Congresswoman Lisa McClain said.
A large plume of dark smoke rises into the sky after the plane crash
The plane, which can hold five crew members, can fly up to 50,000ft and can refuel mid-air
The crash comes nearly two decades after a B-52 crashed in 2008, resulting in the deaths of six Air Force personnel.
The plane plummeted into the Pacific Ocean just off the coast of Guam while preparing for a flyover during a Liberation Day parade.
An investigation determined that the fatal crash was likely caused by an improper stabilizer trim setting, when the aircraft’s horizontal tail is angled incorrectly.
The US Air Force and the US Navy worked together to find and retrieve the aircraft’s wreckage from the ocean floor.
There was no flight recorder data available because the plane was not equipped with one.
Breaking news… updates to follow.