A US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber aircraft carrying eight people crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in California on Monday.
Smoke rises from Edwards Air Force Base after the crash of a US Air Force B-52 bomber aircraft in Edwards, California, US, June 15, 2026. (Photo: CMG)
According to an official statement from the air force base, the aircraft was conducting a routine test mission when it crashed at about 11:20 a.m. "Initial indications are that the crash was not survivable," the statement said.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The crash site was located about 160 kilometers north of Los Angeles.
The B-52 Stratofortress, which entered service in 1955, is a long-range strategic bomber capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional weapons.