Newsletters
A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed Monday morning at Edwards Air Force Base in California's Mojave Desert, sending a large plume of smoke into the sky visible across the high desert of Los Angeles County. The fate of those aboard was not immediately known.
The base confirmed the crash occurred at 11:20 a.m., shortly after the aircraft departed from the base's airfield. "Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene and the situation is ongoing," Edwards said in a statement posted to social media, adding that more information would be released as it became available. No casualty figures or cause were given.
The B-52 Stratofortress is one of the most enduring aircraft in military aviation history. Designed and built by Boeing, the long-range heavy bomber has been the backbone of the U.S. strategic bomber fleet for decades, serving in conflicts from Vietnam to Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and continuing to fly combat missions into the 21st century.
Capable of subsonic speeds and altitudes of up to 50,000 feet, the aircraft can carry both conventional and nuclear payloads.
Edwards Air Force Base, located roughly 100 miles north of Los Angeles in the Mojave Desert, is the U.S. Air Force's premier flight test facility and home to the Air Force Test Center.
The base has a long history of hosting experimental and evaluation flights for some of the most advanced military aircraft in the American arsenal.
The crash produced a smoke plume significant enough to be seen across a wide stretch of the Antelope Valley region of Los Angeles County, drawing public attention before an official statement was issued. Emergency crews were on scene, according to base officials, though no further details about the scale of the response or conditions at the crash site were disclosed.
Officials did not immediately release information about how many crew members were aboard the aircraft at the time of the crash, a standard crew for which typically ranges from five to six personnel.
The cause of the crash was also not addressed in the base's initial statement. Authorities said further information would be provided as the situation developed.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
2 min read
