FNN Article © Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Image from video released by U.S. Air Force.
CALIFORNIA – The U.S. Air Force Officials have confirmed that eight individuals aboard the B-52 Stratofortress that went down early Monday morning at Edwards Air Force Base, California, died in the tragic crash.
According to officials, at 11:20 AM local time, or 2:20 PM Eastern Standard Time, the bomber aircraft went down shortly after takeoff during a routine test mission. The plane was said to have burst into flames,
Fire and emergency crews responded quickly to the crash scene. Sadly by late Monday crews were still working to account for those lost in the accident.
During a news conference, Air Force officials noted they were still attempting to locate those involved in the accident, as well as the aircraft’s black box, which will be used in helping with the investigation of the incident.
The individuals on board were not all service members, Edwards Deputy Commander Colonel James Hayes stated at Monday’s news conference. The eight individuals were a mix of military personnel, government civilians and contractors.
The crashed B-52 was in support of the radar modernization program, Hayes said.
The cause of the incident is still unknown, and is still under investigation by an interim safety board. The investigation will be taken over by a Safety Investigation Board that will determine the cause and will be followed by an Accident Investigation Board that will determine what information can be revealed to the public and next of kin.
The Air Force still has not released the names of the eight individuals. Teams were in the process of notifying family members by Monday afternoon.
FNN staff extends our thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of those who lost their lives in this crash.
