A routine test flight ended in catastrophe at Edwards Air Force Base in California when a US B-52 bomber crashed and erupted into a massive fire moments after takeoff, killing all eight people on board, officials said.
The heavy bomber went down at the base about 95km north of Los Angeles while flying a standard testing mission. Officials said those aboard included a mix of military personnel, government staff and civilian contractors.
Video from the scene underscored the scale of the destruction. Officials described the crash as “unsurvivable,” and footage of the aftermath showed a broad scorched area where little remained of the Boeing-built aircraft.
“Edwards Air Force Base experienced a horrible tragedy, and we lost eight great Americans,” Colonel James Hayes told reporters at the base.
Col Hayes said the B-52 Stratofortress — the long-range bomber that has served the US military since the 1950s — was flying a test sortie tied to a radar modernisation process.
“It took off, and immediately after takeoff, crashed and burst into flames,” he said. Emergency crews responded quickly, he added, but the first assessments made clear there would be no rescue effort.
“After reviewing the footage of the crash, it was deemed that this was an unrecoverable crash and unsurvivable.”
Colonel James Hayes said the plane crashed immediately after takeoff
Following the crash, the airfield was shut down and all inbound aircraft were diverted, the base said in a social media update.
Boeing confirmed that two of those killed were company employees and said it extended condolences to the families of all the victims.
The B-52 is a heavy bomber that first flew in 1954 and was originally designed for a potential conflict with the Soviet Union.
Even after the Cold War, the aircraft has undergone a steady series of upgrades to keep it in service.
The B-52 is a heavy bomber that first flew in 1954 (File image)
The massive bomber — capable of carrying an array of weapons, including bombs and cruise missiles — has a wingspan of 56 metres and measures 48 metres in length.
According to a US Air Force fact sheet, the aircraft is typically operated by a five-person crew: an aircraft commander, a pilot, a radar navigator, a navigator and an electronic warfare officer.
The plane is also capable of carrying a nuclear payload.
The United States has deployed the aircraft in conflicts in Vietnam, the Gulf, Iraq, Afghanistan, and, most recently, in Iran.
