8 Likely Dead After Bomber Crashes At CA Air Force Base: 'Not Survivable'

KERN COUNTY, CA — Eight people were likely killed Monday when a bomber crashed shortly after takeoff during a routine test mission at an air force base in Kern County, according to authorities.

The B-52 Stratofortress crashed at 11:20 a.m. on the airfield at Edwards Air Force Base, the base confirmed in a social media post. Emergency crews immediately responded and the situation is ongoing, according to the base.

"Initial indications are that the crash was not survivable," the base said in a news release around 3:30 p.m. "Emergency response personnel are on scene, and officials are working to account for all personnel."

Aerial footage showed virtually nothing left of an aircraft. A photo circulating on social media showed a massive plume of black smoke rising from the base.

The military hasn’t said whether the bomber was armed.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and unit members at this time," the base said in a social media post about the news release.

As of 12:48 p.m., the airfield had been closed and all inbound aircraft were being diverted. All non-commercial visitor passes were suspended until further notice.

Possible Causes

The way the B-52 crashed so quickly after takeoff without getting very high or going far makes aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti suspect some kind of flight control malfunction. But it’s too soon to say what might have caused the control problem.

“I think it was definitely a controllability issue. Now, whether that was tied to an engine failure, a flight control failure, or some new testing device failure, I’m not sure,” said Guzzetti, who used to investigate crashes for both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, typically crewed by five people, is a long-range bomber that entered service in 1955. Designed to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons, it has been used in conflicts ranging from the Vietnam War to recent operations in the Middle East.

Edwards Air Force Base is home to a large portion of the U.S. Air Force’s aircraft test and development efforts and is about 100 miles north of Los Angeles. The 412th Test Wing, which runs the base, also conducts developmental testing of all U.S. Air Force aircraft, weapons systems, software and components before purchase by the service as well as throughout their lifespan.

The vast desert base is also where Chuck Yeager broke the speed of sound in 1947.

Other Incidents

The crash comes almost a year after the pilot of a regional airliner flying over North Dakota made an unexpected sharp turn to avoid a possible midair collision with a military B-52 bomber that was in its flight path last July.

More recently, an F/A-18 Hornet aircraft assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, on Saturday experienced an "aviation mishap" while conducting routine training about 55 miles southeast of Seattle, according to the U.S. Marine Corps, which added the pilot in that incident ejected safely and was recovered.

This is a developing story. Check back for details.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.