A B-52 Stratofortress assigned to the 419th Flight Test Squadron undergoes pre-flight procedures at Edwards Air Force Base in California in 2020. A B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after taking off from the base on Monday. Air Force File Photo by Giancarlo Casem
June 15 (UPI) — Edwards Air Force Base in California confirmed a B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff Monday morning.
The Kern County base said in a post on X that the aircraft crashed at 11:20 a.m. Monday and emergency crews were immediately summoned to the scene.
There was no immediate information on casualties or how many people were on board the bomber at the time of the crash, but the B-52 Stratofortress typically carries a crew of five.
The airfield was closed following the crash and all incoming aircraft were diverted.
“All non-commercial visitor passes have been suspended until further notice to allow the installation to focus entirely on emergency response operations,” the base said in a second post.
Video captured nearby the base shows a plume of black smoke rising over the Mohave Desert.
Edwards Air Force Base, located about 100 miles north of Los Angeles, frequently hosts test flights for new and experimental Air Force and NASA aircraft.
The base said more information on the crash will be provided as it becomes available.
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