Overview
- A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff on Monday at about 11:20 a.m. local time, Edwards Air Force Base said.
- Emergency crews moved to the scene as video and photos showed a large column of thick black smoke and fire visible for miles.
- Edwards closed its airfield, diverted inbound aircraft and suspended non-commercial visitor passes to focus on emergency response operations.
- Officials have not confirmed how many people were aboard, the condition of the crew, the aircraft’s tail number or what caused the crash.
- A formal Air Force accident investigation board is expected to be convened, a process that can take months and may affect B-52 testing and modernization work at Edwards.