8 believed dead after B-52 crashes shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base | 15 June 2026 | Eight crew members are believed to have been killed after a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, California, on Monday, officials said. The bomber was carrying eight people on a routine test mission when it went down on the Edwards airfield around 11:20 a.m. PDT, according to the base. “An Air Force B-52 Stratofortress carrying eight people on a routine test mission crashed today shortly after take-off at 11:20 a.m. (PDT). Initial indications are that the crash was not survivable,” Edwards Air Force Base said in a statement. “Emergency response personnel are on scene, and officials are working to account for all personnel.”