Eight Americans die in B‑52 bomber crash at California base

Image of a US B‑52 Stratofortress bomber at night
Caption: A B‑52 bomber seen in the skies above the UK in March.

A US Air Force B‑52 Stratofortress crashed on 16 June 2026 immediately after take‑off from Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert, killing eight people on board, including two employees of Boeing.

The accident, which took place at 11:20 local time, saw the aircraft burst into flames on the runway, producing a large plume of black smoke visible for miles.

Chief of the base, Col James Hayes, called the incident a “terrible tragedy” and described the crew as a mixed group of military personnel, government civilians and contractors.

The base confirmed that the crash was “not survivable” and that the aircraft’s loss was deemed an unrecoverable crash; further investigations could take more than six months.

Two Boeing staff members were among those killed, and the aerospace company has been in contact with their families.

Governor Gavin Newsom offered condolences to the victims’ families and the Edwards community on a social‑media post.

All inbound aircraft have been diverted and non‑commercial visitor passes suspended while emergency operations continue.