8 crew members dead as US Air Force plane crashes in California

Eight people were confirmed dead on Monday after a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed and burst into flames shortly after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California’s Mojave Desert, United States.

Air Force officials said the eight-engine aircraft was conducting a routine test mission in support of a radar modernisation programme when it went down on the runway moments after becoming airborne.

Speaking at a press conference, Air Force Colonel James Hayes confirmed that all eight persons on board died in the crash, which he described as “unsurvivable.”

The crew comprised a mix of uniformed military personnel, government officials, and contractors.

Aerospace manufacturer Boeing, which designed and built the aircraft, said two of its employees were among those killed.

A thick column of black smoke rose from the crash site and was visible for miles across the desert. Aerial footage later showed a large charred area of ground, with emergency vehicles surrounding the scene.

Air Force officials did not name the ​victims, saying they were still in the process of notifying their next of kin.

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Due to damage sustained by the runway, all flight operations at Edwards Air Force Base have been suspended through at least Tuesday, although officials said activities outside the base would not be affected.

The aircraft involved belonged to the 412th Test Wing based at Edwards, a historic flight-testing facility located about 100 miles north of Los Angeles.

The base has played a significant role in aviation history, including hosting the first supersonic flight by test pilot Chuck Yeager in 1947 and serving as a landing site for NASA space shuttles.

Most operational B-52 bombers are stationed in North Dakota and Louisiana, but the aircraft involved in the crash was assigned to testing and evaluation missions at Edwards.