A B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff Monday from Edwards Air Force base in California’s Mojave Desert, according to the military base.
The crash was reported at about 11:20 a.m. Emergency crews responded to the scene about 100 miles north of Los Angeles.
In an email to NBCLA, Edwards Air Force Base said more information will be provided when available.
Video showed black smoke rising from an area near the airfield. The expansive airfield was closed and all inbound aircraft were diverted, the base said.
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A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber takes off from RAF Fairford on March 19, 2026 in Fairford, England.
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, which generally has a crew of five, is a long-range bomber used for a variety of military missions. Capable of subsonic speeds and altitudes of 50,000 feet, the bomber was a workhorse of Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and other conflicts. The B-52, which can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons, has been the backbone of the United States’ bomber force for decades.
Last year, a regional airliner pilot flying over North Dakota made an unexpected sharp turn to avoid a possible midair collision with a B-52 bomber that was in its flight path.
Edwards Air Force Base, covering 480-square-miles in Kern County, is used for research, development and testing of U.S. Air Force aircraft, weapons systems, software, and components.
The base was where famed pilot Chuck Yeager broke the speed of sound in 1947. It served as the West Coast base for dozens of NASA Space Shuttle landings and a testing ground for the now-retired orbiters. Atlantis was the last shuttle to land at Edwards AFB in 2009.
A B-52 Stratofortress crashed Monday shortly after taking off from Edwards Air Force base.