Edwards B-52 Crash Is One of History’s Deadliest

Monday’s accident killed eight, making it one of the most fatal in the model’s and Air Force base’s history.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 02:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A B-52H Stratofortress, assigned to the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, taxis on the flight line at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on January 30, 2024. [Credit: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

A B-52 Stratofortress crashed at Edwards Air Force Base in California, killing all eight occupants, making it the deadliest B-52 accident since 1982 and the most fatal accident at Edwards since 1951.
The crash occurred shortly after takeoff during a routine test mission related to the B-52 Radar Modernization Program, involving a mixed crew of military personnel, government civilians, and contractors, including two Boeing employees.
Military officials have initiated an investigation into the "unrecoverable" and "unsurvivable" crash, with findings expected to take approximately six months to determine the cause.

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Monday’s fatal crash of a B-52 Stratofortress at Edwards Air Force Base (KEDW) in California, which killed all eight occupants, is one of the most tragic in the model’s and the base’s history.

The accident was the deadliest involving the B-52 since 1982, when a Stratofortress crashed shortly after taking off from the former Mather Air Force Base (KMHR) in California and killed nine.