B-52 Bomber Crashes at US Air Force Base Killing Eight
A B-52 bomber crashed at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Monday. All eight crew members on board were killed.
The base is in the Mojave Desert about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The crash happened during a test flight.
It caused a large explosion with thick smoke. The crew included military staff, government workers and Boeing employees.
One crew member had recently had a new baby son. The crash reduced the number of working B-52 bombers in the US Air Force. An investigation could take up to six months.
Klear Note — B-52 bombers are large military aircraft used by the US Air Force. They are decades old but still in active use today.
Key Terms 3
- B-52 Stratofortress A large US military bomber jet that has flown since the 1950s
- Edwards Air Force Base A major US military test site in California's Mojave Desert
- test flight A flight to check if new equipment or systems work correctly