B-52 on test flight was airborne for over 3 minutes before crashing, killing 8By CHRISTOPHER WEBER and JOSH FUNK
Updated 5:59 PM CDT, June 16, 2026
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The B-52 that crashed during a test flight at an Air Force base in California was airborne for just over three minutes before plunging to the ground at a rate nearly 10 times faster than a plane normally descends for landing, limited tracking data shows.
All eight people aboard were killed in Monday’s fiery crash of the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, which was taking part in a routine test mission as part of an overall program to keep the long-running aircraft flying for decades to come. It was not yet clear Tuesday what caused the plane to crash, and officials at Edwards Air Force Base said it could take up to six months to complete the investigation.
The B-52 was airborne for 3 minutes and 15 seconds, according to AirNav Systems, a flight tracking website.
Flight tracking that was available Tuesday shows the bomber turning to the northeast right after taking off and nearly completing a 180 degree turn before crashing on another runway, according to AirNav Systems. The data that comes from a system called “multilateration” doesn’t show precise altitude and speed information, but it does show the plane fell to earth at a rate of descent of 5,056 feet (1,541 meters) per minute.
The airfield remained closed Tuesday. Crews were making the crash site safe for search and recovery teams to enter, after fires flared up overnight, said Mike Paoli, a spokesperson for the 412 Test Wing at Edwards.
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