A B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Monday, killing all eight people on board. The aircraft was on a routine test mission for a radar modernization program.
Tracking data showed the bomber made a sharp turn and descended at nearly 5,056 feet per minute. Officials say it could take up to six months to determine the cause of the crash.
An Emergency Family Assistance Center has been opened at the base to support those impacted. The first victim, Lt.
Col. Miles Middleton, has been identified; he leaves behind a wife and two children.
Another victim, flight test engineer Jeromy Smith, is remembered by his wife as a leader and hero; he leaves behind a wife and two young children. The crash occurred in Kern County, about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles, and left virtually nothing of the aircraft.
Investigators suspect a flight control issue.