A military plane crashed shortly after taking off from a base northeast of Los Angeles Monday morning, Edwards Air Force Base stated on social media.
“A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff on the Edwards airfield at 11:20 a.m.,” the bottom stated on Facebook. “Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene and the situation is ongoing.”
It is just not instantly clear if there are any accidents. NCS has reached out to the bottom for extra info.
The crash left a towering black plume at Edwards Air Force Base, positioned in California’s Mojave Desert, northeast of Los Angeles. The runway at the bottom was left with a big blackened scar and smoke, nevertheless it was troublesome to make out any distinct elements of the wreckage, video from NCS affiliate KCAL exhibits.
The airfield is closed, inbound plane are being diverted and all non-commercial customer passes are suspended till additional discover as the bottom focuses on its emergency response, it stated.
A US Air Force B-52 bomber crashes at Edwards Air Force Base in California, the bottom says
The B-52 is among the Air Force’s oldest plane, first getting into service in 1955. The long-range heavy bomber, which generally carries a crew of 5, can carry as a lot as 70,000 kilos of bombs and different munitions.
The at the moment flown model, the B-52H, nonetheless performs a significant position within the Air Force’s arsenal, which incorporates 76 of the plane. It was utilized in bombing missions through the present battle between the US and Iran. The B-52H can even carry nuclear bombs and nuclear-armed cruise missiles.
Before Monday’s crash, the latest deadly accident involving the plane was in 2008, when six Air Force personnel have been killed after their B-52 crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Guam whereas getting ready for a parade flyover.
The Boeing-made bomber has not been in manufacturing since 1962, although a number of life-extension initiatives have modernized the airframe and saved it flying. The Air Force just lately launched one other B-52 improve initiative centered round designing new engines with a complete anticipated price ticket of $48.6 billion, in response to Defense News.
Because the plane is not in manufacturing, any replacements should be sourced from dismantled airframes saved at the so-called “Boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, as was completed after a non-fatal 2016 crash that destroyed a B-52H in Guam.
This is a growing story and will probably be up to date.