American B-52 military plane crashes after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base, California; 8 die

Smoke column is seen at Edwards Air Force Base, in California, on June 15, 2026
Reproduction/Social media
A B-52 Stratofortress military plane suffered an accident shortly after takeoff this Monday (15) at Edwards Air Force Base, a US military base about 150 km north of Los Angeles, California.
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The aircraft "An Air Force B-52 Stratofortress, with eight people on board on a routine test mission, crashed today shortly after takeoff at 3:20 p.m. (Brasília time). Smoke could be seen from miles away, drawing the attention of those passing by. Images of the wreckage do not show any large part of the aircraft, indicating large energy dissipation.
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The B-52 is a large aircraft, with 8 engines, which is usually operated by a team of 5 crew members. Read more below.
Earlier, the Edwards base reported that the aircraft had crashed shortly after taking off, and that emergency teams responded immediately to the accident.
Shortly before 1 pm (5 pm in Brasília), the airfield was closed and all planned landings were redistributed to other locations. Meanwhile, all non-commercial visitor tickets to the base have been suspended "to allow the installation to focus entirely on emergency response operations," officials said in a statement.
Image from U.S. broadcaster KABC shows crash site of B-52 Stratofortress at Andrews Air Force Base, California, on June 15, 2026
KABC via AP
Nuclear-capable bomber
The B-52 is considered one of the world's most "deadlies" of American forces.
B-52 bomber aircraft of the United States Air Force.
Disclosure/Boeing
The aircraft is a model manufactured by Boeing that carries high-precision weapons and can fly for more than 14 thousand kilometers without refueling. Production began in the 1950s, and the bomber remains the "backbone" of the American Air Force.
At least 744 units were produced, and the last was delivered in October 1962. The model was designed to carry nuclear weapons and became an important asset of the United States during the Cold War.
The model has different variants. The "H" version, for example, can carry up to 20 cruise missiles. Overall, the B-52 can carry up to 32 tons of weapons, including bombs, mines and missiles.
The bomber has eight engines and can fly at an altitude of up to 15 thousand meters, which puts the aircraft above most of the battlefield. This capability, combined with high-precision attacks, expands air support in offensives.
See technical sheet of the United States Air Force B-52 bomber.
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Source: G1