A U.S. B-52H Bomber Crashes, 8 People on Board Killed

[Global Times Comprehensive Report] The U.S. Air Force admitted on the 15th that a B-52H strategic bomber crashed shortly after taking off from Edwards Air Force Base in California, resulting in the deaths of all 8 people on board. The U.S. website "Power" reported on its "Battle Zone" channel that this is the second crash incident involving the U.S. military within three days.

According to a statement from the U.S. Air Force, the B-52H strategic bomber crashed shortly after taking off from Edwards Air Force Base at 11:20 AM local time on the 15th. Emergency rescue personnel immediately rushed to the scene, and the cause of the accident is still under investigation, which may take up to six months to determine a specific answer. An analysis of radar tracking data by The Washington Post indicated that the bomber was flying northeast around 11:10 AM, then gradually turned more to the north, before suddenly turning northwest and diving at a rate of over 5,000 feet per minute. Photos and videos from the scene showed that the B-52H bomber crashed near the main runway of the base, igniting a large fire, with thick black smoke visible from miles away. The base was subsequently temporarily closed.

The "Power" website's "Battle Zone" channel stated that Edwards Air Force Base is a major base for the U.S. Air Force to test and develop new aircraft and weapons. The base acknowledged in a statement that the B-52H strategic bomber, carrying 8 people, crashed while performing a routine test mission, with "no survivors on board." The report mentioned that this incident is the most serious accident at the base since the B-50D bomber crashed near Edwards in 1951, resulting in 8 deaths. The B-52H bomber is typically operated by 5 crew members but can carry up to 10 people. As part of the overall modernization program for the B-52H bomber, this aircraft is the first test model equipped with the new AN/APQ-188 active electronically scanned radar, and the 8 people on board included military personnel, government civilians, and government contractors. Additionally, the ejection seat design of the B-52H bomber complicates escape—its crew seats eject downward.

Prior to this crash, there were 76 B-52H bombers in active service with the U.S. Air Force. This is also another crash incident involving this type of aircraft since a B-52H crashed at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam in May 2016 (but all 7 crew members survived). Critics argue that the average service life of the U.S. military's B-52 fleet has exceeded 60 years, yet the U.S. Air Force still plans to have them serve until 2050 after replacing their engines and electronic equipment. This could be a potential cause of the crash.

Furthermore, this is the second U.S. military aircraft to crash in the past three days. An F/A-18D fighter jet belonging to the U.S. Marine Corps crashed near Mount Rainier in Washington State on June 13, with both pilots ejecting to safety. (Wu Yan)