Air Force identifies 8 crew members killed in B-52 Stratofortress crash at Edwards Air Force Base

Eight people were killed when a B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base on a routine Radar Modernization Program test flight. Edwards officials identified the victims as Lt. Col. Gabriel Estrella, 40, a weapons-officer; Maj. Alexander Davis, 34; Maj. Robert Dee, 40; Maj. Brad Hovey, 35; Jeromy Smith, 32, a flight test engineer; Christopher Rischar, 41, a contractor and flight test engineer; Lt. Col. Miles Middleton (Ret.), 50, a Boeing pilot; and Col. Gregory Watson, 53, a weapons officer for Boeing and an Air Force reservist. The aircraft took off around 11:20 a.m. local time and burst into flames, prompting a comprehensive investigation that could take months.

The Air Force paused flight-test operations at Edwards as investigators review takeoff procedures and maintenance records. The crash occurred during a test mission associated with the Radar Modernization Program, part of the fleet’s ongoing modernization to extend its life into the 2050s. Investigators will examine aircraft systems and maintenance history to determine the cause, with the full inquiry expected to take up to six months.