Edwards AFB releases names of eight flight members on B-52 that crashed Monday

Edwards Air Force Base has released the names of the eight personnel aboard the B-52 Stratofortress that crashed Monday after takeoff near Mojave. The group includes Col. Gregory Watson, 53, of Shreveport, Louisiana; Lt. Col. Gabriel Estrella, 40, a former Edwards weapons officer; and Retired Lt. Col Miles Middleton, 50, a Boeing pilot from Tehachapi. Also aboard were Maj. Alexander Davis, 34, from Lancaster; Maj. Robert Dee, 40, and Maj. Brad Hovey, 35, Edwards pilots; Jeromy Smith, 32, flight test engineer; and Christopher Rischar, 41, flight test engineer from Lancaster (JT4 contractor). The eight were identified after a 24-hour waiting period following next-of-kin notifications. The crash occurred during a routine test mission and was not survivable. Edwards AFB sits roughly 83 miles east of Bakersfield, and the B-52 is known for its eight engines, 185-foot wingspan, and significant payload capability, reflecting decades of service as a backbone in U.S. bomber forces.