US air force names eight killed in Boeing B-52 test flight crash in California

Air force officials have identified the eight men who died in a fiery crash of a B-52 bomber during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California. The deceased comprised four active-duty airmen, one reservist, and three civilians.

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They were dedicated professionals, beloved family members and irreplaceable teammates.

The crash occurred shortly after takeoff on Monday, and the airfield remained closed while operations resumed. The cause of the incident has not yet been determined, with officials indicating that the investigation could take up to six months to complete.

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their loss “is deeply felt across our teams, and our hearts remain with their families, loved ones and those who worked with them.”

Among the victims were Col Gregory Watson and retired Lt Col Miles Middleton, both Boeing employees. Boeing stated their loss is deeply felt across their teams. Jeromy Smith, a civilian flight test engineer, had recently become a father to his second child and had only returned to work a week before the plane went down, according to NBC News.

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It is such a horrible hurt, and I’m still processing everything that happened.

Col Thomas Tauer, commander of the 412th Test Wing, described the victims as "dedicated professionals, beloved family members and irreplaceable teammates." The B-52 Stratofortress was part of a program to modernize the aircraft, some of which are more than twice the age of their pilots, aiming to keep them operational through at least 2050.

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He died doing what he loved