The U.S. Air Force has released the names of eight people killed when their B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards AFB.
The U.S. Air Force’s 412th Test Wing has released the names of the eight people killed in the horrific accident when a B-52 Stratofortress (designated “TORCH 11”) crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base, California, on June 15, 2026. The aircraft was departing for a routine test mission that included both soldiers and contractors aboard the bomber.
“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we can now share the names of the eight outstanding Americans who lost their lives in Monday’s B-52 crash,” Col. Thomas Tauer, 412th Test Wing commander, told employees and families at Edwards AFB. “They were dedicated professionals, beloved family members, and irreplaceable teammates. We send our thoughts, prayers, and deepest condolences to their families, loved ones, fellow Airmen, Air Force civilians, and mission partners affected by this tragedy.”
The Navy has now completed notification of next of kin, but some of the fallen crew members have previously been publicly identified. Boeing also confirmed that two employees were on board the aircraft on the day of the accident.
The crew members the base confirmed in a June 17 press release are:
- Colonel Gregory Watson53, weapons systems officer, boeing (Air Force Reserve, Tenth Air Force, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas), Shreveport, Louisiana.
- Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel Estrella40 years old, weapons systems officer, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Detachment 5Edwards AFB, California
- Retired Lt. Col. Miles Middleton50, pilot, boeingTehachapi, California
- Major Alexander Davis34 years old, weapons systems officer, 419th Flight Test SquadronLancaster, California
- Major Robert D.40, pilot, 419th Flight Test SquadronEdwards AFB, California
- Major Brad Hovey35, pilot, 419th Flight Test SquadronEdwards AFB, California
- jerome smith32, flight test engineer; 419th Flight Test SquadronRosamund, California
- christopher richard41, Flight Test Engineer; JT4 ContractorLancaster, California
Col. Tauer added, “These Airmen were more than colleagues. They were friends, mentors, teammates and valued members of the Edwards and Air Force families.” “Our immediate focus is to support the families of the team members we lost and ensure all appropriate resources are available during this time of unimaginable loss.”
The service confirmed the crash was being investigated by an interim safety inquiry board and the airfield at Edwards remained closed until further notice. A closure was announced shortly after the incident to allow the facility to focus solely on emergency response operations.
— Air Force Global Strike Command (@AFGlobalStrike) June 17, 2026
Details about the incident that occurred on June 15 remain limited as the service continues to investigate to reconstruct what happened. There is currently speculation on social media about the first version of the aircraft involved in the incident, and officials later confirmed that the B-52 was indeed involved in testing the new AESA radar.
“It was a B-52 that took off initially to support the radar modernization program,” Col. James Hayes, 412th Test Wing vice commander, said at a news conference. “It was a domestic test sortie. It took off and immediately after takeoff it crashed and burst into flames. After reviewing the crash video, it was determined that this was a non-recoverable crash and not survivable.”
— Boeing (@Boeing) June 16, 2026
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As previously reported, the B-52H Stratofortress strategic bomber crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base at 11:20 a.m. on June 15, 2026. The base confirmed the incident on its social media channels after images appeared online showing a large plume of black smoke billowing from the location.
Smoke was visible from a distance due to massive fires fueled by the bomber’s full tanks on takeoff. The B-52H has a fuel capacity of 312,197 pounds (141,610 kg), according to the service.
Later that day, the service provided its first update, saying eight people were on board. Meanwhile, media images provided the first images of the crash site, showing the devastation left behind by the massive fire that broke out after the crash.
The bomber’s typical crew is five, but the aircraft is said to have six crew stations and four jump seats, for a total of ten. The reason for the increased crew size is unclear, but may be related to certain test sorties.
war zone It was also reported that this may be the largest loss of an Edwards AFBN since the 1951 crash of a B-50D bomber with eight people on board. This was also the first B-52 crash in 10 years, occurring on May 19, 2016. The aborted takeoff at Andersen AFB, Guam passed the end of the runway.
The aircraft crashed and burned, but all seven crew members ejected safely from the plane. The B-52 deployed from Minot AFB, North Dakota to Anderson Air Force Base as part of Washington’s ongoing bomber presence in the Pacific.
