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Eight people are presumed dead after a B-52 bomber crashed Monday at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
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The B-52 Stratofortress went down shortly after its 11:20 a.m. PT takeoff from Edwards, the 412th Test Wing of the Air Force, which oversees base operations, said in a statement.
“Initial indications are that the crash was not survivable,” officials said.
The aircraft, which was supporting the “radar modernization program,” was on a “routine test mission” when it went down, officials said.
The cause of the crash is unclear, and it could take up to six months to complete an investigation, officials said.
The eight people on board included government contractors and uniformed military.
“We lost eight great Americans,” Col. James Hayes, the deputy commander for the 412 test wing at Edwards, said at a news conference.
The identities of those on board have not been released, but Boeing confirmed that two of its employees had been killed.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of the eight crew members who lost their lives on the B-52 crash,” the aerospace company said in a statement Monday evening.
Edwards Air Force Base is about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
Aerial video of the crash site showed a large black, smoking debris field in the desert.
Built by Boeing, the Stratofortress is a long-range bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
Nicknamed “the Buff,” for Big Ugly Fat Fellow, it’s been the go-to bomber for the U.S. military since 1955, according to Air Force Global Strike Command.
Each plane costs $84 million and is manned by a crew of five, including an aircraft commander, a pilot, a radar navigator, a navigator and an electronic warfare officer.
Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.
Corky Siemaszko is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital.
I am NBC News’ producer & off-air reporter covering stories about and related to the Defense Department around the world.
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