THE APEX TIMES
The Air Force is investigating a fiery crash of a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California that killed all eight crew members, officials said, with an investigation timeframe of up to six months.
A Boeing B-52 Stratofortress crashed during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Monday, killing all eight crew members, and U.S. officials said the investigation into the incident could take up to six months to complete.
Officials said the crash occurred while the bomber was operating as part of a test flight and ended in a fiery explosion, with thick plumes of smoke rising from the crash site, according to the report.
The incident underscores the scope and duration of safety investigations conducted after military aircraft accidents, especially those involving high-profile platforms and complete loss of crew.
According to U.S. officials, investigators are likely to require significant time to determine the causes and contributing factors that led to the crash, and they estimated the probe could run as long as half a year.
In the interim, the Air Force will continue to assess operational impacts and safety measures while the investigation proceeds, including how test schedules and flight operations are managed at the base where the crash occurred, officials said.
The investigation timing reported by U.S. officials means a preliminary picture of what happened may emerge during the process, but any final findings are expected only after the investigation work is concluded.
The Pentagon has not published findings in the matter at the time of the reporting, and no cause was attributed in the account beyond the fact of the crash and the officials’ estimate of the investigation’s length.