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Eight Killed in B-52 Crash at Edwards Air Force Base

6/18/2026

50 4 Full Breakdown

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B-52 Crash

The crash killed a flight-test engineer on his fourth wedding anniversary and a father teaching his teenage daughter to drive.
Eight died when a B-52 bomber crashed on a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base, closing base through Thursday.
Boeing expressed deep sorrow for contractors Christopher Rischar and Jeromy Smith.
Family called the victims heroes and mourned the loss for their young children and spouses.

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Leadership Offers Support

A GoFundMe campaign was launched for widow and children of Lt. Col. Miles Middleton; an Assistance Center opened for families.
The B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base, killing eight and shutting the base through Thursday.
Base leadership urged personnel to check on one another.
It offered chaplaincy, mental-health care, childcare, legal aid, and the 988 crisis line.

History

Historical Context

During the Cold War, the 17 January 1966 Palomares crash saw a B-52G drop four hydrogen bombs over Spain, contaminating 0.78 sq mi with plutonium and prompting new safety and family-aid procedures. The later 1968 Thule accident ended the airborne alert program, shaping the response framework that today supports families after the Edwards AFB B-52 tragedy.

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B-52 Crash

The crash killed a flight-test engineer on his fourth wedding anniversary and a father teaching his teenage daughter to drive.
Eight died when a B-52 bomber crashed on a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base, closing base through Thursday.
Boeing expressed deep sorrow for contractors Christopher Rischar and Jeromy Smith.
Family called the victims heroes and mourned the loss for their young children and spouses.

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