B-52 crashed shortly after takeoff at Edwards air force base in southern California’s Mojave Desert, officials say Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Eight people are presumed dead after a B-52 bomber crashed shortly after takeoff on Monday morning at a US air force base in California ’s Mojave Desert, officials said. “An Air Force B-52 Stratofortress carrying eight people on a routine test mission crashed today shortly after take-off at 11:20 a.m,” Edwards air force base said in a statement Monday afternoon. “Initial indications are that the crash was not survivable.