California, June 16: Eight crew members were killed after a US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in California's Mojave Desert on Monday. According to CNN, the aircraft, which was on a routine test mission, took off at approximately 11:20 am (local time) before crashing near the remote military installation northeast of Los Angeles. Edwards Air Force Base said all eight crew members on board are presumed dead, and the incident has now shifted from a rescue effort to a recovery operation, CNN reported.