Eight people died Monday morning after a United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
CBS News reported that the accident occurred at approximately 11:20 a.m. local time during a routine test mission.
Colonel James Hayes, deputy commander of the 412th Test Wing, confirmed the crash was unsurvivable during a news conference.
The aircraft carried a mixed crew consisting of military personnel, civilian government employees, and government contractors.
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Boeing officials confirmed that two of its employees were among the eight victims who lost their lives in the disaster.
The long-range bomber was conducting a flight to support a radar modernization program at the time of the incident.
Aerial footage from the scene captured a large plume of black smoke rising from a blackened, charred section of the desert airfield.
Base officials immediately closed the airfield and diverted all inbound air traffic to focus on the emergency response.
Military authorities have suspended non-commercial visitor access to the base while the investigation proceeds.
Colonel Hayes stated that officials do not yet have an indication of what caused the fatal crash.
The investigative process is expected to take up to six months to complete.
