The widow of a B-52 bomber crew member killed in a devastating crash at a California air base has said her husband voiced concerns about the aircraft just days before the fatal incident.
Lauren Smith, whose husband Jeromy Smith worked as a Defense Department contractor, said the plane had been dealing with technical problems in the lead-up to Monday’s crash.
The bomber crashed shortly after taking off from Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California, killing all eight people aboard. Officials have not yet determined the precise cause, and the investigation is ongoing.
Speaking to KTLA, Lauren said her husband was aware the aircraft was not operating properly the previous Friday, recalling that he told her “something was wrong with the plane.”
“I don’t know what was wrong, but the flight kept getting pushed back,” she said.
She explained that he had originally been scheduled to fly in the morning, but the departure was delayed repeatedly — first until noon, then again until 2 p.m. Eventually, she said, crews told him the aircraft would need repairs before it could take off.
Authorities said the eight victims on board were a mix of military personnel, government contractors with Boeing, and officials who joined a test mission, which was related to a radar modernization program.
Smith was an engineer with the Defense Department who was contracted with the US Air Force base, and he had recently welcomed a second child with his wife.
Officials named the other victims as Col. Greg Watson, Lt. Col. Gabriel Estrella, Lt. Col. Miles Middleton, Major Alexander Davis, Major Robert Dee, Major Brad Hovey, and Christopher Rischar.
Lauren Smith, the widow of Defense Department contractor Jeromy Smith who died in a horror crash at a California air base this week, revealed he made an ominous warning about their aircraft just days before the tragedy
Smith was a Defense Department contractor on board the B-52 bomber that crashed at a US Air Force base on Monday morning
In a GoFundMe set up to help Smith’s widow, his loved ones said they have been left devastated by his sudden death.
They said Lauren is now left to raise their two young sons on a teacher’s salary, and they had recently purchased a home together.
‘The sudden loss has left Lauren facing unimaginable grief and uncertainty, as she tries to navigate life for herself and her children,’ the fundraiser read.
‘The family had just purchased their home together, and now Lauren is left to manage everything on her own, while caring for her two young boys.’
Smith’s father Jason described him as a ‘dedicated American’ in a touching tribute, writing: ‘You are gone, but will live in our hearts forever. Working for the DOD and giving back to his country was a big part of what Jeromy loved about life.
‘I know you are in Heaven, you reached the top doing what you always loved to do. Goodbye, son.’
Middleton was identified through a GoFundMe page set up for his wife and children, which said they are now ‘facing an unimaginable loss’ after the plane crash.
The Air Force Lt. Col. was remembered as a ‘highly respected and experienced pilot’ by the aviation community, with Facebook group Aviation 24/7 noting he previously led the 419th Flight Test Squadron.
The plane, which usually holds five crew members, can fly up to 50,000ft and refuel mid-air (stock image)
Decorated test pilot Lieutenant Colonel Miles Middleton (left, with his family) was the highest ranking airman known to be on board, and was also killed
Middleton, a father-of-two, was remembered as a ‘highly respected and experienced pilot’ by the aviation community
Lt. Col. Greg Watson, who also died in the crash, was remembered as a ‘deeply respected leader’ who ‘dedicated his life to aviation and his country’
Lt. Col. Gabriel Estrella was a Weapons Systems Officer whose loved ones said he was devoted husband and father who ‘died doing what he loved
Middleton was the highest ranking airman on board the aircraft, and officials said he was a decorated test pilot of some of the Air Force’s most powerful jets.
Family friend Melissa Lynch appealed for help for Middleton’s widow Pam to support their family without him.
‘With Miles gone, Pam is now responsible for supporting her family on her own,’ she wrote.
Watson was also remembered by the group as a ‘deeply respected leader’ in the Air Force, who previously served as the commander of the 343rd Bomb Squadron out of Barksdale Air Force Base.
He was described in tributes as an ‘exceptional mentor and a true professional’ who ‘dedicated his life to aviation and his country.’
Estrella was a Weapons Systems Officer, who was remembered as a devoted husband and father who ‘died doing what he loved’, per KTBS.
His wife Brianna wrote on social media that he ‘woke up every day excited to go to work’, and said he was elated to have been asked to join Monday’s flight before the tragedy.
‘He told me, ‘It’s a once in a lifetime flight, babe,” she recalled.
Major Alexander Davis was also killed in the tragedy
Officials named Maj. Robert Dee among the deceased
Major Brad Hovey was also killed
Christopher Rischar was named among the deceased
The military aircraft plummeted to the ground at around 11.20am PT on Monday after taking off from Edwards Air Force Base in California
The Air Force is continuing to investigate the causes of the crash, and officials said a final report may take months to complete.
Colonel James Hayes, deputy commander of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards, said the ‘routine test flight’ was assessing Radar Modernization Program upgrades, which were installed starting in December.
The upgrade was part of a program to extend the life of the decades-old B-52 long-range bombers to the 2050s.
An anonymous air force member posted on a military social media group claiming maintenance crews were under ‘intense pressure’ to upgrade the planes faster ‘at all costs’.
‘Once a month they grill the Wing Commanders and entire B-52 sustainment enterprise for hours questioning why they have not yet achieved the target MC rate and what steps we are taking at the unit level to make it happen,’ they wrote.
‘My heart goes out to all those affected by today’s crash. I hope the culture in the command soon shifts from chasing unrealistic MC targets to focusing on safety and compliance for both our maintenance and flying operations.’
