B-52 descended at nearly a mile a minute before crash that killed eight

The B-52 Stratofortress that crashed during a test flight at California‘s Edwards Air Force Base descended at nearly a mile per minute before slamming into the ground, according to newly released flight tracking data that is providing investigators with an early look at the final moments of the deadly crash.

The bomber was airborne for just three minutes and 15 seconds on Monday before it crashed, killing eight people on board, including Air Force personnel, government contractors, and Boeing employees participating in a test mission tied to the aircraft’s radar modernization program.