Airmen place wreaths during a June 29, 2026, memorial at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in remembrance of the crew of eight who died June 15 on a B-52 Stratofortress that crashed shortly after takeoff from the base. (U.S. Air Force)
Test flights in U.S. Air Force aircraft are inherently high-risk yet crucial jobs, the chief of staff of the Air Force said Monday in California during a memorial service for the crew of eight who died June 15 in a B-52 bomber crash.
“Flying involves more risk than many professions,” Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach told the audience gathered in a hangar at Edwards Air Force Base. The crew and plane, call sign Torch 11, were part of the 412th Test Wing. The Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff.
“Our test airmen take that risk so our forces can deter adversaries and, if necessary, fight and win,” Wilsbach said.
Lt. Col. James McDonald, commander of the 419th Flight Test Squadron, who had grown close to the crew, described what was lost with their deaths.
Col. Gregory Watson, 53, weapon systems officer with Boeing and an Air Force reservist, was a “tactical expert who was always ready to lend a helping hand” and “a leader deeply committed to mentoring and developing the next generation,” McDonald said. “He invested in people, he taught, he coached, he challenged us to be better.”
He recalled Lt. Col. Gabriel Estrella, 40, a weapon systems officer with Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Detachment 5, as “an exceptionally humble leader,” a man who “simply showed us what right looked like,” he said. “His integrity, humility and professionalism earned the respect of everyone who knew him.”
Retired Lt. Col. Miles Middleton, 50, a pilot with Boeing, was “a deeply devoted husband and father, an experienced test pilot and a veteran, whose passion for service was matched only by his infectious smile that drew people to him,” McDonald said. “His sense of humor was legendary, his laugh was contagious, and his calm, steady presence made every room better, simply because he was in it.”
Maj. Alexander Davis, 34, weapon systems officer with the 419th, “was a phenomenal test leader and a technical wizard, whose quick wit and ready smile kept the squadron moving toward mission success,” McDonald said. “He brought humor, perspective and more puns than any team probably deserved.”
McDonald recalled Maj. Robert Dee, 40, a pilot with the 419th, as “an exceptional test pilot, whose charisma and passion for aviation inspired everyone around him.” Dee “made our team stronger because he refused to settle for good enough, and because of that, every one of us who flies, tests and leads today does so in an organization that is better.”
Maj. Brad Hovey, 35, also with the 419th, was “a standout test pilot who embodied excellence in everything he did and a leader who was always striving to make people or make those around him better,” he said. “When I needed perspective or advice, I relied on [Hovey], and I know I wasn’t the only one.”
Jeromy Smith, 32, a flight test engineer with the 419th, was “a cherished husband and father, an inspirational flight test leader and a mentor whose passion for flight was matched only by his love for people and for this community” he said. “That passion was contagious.”
Christopher Rischar, 41, a flight test engineer with defense contractor JT4, was “a proud husband and a father, a flight test leader with a sunny outlook and a quick laugh,” he said. ‘He was the definition of hard-working. He loved his family and never missed an opportunity to talk about the people he cared about most.”
