Wife of B-52 crash victim says husband told her ‘something was wrong’ with plane before fatal flight

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: The wife of a Defense Department contractor killed in a Monday, June 15, B-52 bomber crash at Edwards Air Force Base says her husband had raised concerns about the aircraft days before the fatal flight.

Jeromy Smith, one of eight people killed when the aircraft went down shortly after takeoff in Southern California, had told his wife, Lauren Smith, that the mission was repeatedly delayed because of problems with the plane. The crash occurred during a test mission linked to a radar modernization program installed on the aircraft earlier this year.

Widow recalls husband’s concerns before flight

Lauren said her husband informed her on Friday, just days before the crash, that the aircraft was experiencing issues that prevented it from departing as scheduled. “My husband told me on Friday that they were supposed to fly on Friday and that something was wrong with the plane,” Lauren told KTLA.

“I don’t know what was wrong, but the flight kept getting pushed back. He was supposed to fly in the morning and then it got pushed back to noon and then it got pushed back to 2 o’clock. And then they said they’re going to have to fix whatever was wrong with it and that they would fly when it was done,” she added. 

Family members said Jeromy, an engineer and Defense Department contractor working alongside the Air Force, had recently welcomed a second child and had just purchased a home with his wife.

Lauren’s sister said, “She is left to navigate being a newly single mom, while also having to grieve the love of her life. Our entire family is devastated by this great loss.” 

A fundraiser established for his family noted that his wife is now raising their two young sons alone after what relatives described as an unexpected loss. 

Investigation continues as questions emerge about aircraft upgrades

The B-52 was conducting what officials described as a routine test flight related to the Air Force’s Radar Modernization Program, part of a broader effort to extend the operational life of the decades-old bomber fleet into the 2050s.

Col James Hayes, deputy commander of the 412th Test Wing, said the mission was evaluating upgrades installed beginning in December. The aircraft crashed shortly after departing Edwards Air Force Base, killing all eight people aboard.

On Wednesday, the Pentagon identified the victims as Col Gregory Watson, Lt Col Gabriel Estrella, retired Lt Col Miles Middleton, Maj Alexander Davis, Maj Robert Dee, Maj Brad Hovey, Jeromy Smith, and Christopher Rischar.

The group included Air Force personnel, civilian government employees, and contractors. Boeing also confirmed that two of its employees were among those killed.

Tributes have continued to emerge from family members and colleagues. Estrella’s wife recalled that he had been excited to participate in the mission, saying he told her, “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime flight, babe.”