The plane crashed at Edwards Air Force Base, about 100 miles north of Los Angeles, shortly after takeoff.
There were eight people on board. All were later declared dead.
"The base has suffered a terrible tragedy, and we have lost eight great Americans," said Colonel James Hayes after the accident.
A large area around the crash site has been cordoned off, according to emergency services. Pictures taken shortly after the crash show a large plume of smoke rising from the crash site in the Mojave Desert.
The air base is used for development and test flights, among other things. It is also known for the record-breaking flight when Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in 1947.
