At least two dead, multiple people injured, after World War II-era plane crashes at Connecticut's Br

[krispos42]

Source: Hartford Courant

At least two dead, multiple people injured, after World War II-era plane crashes at Connecticut’s Bradley International Airport

By Christine Dempsey
Hartford Courant
Oct 02, 2019 | 12:04 PM

At least two people have died and more were seriously injured when a World War II-era plane crashed at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks Wednesday morning.

A B-17 bomber crashed about 10 a.m., bursting into flames and sending up a large plume of smoke that could be seen for miles. Sources say it crashed into a small building as it was trying to land.

While there is no official word on the number of deaths, sources say at least two people have died and three others have critical injuries.

Laura Nolan said she saw that something was amiss as the plane came in for a landing. She was driving east on Route 20 at the time, and she saw the World War II-era plane flying unusually low.

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Read more: https://www.courant.com/breaking-news/hc-br-windsor-locks-bradley-international-airport-plane-crash-20191002-jfkph65krrfhxlrlb3eehksdiu-story.html

[Number9Dream]

1. My sympathy... My father was a B-17 co-pilot in WWII... amazing planes

My sympathy to the victims families.

Took a walk-through tour of a B-17 with my father some years back. They were amazing planes. Flying Fortresses.

[NurseJackie]

2. "They were amazing planes. Flying Fortresses."

Amazing, indeed.

[JohnnyRingo]

3. Another WWII plane gone.

The sad loss of life is of utmost concern here, but also gone is an irreplaceable piece of history. I love seeing these relics in action at air shows, but I'm torn. One day they will no longer be flying for future generations. Many are on static display in museums.

I wonder how many were in the plane. It's hard to imagine any survivors were aboard the aircraft. Probably never knew what hit them.

[Historic NY]

4. It was the Nine O Nine..

witness's report that they lost and engine taking off, trying to land they hit a small building near the runway. There were 13 souls on board.

[link:|]

[CaptainTruth]

5. So sad. I've been on Nine-O-Nine many times.

Every time the Collins planes came to a local airport I would go see them.

A piece of history has been lost & of course, much MUCH worse is the loss of lives.

So sad for those lost souls & their families.

[Omaha Steve]

6. Here are the details of my ride in that plane a few years ago

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10026991786

[StarryNite]

19. Thank you for sharing.

My husband went up in the Witchcraft in spring of 2015. His uncle died in a B-24 when it was shot down during the war.

[AtheistCrusader]

7. Oh no, only 45 left in the world.

Something like 20 that can still fly.

[FailureToCommunicate]

8. I was on that very plane two weeks ago when the airshow came to Worcester. There were

There were a number of elderly vets attending the Collins Foundation WW ll "Wings of Freedom" airshow, who walked around marveling at the different planes they had flown in their youth. The biggest attraction was the B-17 bomber nicknamed "Nine O' Nine." That's the plane that crashed today.

How awful for the victims and their families.

The foundation has always done such good educational work.

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/

[Mr.Bill]

9. My dad, who passed away in 1990,

flew 50 missions over Europe in a B24 in WWII. In the 80s, there was one touring around (there still are several) in the area where my parents lived. You could go for a ride on it for $200 at the time. I thought it would be a nice birthday gift for my dad and asked him if he would like to go up in it.

He simple said "Nope".

[StarryNite]

14. Only one B-24 still flying.

I believe it's owned by the Collings Foundation as well.

[Mr.Bill]

15. I believe the Commorative Air Force has one also.

[StarryNite]

16. You're right! There are 2 still airworthy.

"Of the massive numbers of Liberators that were built, only serveral survive today.

In the United States, only two aircraft are airworthy, and six complete airplanes are on static display, for a total of eight B-24 Liberator survivors, shown below listed by state."

[link:https://www.airplanesofthepast.com/b24-liberator-surviving-aircraft.htm|

[Mr.Bill]

17. I did a little googling, too,

and there's one being restored in Australia.

[StarryNite]

18. I'm glad to hear that.

We surprised my husband with a ticket to ride the Witchcraft in 2015. He was reluctant to go because of the plane's age. We teased him about it. He went up and absolutely loved his experience.

[FailureToCommunicate]

10. The number of fatalities has risen to five...

https://www.wbur.org/news/2019/10/02/bradley-airport-collings-foundation-world-war-ii-plane-crash?fbclid=IwAR3lYLS_DQdOf5ANQLbc--kpN9MIAFYs0EqzyRt0DX8RjpsiwtcMpvDAQy0

[FailureToCommunicate]

20. And this evening they are saying seven fatalities.

[Voltaire2]

11. They were just up here near me in Nashua NH.

The b-17 flew over my house this weekend.

[Archae]

12. "Nine O Nine" and the B-24 "Witchcraft" came to Sheboygan 10 years ago...

I was there, didn't get a ride in either one, but I watched them come in.

Now "Nine O Nine" crashed.

[Crowman2009]

13. I saw that plane at the Jackson, Mich airport 20+ years ago.

RIP

[machoneman]

21. Something very odd: the B-17 often returned from missions on 2 engines, holed all over, missing....

chunks of wing surfaces, ailerons, rudder 1/2 gone, a full crew and machine guns and other heavy gear like oxygen tanks still on board yet they landed safely.

I do wonder if not so much pilot error as mere lack of B-17 experience was the cause? Sadly, no one should have died if the pilot could have landed even wheels up. Unless he tried to avoid a crash into a populated area, one would think this tough plane should have made a relatively safe crash. Sounds like it stalled (meaning it literally dropped out of the sky). Still find it strange such a tough bird didn't stay up on 3 engines.

[FailureToCommunicate]

22. Local news said pilot was on return glide , but clipped a pole or mast, which

tipped the plane towards the maintaince shed and... well, we know the rest.


And presumable the families of the guests taking that once a lifetime ride saw it all from the ground.

Just horrible.

[krispos42]

23. The latest I heard...

Was that the plane clipped some part of the instrument landing system while landing and spun off into a storage shed.

Terrible tragedy. 😥