2019 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress crash

Coordinates: 41°55′54″N 72°41′32″W / 41.93167°N 72.69222°W / 41.93167; -72.69222
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Photograph of the aircraft involved in the accident
The aircraft involved, painted as Nine-O-Nine
Accident
DateOctober 2, 2019 (2019-10-02)
SummaryUnder investigation
SiteBradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut, United States
41°55′54″N 72°41′32″W / 41.93167°N 72.69222°W / 41.93167; -72.69222
Aircraft
Aircraft typeBoeing B-17G-85-DL Flying Fortress
Aircraft nameNine-O-Nine (marked as)
OperatorCollings Foundation
RegistrationN93012
44-83575 (actual)
42-31909 (marked as)
Flight originBradley International Airport
DestinationBradley International Airport
Occupants13
Passengers10
Crew3
Fatalities7
Injuries6
Survivors6
Ground casualties
Ground injuries1

On October 2, 2019, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress privately owned by the Collings Foundation crashed at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut, United States. Seven of the thirteen people on board were killed, and the other six, as well as one person on the ground, were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by fire, with only a portion of one wing and the tail remaining.[1]

Aircraft[edit]

Collings Foundation's Nine-O-Nine, in Marana, Arizona, on April 15, 2011

The aircraft involved was a 74-year-old Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, military serial number 44-83575 (variant B-17G-85-DL) with civilian registration N93012.[2] The aircraft was painted as a representation of a different B-17G,[3] Nine-O-Nine, with military serial number 42-31909 (variant B-17G-30-BO), which had been scrapped shortly after World War II.[4] During its original military career, the plane operated as an Air-Sea Rescue aircraft until 1952, when it was reassigned to the Air Force Special Weapons Command for use as a specimen in weapons-effects testing. In this role, it was subjected to three nuclear explosions as part of Operation Tumbler–Snapper. The aircraft was purchased as scrap in 1965 for a price of US$269 (equivalent to $2,601 in 2023); being in relatively good condition, it was restored to airworthy condition for use as a water bomber over the course of ten years, entering service in 1977. Following its operator's liquidation in 1985, the aircraft was acquired by the Collings Foundation in January 1986,[3] restored to its 1945 configuration, and N93012 was flying as Nine-O-Nine by August 1986.[5][6] While operated by the Collings Foundation, it was involved in two prior accidents. On August 23, 1987, it overran the runway on landing at Beaver County Airport in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,[3][7] and on July 9, 1995, it was damaged on landing at Karl Stefan Memorial Airport in Norfolk, Nebraska, as the result of an undercarriage (landing gear) malfunction.[8][9]

The October 2019 crash and resulting fire destroyed most of the aircraft. Only the left wing and part of the tail remained.[10]

Accident[edit]

The destroyed B-17 at the crash site

The "living history" flight had been delayed 40 minutes because of difficulty starting one of the engines. The pilot had shut down the other engines and gone out with a spray can to "blow out the moisture" prior to commencing the flight.[11][12] The aircraft had taken off from Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, at 09:48 local time (13:48 UTC), on a local flight.[8][13] It carried three crew and ten passengers.[14] A witness reported that an engine was sputtering and smoking.[15] At 09:50, the pilot radioed that there was a problem with the airplane's No. 4 engine.[10] The control tower then diverted other traffic for an emergency landing on Runway 6. The aircraft came in low, touched down 1,000 feet (300 m) short of the runway,[11] clipped the Instrument Landing System (ILS) antenna array, veered to the right off the runway across a grassy area and taxiway, and then crashed into a de-icing facility at 09:54.[16][10] The aircraft burst into flames.[15] Seven occupants were killed, and the remaining six were injured severely enough to be taken to the hospital, including one who was airlifted.[8][16] Among the dead were the pilot and co-pilot, aged 75 and 71 respectively.[17] One person on the ground was injured.[18] The airport was closed for three and a half hours following the crash.[15]

Rescue[edit]

One of the passengers on the plane, a Connecticut Air National Guardsman, managed to open an escape hatch after the crash, despite having a broken arm and collarbone. An airport employee, who had been working in the building into which the plane had crashed, ran to the wreckage to help pull injured passengers from the burning plane. The employee suffered severe burns on his hands and arms and was taken by ambulance to the hospital.[19]

Investigation[edit]

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) opened an investigation into the accident.[15] A "go team" was dispatched to Bradley International Airport, headed by Jennifer Homendy.[20]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Boeing B-17G-30-BO Flying Fortress N93012 Windsor Locks-Bradley International Airport, CT (BDL)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  2. ^ Leone, Dario (October 2, 2019). "Collings Foundation B-17 Flying Fortress Crashes". theaviationgeekclub.com. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c "History of the B-17 Nine O Nine". Collings Foundation. Archived from the original on August 9, 2014.
  4. ^ Havelaar, Marion H. (1995) The Ragged Irregulars of Bassingbourn: The 91st Bombardment Group in World War II. Schiffer Military History. ISBN 0-88740-810-9 p.185
  5. ^ Henrichs, Mary (August 11, 1986). "Sight of vintage bomber startles ex-crew member". The Vidette-Messenger. Valparaiso, Indiana. p. 9. Retrieved October 4, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Thompson, Scott A. (2000) Final Cut: The Post-War B-17 Flying Fortress: The Survivors. Pictorial Histories Publishing Company. ISBN 1-57510-077-0 pp.116-120
  7. ^ Danhauer, Clifford (January 11, 1989). "National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Data Summary, Accident Number: NYC87LA238". National Transportation Safety Board. Retrieved October 3, 2019 – via ntsb.gov.
  8. ^ a b c Bonner, Michael; Simison, Cynthia G. (October 2, 2019). "The vintage B-17 bomber that crashed at Bradley International Airport had crash landed before". masslive.com. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  9. ^ "Nine-O-Nine's Replica Survives Emergency" (PDF). The Ragged Irregular. Vol. 28, no. 4. October 1995. pp. 1–2 – via 91stbombgroup.com.
  10. ^ a b c Owens, David; et al. (October 2, 2019). "7 dead, 7 injured in crash of World War II bomber at Connecticut's Bradley International Airport". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  11. ^ a b "NTSB investigating whether B-17 that crashed at Bradley International Airport Wednesday had engine trouble prior to takeoff". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  12. ^ "State police release names of victims, survivors of B-17 plane crash at Bradley International Airport". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  13. ^ "N93012 Flight Path". Flight Aware. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  14. ^ "B-17 plane crashes at Bradley Airport Outside Hartford, Killing at Least 5". The New York Times. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  15. ^ a b c d "World War II-era bomber trying to land crashes in fireball; 5 deaths confirmed". WDBJ7. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  16. ^ a b "'Several dead' in Connecticut vintage B-17 WWII bomber crash". BBC News Online. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  17. ^ Tziperman Lotan, Gal; Sweeney, Emily; Ellement, John R. (October 3, 2019). "Two Mass. men among 7 people killed in B-17 crash in Conn". The Boston Globe. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  18. ^ Geneous, Jacob (October 2, 2019). "At least five dead after World War II-era plane crashes into airport". Metro. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  19. ^ "'A very courageous individual.' Airport employee pulled injured passengers off burning plane, police sources say". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  20. ^ National Transportation Safety Board [@NTSB_Newsroom] (October 2, 2019). "NTSB Go Team launching to investigate Wednesday's crash of a B17 at Bradley International Airport, Connecticut. Team led by Board Member Jennifer Homendy" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nine-O-Nine (B-17).
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