Injuries Reported, B-17G “Nine-O-Nine” Was One of Only 10 Flying B-17s.
Read the latest update on this incident here.
The WWII era B-17G Flying Fortress named “Nine-O-Nine” has crashed at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut at approximately 10:00 AM local time on Wednesday. Six injuries are being reported from the accident as photos of smoke rising from the scene are appearing in news and social media.
The condition of the six persons reported as injured in the crash has not been specified yet, although reports suggest four persons are hospitalized.
The aircraft involved in the crash was one of only ten remaining flyable Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. The aircraft wore civil registration number N93012 and the restored military registration aircraft 42-31909. The aircraft was originally built as military registration 44-83575.
A report by CBS Boston included a statement from Bradley International Airport that said, “We can confirm that there was an accident involving a Collings Foundation World War II aircraft this morning at Bradley Airport,” the airport tweeted. “We have an active fire and rescue operation underway.”
The CBS Boston report went on to say, “The FAA said a vintage Boeing B-17 crashed while trying to land on a runway at about 10 a.m. The agency added that it is a civilian aircraft, not flown by the military. Four people are being treated at Hartford Hospital, but the full extent of injuries was not known.”
WATCH: Black smoke billows into the sky after a World War II-era bomber plane crashed at the end of a runway at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Lock, Conn., on Wednesday; there is an active rescue operation underway and the airport has been closed, @Bradley_Airport says pic.twitter.com/459LSZGvxO
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) 2 ottobre 2019
The Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress was a four-engine, heavy bomber built from 1936 until 1945. It achieved notoriety for its role in the heavy bombing campaign over Europe during WWII but was used in all theaters of the war. The aircraft was popularized in the media in television series such as “Twelve O’Clock High”, movies like “The Memphis Belle” and numerous books about the bombing campaign over Europe in WWII. Although more Consolidated B-24 Liberators were built than Boeing B-17s during WWII, the B-17 has garnered greater notoriety as a symbol of the U.S. bombing campaigns in WWII.
Update Oct. 2, 2019, 21.00GMT
Five people are confirmed killed in the incident.
