A World War II-era bomber plane that was in Laconia a week ago giving flying tours over Lake Winnipesaukee crashed in a fireball Wednesday morning as it tried to land in Connecticut, killing seven of the people aboard, officials said.
Black smoke rose from the airport as emergency crews responded to the crash of the B-17 bomber at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Conn., just north of Hartford. The B-17 had been trying to land at about 10 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said.
The bomber was making a tour of Northeast airports as part of the “Wings of Freedom” tour featuring four other World War II warplanes. It was flown by three crew members and often carried about eight passengers.
When it crashed in Connecticut, 13 people were in the aircraft – three crew members and 10 passengers. At least six people were taken to the hospital, three of them critically injured, authorities said. One person on the ground was also hurt.
The plane came to Laconia Municipal Airport on Sept. 23 and stayed through Sept. 25. It arrived from Worcester, Mass.
Laconia Airport Manager Marv Everson said the B-17 was late because it had a mechanical problem after leaving Worcester and had to return to that airport.
“While it was here, it was fine,” said Everson, who was one of the people who rode in it as part of a flying tour. The trips lasted a good half-hour, he said.
Everson said the vintage planes attracted steady crowds while in Laconia, including people old enough to remember World War II, as well as youngsters. “Gilford High School brought most of the students over in the course of the time they were,” he said.
The plane was owned by the Collings Foundation, an aviation organization that put together the “Wings of Freedom” vintage aircraft tour. The planes were in Nashua airport last weekend before going to Connecticut.
“It was a privilege to get a ride on it; fascinating. It takes you back to World War II,” said Everson.
“This is one of these things that hits close to home … since it was just here, we had just touched it,” he added. Everson was speaking around noon, when most details of the crash were not available.
A second flying B-17 has been in New Hampshire. Owned by the EAA aviation organization, it was at Keene’s airport Wednesday, leaving authorities there to release information online assuring people that the accident did not happen to that plane.
There are reportedly nine B-17’s still flying that are owned by various civilian groups.
At the Connecticut airport, Antonio Arreguin told the Associated Press said he had parked at a construction site near the airport for breakfast when he heard an explosion. He said he did not see the plane but could feel the heat from the fire, which was about 250 yards away.
“In front of me, I see this big ball of orange fire, and I knew something happened,” he said. “The ball of fire was very big.”
A smaller explosion followed about a minute after the first blast, he said. He saw emergency crews scrambling within seconds.
The B-17 had been trying to land when it crashed around 10 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said on Twitter.
Brian Hamer, of Norton, Mass., told the Associated Press he was less than a mile away when he saw a B-17, “which you don’t normally see,” fly directly overhead, apparently trying to gain altitude but not succeeding.
One of the engines began to sputter, and smoke came out the back, Hamer said. The plane made a wide turn and headed back toward the airport, he said.
“Then we heard all the rumbling and the thunder, and all the smoke comes up and we kind of figured it wasn’t good,” Hamer said.
“This is kind of shocking; it’s a loss to lose a B-17,” he said. “I mean, there aren’t very many of those left.”
Antonio Arreguin said he had parked at a construction site near the airport for breakfast when he heard an explosion. He said he did not see the plane but could feel the heat from the fire, which was about 250 yards away.
“In front of me, I see this big ball of orange fire, and I knew something happened,” he said. “The ball of fire was very big.”
Boeing-built B-17 Flying Fortresses – 74 feet long, with a wingspan of 104 feet – were used in daylight bombing raids against Germany during the war. The missions were extremely risky, with high casualty rates, but helped break the Nazis’ industrial war machine.
The B-17 that went down was built in 1945, too late to see combat in the war, accor ding to the Collings Foundation.
It served in a rescue squadron and a military air transport service before being subjected to the effects of three nuclear explosions during testing, the foundation said. It was later sold as scrap and eventually was restored. The foundation bought it in 1986.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were on that flight and we will be forever grateful to the heroic efforts of the first responders at Bradley,” the foundation said in a written statement. “The Collings Foundation flight team is fully cooperating with officials to determine the cause of the crash of the B-17 Flying Fortress and will comment further when details become known.”
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
