At an air show in Dallas to commemorate World War II, two planes collide in mid-air in front of thousands of visitors.
A Boeing B-17 bomber (symbol image) collided with another machine in Dallas.
(dpa) Six people were killed when two World War II planes collided at an air show in Dallas, Texas. District Judge Clay Jenkins made the announcement on Sunday, citing the coroner. Investigations into the incident continued.
According to our Dallas County Medical Examiner, there are a total of 6 fatalities from yesterday’s Wings over Dallas air show incident. Authorities will continue working today on the investigation & identification of the deceased. Please pray for their families and all involved.
— Clay Jenkins (@JudgeClayJ) November 13, 2022
The accident happened on Saturday at a World War II commemoration show that attracted around 4,000 visitors. On Friday, the United States celebrated Veterans Day, a holiday honoring veterans.
A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (“Flying Fortress”) bomber and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra fighter plane collided in the air and crashed for reasons that are not yet clear. The organizer had previously announced that there were five crew members in the first machine and only the pilot in the second.
Videos in the media and social networks show how the fast fighter crashes sideways into the four-engine Boeing, which breaks apart and both machines fall to the ground. An explosion, a fireball and a large cloud of smoke are then visible over the crash site.
No spectators were harmed
Spectators on the ground were not harmed, said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson. In addition to the American aviation authority FAA, the authority for transport safety (NTSB) is also investigating the accident. The fire brigade announced that debris had fallen on the airport site and a nearby highway. Paramedics were there anyway because of the show and could have intervened quickly.
The organizer told journalists that he could not explain the accident. Neither machine would have performed any risky manoeuvres. The planes are also carefully maintained. The pilots used are very experienced and come from commercial aviation or the military. “There is a very rigorous process of review and training,” he added.
The event, which was supposed to continue on Sunday, was canceled after the accident.