A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber and a Bell P-63 KingCobra fighter collided in mid-air before hitting the ground during an air show Saturday in Dallas.
Six people died in a World War II plane crash Saturday at an air show in Dallas, Texas, a local elected official said Sunday.
A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber and a Bell P-63 KingCobra fighter collided in the air on Saturday afternoon, the aviation regulator, the FAA, said in a statement earlier.
“There are a total of six deaths from yesterday’s accident at the Wings over Dallas air show, according to the Dallas County Medical Examiner.“, declared on Twitter Clay Jenkins, elected at the head of the county of Dallas. “Authorities will continue working today on the investigation and identification of the deceased.“, he specified.
The collision took place at the small Dallas Executive Airport, during a 1940s military aircraft show held over the November 11 holiday long weekend.
Witnesses posted videos of the accident online. On one of them, one of the devices seems to break up before hitting the ground.
“No spectators or anyone on the ground injured”
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson tweeted that “no spectators or people on the ground were injured“.
The pilots’ union Allied Pilots Association confirmed on Saturday evening that two of its retired members had died on board the B-17. “Our thoughts are with their families, friends, past and current colleagues.the union said in a statement.
During a press conference shortly after the tragedy, the chief of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) which organized the event, Hank Coates, declared that the B-17 normally operates with four or five crew members, while that the P-63 has only one pilot.
He added that the pilots who operate these planes during such shows are experienced volunteers with “very thorough trainingand that they were often retired military pilots.
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