Two World Battle II-era airplanes collided whereas performing a flyover at a commemorative occasion in Texas on Saturday, crashing into the bottom and erupting right into a ball of flames that left onlookers shocked and dismayed. 

Six individuals have been onboard the 2 planes on the time of the crash, the Commemorative Air Power mentioned, and all six have been killed, in response to Dallas County Decide Clay Jenkins.

A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra have been taking part within the Air Power’s Wings Over Dallas air present once they collided mid-air close to the Dallas Government Airport simply earlier than 1:30 p.m. native time, the Federal Aviation Administration mentioned.

NTSB board member Michael Graham mentioned throughout a Sunday press convention that neither airplane had flight knowledge recorders, often known as black containers. In consequence, he mentioned, investigators are searching for images and movies recorded on the scene from the general public.

“They’re going to really be very vital since we have no flight knowledge recordings,” mentioned Graham. Witness pictures and video might be despatched to [email protected], Graham mentioned.

A number of movies posted on Twitter confirmed the fighter airplane showing to fly into the bomber, inflicting them to rapidly plummet to the bottom and setting off a big ball of fireplace and smoke.

Based on the occasion’s website, a number of planes have been scheduled to do a flyover demonstration Saturday afternoon. Social media posts confirmed lots of of individuals gathered to observe the flyover. The three-day occasion is in honor of Veterans Day, which was Friday.

Anthony Montoya noticed the 2 planes collide.

“I simply stood there. I used to be in full shock and disbelief,” mentioned Montoya, 27, who attended the air present with a good friend. “All people round was gasping. All people was bursting into tears. All people was in shock.”

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson called it a “horrible tragedy.”

“The movies are heartbreaking,” he tweeted. “Please, say a prayer for the souls who took to the sky to entertain and educate our households at present.”

The mayor of Keller, Texas, a small metropolis about 30 miles north of Dallas, mentioned in a Facebook post {that a} former metropolis councilman, Terry Barker, was among the many deceased. Mayor Armin Mizani wrote that Barker was a husband, father and Military veteran.

“Terry Barker was beloved by many. He was a good friend and somebody whose steering I usually sought. Even after retiring from serving on the Metropolis Council and flying for American Airways, his love for neighborhood was unmistakable,” Mizani wrote. 

Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol Main Curt Rowe additionally died within the crash, in response to the company.

“Curt touched the lives of 1000’s of his fellow Civil Air Patrol members, particularly when flying cadets throughout lots of of orientation flights,” wrote Colonel Peter Bowden.

The B-17, an immense four-engine bomber, was a cornerstone of U.S. air energy throughout World Battle II. The Kingcobra, a U.S. fighter airplane, was used largely by Soviet forces in the course of the conflict. Most B-17s have been scrapped on the finish of World Battle II and solely a handful stay at present, largely featured at museums and air reveals, in response to Boeing.

No paying prospects have been on the plane, mentioned Coates, of Commemorative Air Power, which additionally owned the planes. Their plane are flown by extremely skilled volunteers, usually retired pilots, he mentioned.    

Victoria Yeager, the widow of famed Air Power check pilot Chuck Yeager and herself a pilot, was additionally on the present. She did not see the collision, however did see the burning wreckage.

“It was pulverized,” mentioned Yeager, 64, who lives in Fort Value.

“We have been simply hoping they’d all gotten out, however we knew they did not,” she mentioned of these on board.

“It was actually horrific to see,” Aubrey Anne Younger, 37, of Leander. Texas, who noticed the crash. Her kids have been contained in the hangar with their father when it occurred. “I am nonetheless making an attempt to make sense of it.”

A lady subsequent to Younger might be heard crying and screaming hysterically on a video that Younger uploaded to her Fb web page.

The FAA and Nationwide Transportation Security Board will lead the investigation.

Air present security — notably with older navy plane — has been a priority for years. In 2011, 11 individuals have been killed in Reno, Nevada, when a P-51 Mustang crashed into spectators. In 2019, a bomber crashed in Hartford, Connecticut, killing seven individuals. The NTSB mentioned then that it had investigated 21 accidents since 1982 involving World Battle II-era bombers, leading to 23 deaths.

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