Multiple people are dead and at least 14 people have been taken to hospitals after a vintage plane crashed Wednesday morning at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut.
The Federal Aviation Administration said a vintage B-17 aircraft that is registered out of Stow, Massachusetts crashed at the end of Runway 6 around 10 a.m. while attempting to land.
Officials said the plane slid off the runway during landing. The crash occured five minutes after takeoff when the plane hit a maintenance facility used for de-icing.
Vintage B-17 Military Plane Crashes at Connecticut Airport
Thirteen people were onboard the plane, including 10 passengers and three crew members, according to Windsor Locks First Selectman Chris Kervick. Multiple fatalities occurred but the number of deaths has not been confirmed, said Commissioner James Rovella of the Department of Emergency Service and Public Protection.
At least 14 people are injured, including two members of the Simsbury Fire Department, including one on the ground at the de-icing facility.
The passengers paid an unknown fee to ride on the plane.
Officials from the Simsbury Fire Department said the two injured members of the department were on the plane and are being treated.
One of the firefighters has been working with the department for more than 15 years while the other has been with the fire department for a little over five years.
The names and ages of the deceased are unknown at this time.
“Victims are very difficult to identify, we don’t want to make a mistake,” Rovella said.
No notifications have been made to families of the victims yet.
Connecticut State Police said any immediate family members looking for information on the plane crash can call the CSP Message Center at 860-685-8190.
According to our pilot a plane crash on the runway in Hartford has closed the airport and has everyone scrambling. pic.twitter.com/khAGbq50z5
— Aaron Katzman (@aaron_katzman) October 2, 2019
Patients went to three different hospitals with at least six patients taken to Hartford Hospital, including one via Lifestar and five by ambulance, the hospital said. Three of those patients were critical at the hospital, which is a Level 1 trauma center and has mobilized a trauma team. Two patients at Hartford Hospital are being taken to a burn unit.
Hartford Hospital says family members can call 860-972-9166 for information on patients injured in the plane crash at Bradley Airport. They can also report to Taylor Conference Room at Hartford Hospital’s cancer center.
Patients from the plane crash were also taken to Saint Francis Hospital.
“We received a mass casualty alert following the plane crash that took place near Bradley International Airport this morning. As a Level 1 Trauma Center, Saint Francis Hospital department has deployed all the necessary preparations in order to be ready to receive any number of patients” said Dr. Steven Wolf, Emergency Department Chair at Saint Francis Hospital.
Bradley International Airport was closed, but they reopened Runway 15/33. Runway 6/24 remains closed for the investigation into the crash.
While the airport was closed, traffic was diverted to TF Green Airport in Rhode Island. Flight cancellations are expected to impact flights for the rest of Wednesday.
The FBI, FAA are on scene investigating the Bradley plane crash. The NTSB will be arriving on scene sometime Wednesday. State Police are assisting the NTSB with crash reconstruction.
“Right now, my heart goes out to the families that are waiting,” Gov. Ned Lamont said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. “Remember these are husbands and wives and sisters and brothers, all part of our Connecticut family.”
We can confirm that there was an accident involving a Collings Foundation World War II aircraft this morning at Bradley Airport. We have an active fire and rescue operation underway. The airport is closed. We will issue further updates as information becomes available.
— Bradley Intl Airport (@Bradley_Airport) October 2, 2019
The plane was at Bradley Airport for the “Wings of Freedom Tour” sponsored by the Collings Foundation. The B-17 bomber was known at one point as the “Flying Fortress” or the 909.
The plane is a civilian registered aircraft and is not flown by the military, the FAA added.
The Collings Foundation released a statement about the crash on Wednesday morning.
“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.
“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,” foundation officials added.
The New England Air Museum also released a statement:
“On behalf of the entire New England Air Museum family, our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected by today’s crash of a vintage B-17 aircraft at Bradley International Airport. Although we are not connected to the Collings Foundation or these flights, the New England Air Museum and the Collings Foundation have a decades-long relationship and we are deeply saddened by today’s tragedy,” the museum said in a statement.
Delores Brookman was standing outside of her home when the plane flew over right before the crash. She recalled the moment she found out what happened.
“I was ready to go in the house and I heard this plane go over and I came back out. I said ‘oh my God Cheryl, look up there, that is beautiful’ because it was flying just over the top of those trees. And then we heard a clicking noise and didn’t think anymore about it so we went in doing what we were supposed to do. Then Kevin called and told us the plane had crashed. I said ‘oh my God. That broke my heart,” said Brookman.
“Devastated, devastated. It can never be replaced and it was something that shouldn’t have happened, but it did,” She added.
The aircraft indicated to the tower that it was experiencing problems gaining altitude and attempted to return to the airport but lost control, according to the airport authority.
According to NTSB Aviation Accident Data, the same plane was involved in a crash on Aug. 23, 1987 in Beaver Falls, Penn. In that incident, one serious injury was reported and two minor injuries occurred. The damage to the aircraft at the time was determined to be “substantial.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal released a statement: “Our hearts go out to the loved ones of the victims. They and the public deserve to know the facts and causes of this tragic crash. I am calling for an immediate National Transportation Safety Board investigation so we can get to the bottom of what happened and prevent future tragedies. The NTSB should be on the scene as soon as possible, with assistance from other agencies like the FAA.”
This plane is one of 18 actively flying in the United States, Blumenthal said.
This is a developing story. NBC Connecticut will update this story as details become available.
Source : Nbcnewyork
