Deadly WWII Plane Crash At Bradley Airport: What You Need to Know

WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — With 13 aboard — 10 passengers and three crew — a vintage World War II bomber crashed at Bradley International Airport Wednesday morning. Officials confirmed that seven people in the plane were killed and six were injured, three critically. Two airport employees were in the building that was struck by the plane; one was injured. One firefighter was injured and treated at the scene.

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was one of several warbirds in a nationwide tour by owner Collings Foundation of Massachusetts.

At around 9:48 a.m. the pilots took off. At 9:53 a.m., the pilots crashed while trying to land. The airport was shut down. Local, state and federal emergency responders and crews arrived.

By early Wednesday afternoon, state police announced the grim news that they could not provide the number of deaths, as they were having difficulty identifying bodies.

This is not the first time the plane has crashed, albeit at an air show decades ago and the owners said it was repaired.

Last year, Collings did a fundraising campaign to raise $75,000 for an new engine. In a Facebook post, the foundation wrote that on "September 15th, after a flight, the crew started looking into issues that they experienced and after inspection, the engine was determined to be failing."

Federal and state agencies are investigating the crash.

Officials said there were heroes whose stories and names will be released. One person apparently ran toward the plane crash and someone in the plane opened a hatch.

The names of the people killed were not released. State officials said four of the seven families have been notified with three families yet to be reached.

The fiery crash claimed seven lives. Six were injured, three are in critical condition

Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner James C. Rovella said early Wednesday afternoon that then it was too early to "tell the number" of people killed as the "victims are difficult to identify."

By 6 p.m., Rovella said that seven people in the plane were killed and six were injured, three critically.

Two airport employees were inside the maintenance building that was struck by the plane; one was injured.

Two Simsbury, Connecticut firefighters were aboard the plane. It's not known whether they survived the crash.

Any immediate family members looking for information on the crash should call 860-685-8190.

Hartford Hospital activated a mass casualty response effort that officials said involved more than 100 to treat six people; three are in critical condition, and three others are injured but not critically. Some of the injured were being treated at St. Francis and Bridgeport hospitals, state police said.

The airport was shut down for hours. Federal, state and local authorities are investigating

A statement from Bradley Airport was issued soon after the crash:

"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."

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, Sen. Richard Blumenthal said early Wednesday. The FBI and Homeland Security are also on the scene along with Connecticut State Police. Later, the medical examiner was brought in, authorities said.

Jennifer Homendy of the NTSB said Wednesday evening that the agency will be looking at the plane's history and how it was maintained.

Gov. Ned Lamont spoke at a press conference just before 1 p.m. and appeared emotional as he said, "My heart goes out to the families who are waiting."

He vowed that investigators would "get to the bottom of this" and that the families of the victims are in our prayers.

The Federal Aviation Administration halted all flights in or out of the airport minutes after the crash.

The FAA confirmed that the vintage Boeing B-17 "crashed at the end of Runway 6" while attempting to land at 10 a.m. The plane, though a WWII craft, is a civilian-registered plane and not flown by the U.S. military. The FAA said local authorities would release information about the people on board.

Bradley International reopened at 1:45 p.m. and airport officials said if you are scheduled to travel, "please contact your airline to confirm the status of your specific flight."

The Bomber was in the air for less than 5 minutes: 'A B-17 Has Crashed'

Flight Aware shows the plane took off at 9:48 a.m. and crashed at 9:53 a.m. WFSB 3 TV reported that witnesses said the plane appeared to have problems and loud sounds were heard before the crash.

Details concerning the crash were still very limited Wednesday afternoon, but what is known is that the plane took off from Bradley Airport at 9:48 a.m. from runway 6. Within a few minutes the plane experienced problems and was not able to gain altitude, officials said.

The plane tried to circle back and return to the runway but it lost control and struck the de-icing building, officials said. The accident was reported at 9:53 a.m.

Recordings from air traffic control and Windsor Locks police and rescue describe a terrifying crash and its aftermath: "A B-17 has crashed. A B-17 has crashed."

The Flying Fortress was part of tour of vintage WWII planes

The World War II B-17G Flying Fortress heavy bomber, owned by the Collings Foundation of Stow, Massachusetts, was at Bradley as part of its Wings of Freedom Tour, according to the foundation's Facebook page.

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined "heavy bomber" developed in the 1930s and was among the most significant of bombers in the WWII Allied campaign against the Nazis. There are only 8 or 9 of the bombers left in operation.

The Collings Foundation said it was cooperating fully with authorities.

"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 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."

In a Hartford Courant report about the tour, it was noted that the vintage planes could be toured for $15 and that flights were available for a higher fee. The B-17 is more than 75 years old.

This is not the first time this particular plane has crashed

The plane dubbed the "Nine-O-Nine" by Collings crashed in 1987 in a Pittsburgh airshow when it "overshot the runway"while attempting to land, CBS News Pittsburgh reported.

Three were injured in that crash at Beaver County Airport where, it was reported, "gusty winds" caused the bomber to "plunge down a hillside as thousands of spectators were waiting for the show’s finale."

It's reported the Collings Foundation said the damage to the plane was repaired. It has since made more than 1,000 touring visits.

Collings had a fundraising campaign to pay for a new engine in 2018 after it 'failed'

The owner of the bomber took to Facebook last year to ask for help to cover the cost of a new engine after one was "determined to be failing."

"The Collings Foundation's beloved B-17 Flying Fortress "Nine-O-Nine" is undergoing a #3 engine replacement in Burlington, VT. On September 15th, after a flight, the crew started looking into issues that they experienced and after inspection, the engine was determined to be failing. A spare engine was sent out, but unfortunately that spare encountered additional problems and a second spare is enroute to Vermont as you read this. Due to this, the B-17 has been down since the 15th and will likely be down until the end of the week. Engine replacements performed "on the road" are very costly, with total expenses soaring well above $75,000 - and even more when considering the expense of a second spare engine as we are encountering now. As you may know, the flight experience donations received from visitors flying in "Nine-O-Nine" are a very important part of keeping the Wings of Freedom Tour flying across the nation each year, so the loss of this fundraising makes it even more tough."

People who had been on the plane previously began posting images of themselves aboard the craft with most saying the experience was a once in a lifetime event.

State and local health officials warn about chemical firefighting foam in nearby river

Connecticut health officials and the town of Windsor alerted residents of the potential discharge of firefighting foam into the Farmington River. Responders used a chemical foam to extinguish the fires as a result of the crash.

"The public is advised not to come into contact with foam they may encounter on the Farmington River or the river banks, as well as to not take fish from the river. Additionally, the public is advised to not come into contact with any foam which may come from storm drains, manholes or catch basins.This advisory will remain in place while officials evaluate the potential impact to the watershed. "

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.