7 Killed In WWII Plane Crash At Bradley Airport

WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — Seven people were killed and six others were injured after the pilot of a World War II bomber crashed at Bradley International Airport Wednesday morning. State Police Commissioner James Rovella said there were six survivors but "tragically" seven died.

The identities of the victims were not released. Rovella said three families had not yet been contacted as of Wednesday night. He did say no children were on board the plane.

Rovella said over the coming days we will hear about "heroes" who helped save additional lives, including stories about people who opened the hatch to the burning airplane.

State police confirmed 13 people were aboard the plane — 10 passengers and three crew members. The plane hit a maintenance building when the pilot tried to land after the craft experienced undisclosed problems, authorities said. One person was in the building that was struck. Two other people on the ground, including a firefighter, were also injured. The victims were taken to three hospitals.

See related: A Tribute To WWII Plane Crash Victim Robert Riddell

A Tribute To WWII Plane Crash Victim Gary Mazzone

Robert Riddell, a lifelong WWII history aficionado, hoped for good weather so he could fly in a B-17 bomber. He did not survive the crash.

Two Simsbury firefighters were aboard the plane and both are being treated for their injuries, NBC CT reported. One of the passengers aboard reportedly was a member of the Air National Guard who was injured and taken to Hartford Hospital. Any immediate family members of possible victims looking for information on the crash should call 860-685-8190.

At a 6 p.m. press conference, National Transportation Safety Board officials said they arrived on scene at 4 p.m. and will remain at Bradley Airport for several days as part of their investigation. Ten investigators were at the scene, including a drone expert. NTSB officials said their investigation will answer how and why the crash happened and what can be done to ensure it doesn't happen again.

A preliminary report could be released within 10 days but a final report of the investigation may take a year to 18 months to complete.

NTSB officials are asking anyone with photos or videos of the crash to send them to witness@ntsb.gov.

See related: Fatal WWII Plane Crash At Bradley Airport: What You Need to Know

The plane took off from Bradley Airport at 9:45 a.m. from runway 6 but experienced problems within a few minutes and the pilot was not able to gain altitude, officials said. The pilot tried to circle back and return to the runway but lost control and struck the de-icing building, officials said.

The crash was reported at 9:54 a.m. The Federal Aviation Administration halted all flights in or out of the airport after the crash.

The airport reopened at 1:45 p.m., though officials said if you are scheduled to travel out of the airport you should contact your airline to confirm your flight status.

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 investigators would "get to the bottom" of what caused the crash.

The plane and de-icing building caught fire in the crash, and emergency crews used chemical foam to try to extinguish the fires.

The town of Windsor released a statement alerting the public to the potential discharge of firefighting foam into the Farmington River in Windsor as a result.

"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," the statement said.

"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."

Shortly after the crash, the airport released a statement saying, "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 FAA confirmed the vintage Boeing B-17 "crashed at the end of Runway 6" while attempting to land around 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.

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-engine "heavy bomber" developed in the 1930s and was among the most significant bombers in the World War II campaign against the Nazis. There are only 18 of the planes left in operation.

WFSB reported that witnesses said the plane appeared to have problems, and loud sounds were heard before the crash.

Flight Aware shows the plane took off at 9:48 a.m. and crashed at 9:53 a.m.

The Collings Foundation released a statement saying, "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."

A Hartford Courant report said 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 a breaking news story and will be updated.

Ellyn Santiago/Patch contributed reporting.