- A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra collided before crashing to the ground, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
- Footage shows the aircraft striking each other at a low altitude, breaking one of the aircraft in half. A fireball can be seen as it hits the ground.
- The planes were taking part in a commemorative air show near Dallas.
- Firefighters said there were no injuries among people on the ground.
Two vintage World War Two-era planes have collided and crashed at an air show in the US state of Texas, killing six people, reports BBC.
Dallas air show crash
Video posted online shows a Boeing B17 Flying Fortress bomber being torn apart as it collides with a Bell P-63 Kingcobra. The Kingcobra, which appears to have broken in half, then plummets to the ground before being engulfed in flames.
The horrifying collision took place at the Commemorative Air Force’s Wings Over Dallas Show in Dallas, Texas, US.
In footage of the incident, terrified onlookers can be heard screaming and shouting in the background.
Anthony Montoya, 27, attended the air show with a friend and saw the two planes collide. He said: “I just stood there. I was in complete shock and disbelief. Everybody around was gasping. Everybody was bursting into tears. Everybody was in shock.”
Jason Evans, a Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman, told that the crash occurred at around 1.30pm above the Dallas Executive Airport.
Witnesses say debris is strewn over Highway 67 in Texas, where Fire Rescue authorities say the large fire has broken out. Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched investigations, with the latter taking the lead and providing updates, officials said.
The Wings Over Dallas event is described as the country’s premiere World War Two airshow. Dallas Fire-Rescue said they have not yet confirmed how many people were on the aircraft. It was also unclear whether anyone had sustained injuries from falling debris.
*viewer discretion advised*
A clear video showing the moment two planes collided mid-air during an airshow in Dallas this afternoon
WFAA reports one was a B-17 pic.twitter.com/osyRmWaq45
— Mike Saccone (@mikesacconetv) November 12, 2022
The B-17, a four-engine bomber, played a major role in winning the air war against Germany in World War II. With a workhorse reputation, it became one of the most produced bombers ever.
The P-63 Kingcobra was a fighter aircraft developed during the same war by Bell Aircraft but used in combat only by the Soviet Air Force.
One of the last major crashes of a B-17 was on October 2, 2019, when seven people died in an accident at an airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.
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Source: BBC
