2 Planes Crash Mid-Flight During Airshow in Dallas
Dallas Fire-Rescue reported an Alert 3 – Aircraft Emergency, after a mid-air collision involving two historic military planes at Dallas Executive Airport in Texas.
A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra collided and crashed to the ground at the Wings Over Dallas Airshow around 1:20 p.m. Saturday, according to the FAA.
“It’s like literally as you looked up you saw the big plane and then you saw one of the little planes split off from the three and then as soon as it split off it’s like they just collided into each other and the little plane split the big plane in half. I honestly can’t believe that we witnessed that, like just standing here underneath it.” said Morgan Curry who saw the crash from a nearby parking lot. “We were all just standing there like ‘what just happened?”
Hundreds of people visit the annual Wings Over Dallas Airshow every year. Those who attended Saturday recorded the crash on their phones.
Curry said she has been going to the airshow for years and never witnessed anything like it.
At this time, No information has been released on the status of the pilots, or whether any injuries were reported from falling debris, and it is unknown how many people were on both aircraft.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide additional updates.
Both planes were owned by the Commemorative Air Force, the non-profit that hosted Saturday’s show.
While he wouldn’t speculate on the cause, CEO and President Hank Coates said the maneuvers made were not dynamic.
In a press conference just a few hours after the crash, he said the planes were well-maintained and safe and that the pilots were volunteers of the organization and highly trained.
“There is a very strict process of training and hours. All of the pilots have been vetted very carefully. Many of them have been flying with us for 20, 30 years or longer. What I can tell you is this is not their first rodeo. Many of them are very well-versed,” said Coates.
He added those involved are friends.
“I can tell you this is an extremely close-knit family. Everybody knows everybody,” he said.
US Southbound 67 will remain closed for several hours and traffic is being diverted. Southbound 67 will remain closed. Additionally, the Dallas Executive Airport will remain closed for the duration of the investigation.
According to Dallas Fire and Rescue, some debris scattered from the south end of the airport, across the highway and into a nearby strip center. They said no one on the ground was injured.
k and refresh this page for updates.
