At least two dead, multiple people injured, after vintage plane crashes at Connecticut’s Bradley International Airport

By CHRISTINE DEMPSEY HARTFORD COURANT

OCT 02, 2019 | 11:46 AM

At least two people have died and more were seriously injured in a fiery plane crash at Bradley International Airport Wednesday morning.
A B-17 bomber crashed about 10 a.m., bursting into flames and sending up a large plume of smoke that could be seen for miles. Sources say it crashed into a shed as it was trying to land.

While there is no official word on the number of deaths, sources say at least two people have died and three others have critical injuries.

Laura Nolan said she was driving east on Route 20 when she saw the World War II-era plane flying unusually low.

"He was treetop level when I saw him," Nolan said. "And one of the engines wasn't spinning."
As the plane passed by, Nolan said, the roar was "thunderous."
And then, the plane crashed.
"I saw the smoke in the rearview mirror," Nolan said. The smoke was dark black, she said.
Nolan, a former Granby paramedic, went to the airport to offer help to the first responders. She was sent away, though, and by about 11 a.m. the other waiting ambulances had been sent away as well, she said.She saw emergency vehicles from across the area, including from the Ambulance Service of Manchester, Hartford-based American Medical Response, Pratt and Whitney Fire Department and Suffield Fire Department. Nolan said she also saw a Life Star helicopter land near the crash site.=start

The amount of people that were flooding in here was ridiculous,” Nolan said.

Quote:

Bradley Intl Airport@Bradley_Airport

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.

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10:21 AM - Oct 2, 2019

One patient was flown to Hartford Hospital by Life Star helicopter, a hospital spokesperson said late Wednesday morning, and five more were on their way by ground ambulance.

The airport confirmed that the plane is a Collings Foundation World War II aircraft. The airport is closed; the Federal Aviation Administration said it has put in a ground stop for flights destined for the airport.Numerous fire departments from the area were called to the scene, causing area towns to scramble to line up coverage. At least two dozen emergency vehicles were at the crash site.
At least one victim was being airlifted from the scene at 10:50 a.m.The plane is one of five -- two World War II fighter planes and three bombers --- that are at the airport this week for tours and flights.The most recent fatal crash of a vintage war plane happened in Fredericksburg, Texas in November 2018. The pilot and a passenger in a P-51D Mustang fighter aircraft were killed when the plane, which had just participated in a flyby, crashed into a nearby parking lot.

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