WWII: 2 planes collide in midair during Dallas air show
At least two people were killed when two vintage WWII planes collided and crashed at the air show in the US state of Texas. The footage shows the planes hitting at a low altitude, splitting one of the planes in half. The impact on the earth is visible as a fireball.
The aircraft, one of which was a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, was participating in a memorial air show close to Dallas. Exactly how many individuals were in the two aircraft was not immediately known. Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines pilots, reported that two former members, Terry Barker and Len Root, were among those killed in the incident.
According to some media reports, the crash may have resulted in the deaths of up to six people.
Between 4,000 and 6,000 people had gathered to watch the Wings Over Dallas Airshow on Saturday, and eyewitness Chris Kratovil told the BBC that he had “never seen a crowd grow more silent or more motionless in just a blink of an eye.”
“There was smouldering wreckage in the middle of the airfield, and it went from being a reasonably enthusiastic, dynamic throng… to complete silence and stillness, and a lot of people, including myself, turned their children towards them and away from the airfield.”
The Federal Aviation Administration announced that it would look into the crash during the three-day event, which is being held in honour of Veterans Day and bills itself as the country’s top World War II air show.
Mayor of Dallas Eric Johnson referred to it as an “awful tragedy”. He tweeted, “The videos are heartbreaking.” Please offer a prayer for the souls of those who flew to the skies today to amuse and inform our families.
He added that there had been no reports of injuries on the ground but that the exact number of casualties was yet unknown.
According to the event website, six aircraft were slated to do a flyover display on Saturday.
During World War II, the B-17 bomber was crucial to the victory of the air campaign against Germany. The second aircraft was a P-63 Kingcobra, a fighter deployed in the same conflict but exclusively by the Soviet Air Force.
Hank Coates, from the Commemorative Air Force, which organised the event, said that the B-17 typically has a crew of four to five people, whereas the P-63 only has a single pilot. However, he was unable to confirm any fatalities.
He explained to reporters, “This was an air show similar to a WW2 flight demonstration where we display the aircraft and their capabilities.
The link of the video shared below shows the aftermath of an airshow accident in Dallas
https://www.nbcnews.com/video/faa-investigating-collision-of-planes-at-dallas-air-show-153371717782
