A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra fighter were involved in a crash at Dallas Executive Airport (RBD) in the United States on November 12, 2022.
Footage shared on social media shows the P-63 hitting the B-17 “Texas Raiders” from the left side, severing the tail. The two aircraft then fell down, exploding when impacting the ground.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, said the accident claimed the lives of six people.
“According to our Dallas County Medical Examiner, there are a total of 6 fatalities from yesterday’s Wings over Dallas air show incident,” Jenkins said on Twitter on November 13, 2022. “Authorities will continue working today on the investigation & identification of the deceased.”
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board launched investigations.
The two aircraft were participating in the Wings Over Dallas air show. The event is organized by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), an association based in Dallas that preserves a number of antique aircraft, primarily US-made.
The Boeing B-17 is probably the most famous WW2 heavy bomber of the US Air Force, with its impressive weaponry earning it the nickname of Flying Fortress. More than 10,000 of the aircraft were manufactured in total.
According to our Dallas County Medical Examiner, there are a total of 6 fatalities from yesterday’s Wings over Dallas air show incident. Authorities will continue working today on the investigation & identification of the deceased. Please pray for their families and all involved.
— Clay Jenkins (@JudgeClayJ) November 13, 2022
Anthony Montoya saw the two planes collide, according to a report by Associated Press.
“I just stood there. I was in complete shock and disbelief,” said Montoya, 27, who was at the air show with a friend. “Everybody around was gasping. Everybody was bursting into tears. Everybody was in shock.”
A go-team from the NTSB was expected to arrive on site on November 13, 2022.
Updated on November 13, 2022 at 1424 UTC with fatalities, eyewitness quote, NTSB go-team