On November 12 (local time), a B-17 heavy bomber collided with a P-63 aircraft and crashed. The incident occurred at an airshow in Dallas, Texas, United States. The ‘America’s Premier World War II Airshow’ took place on Veterans Day weekend, where over 40 World War II-era aircraft were displayed.
Spokesperson of Commemorative Air Force Leah Block was quoted by ABC news saying, “Currently, we do not have information on the status of the flight crews as emergency responders are working the accident.” She added there were five crew members on B-17 and one on the P-63.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson updated about the accident in a series of Tweets. He said, “As many of you have now seen, we have had a terrible tragedy in our city today during an airshow. Many details remain unknown or unconfirmed at this time. The NTSB has taken command of the crash scene with Dallas PD and Dallas Fire Department continuing to provide support.”
He added, “The videos are heartbreaking. Please, say a prayer for the souls who took to the sky to entertain and educate our families today.”
In a follow-up tweet, he confirmed that the spectators and others on the ground were not injured. He said, “FAA is currently leading the investigation. A number of casualties are not yet confirmed, but no spectators or others on the ground were reported injured. The debris field includes Executive Airport grounds, Highway 67, and a nearby strip mall.”
Several videos surfaced on social media showing the mid-air collision. The two aircraft descended rapidly after colliding in the air. A giant fireball followed by heavy black smoke could be seen in the video.
Further investigation into the matter is underway.