B-17 Lost at CT Airport

[turnkey4099]

The Collins Foundation is a outstanding group that takes these WWII and other military aircraft from being a pile of rubble to being restored to the the aircraft they once were. Will be interesting to see and what is found that caused this aircraft to go down. They fly the F4 Phantom I worked on during the Vietnam war. Takes big bucks and expert maintenance to keep these birds airworthy. Accidents happen and more so with vintage aircraft. So sad to see lives lost and may they all Rest in Peace !

One report I heard said the co-pilot reported an engine out. Had to be much more than that. One engine out on a B-17 was a pretty routine problem, hardly one to cause a crash.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Still no video? This isn't like a normal aircraft taking off where no one pays attention or may see if something goes wrong. There MUST be all kinds of video, including high quality, of the tradgedy.

Not what I'm looking for but VERY interesting. Tragic B-17 Bomber Crash: What the News Isn't Saying - YouTube

ATC Recording BOEING B-17 FLYING FORTRESS CRASH (LIVE ATC AUDIO) - YouTube

 

[turnkey4099]

Still no video? This isn't like a normal aircraft taking off where no one pays attention or may see if something goes wrong. There MUST be all kinds of video, including high quality, of the tradgedy.

Not what I'm looking for but VERY interesting. Tragic B-17 Bomber Crash: What the News Isn't Saying - YouTube

ATC Recording BOEING B-17 FLYING FORTRESS CRASH (LIVE ATC AUDIO) - YouTube

I gave up on the first link about half way through. Not one word about the crash. There is a comment sayiing "why puit that in the title if you weren't going to say anything about it".

Just speculation but so far it soiunds like a a refueling problem, Jet A vice AV gas. or just contaminated fuel.

 

[fried1765]

I gave up on the first link about half way through. Not one word about the crash. There is a comment sayiing "why puit that in the title if you weren't going to say anything about it".

Just speculation but so far it soiunds like a a refueling problem, Jet A vice AV gas. or just contaminated fuel.

I rather doubt that it was a fuel mixup.
They took off, and were doing an emergency return landing.
Bad fuel usually causes a crash on takeoff.

 

[Diggin It]

I rather doubt that it was a fuel mixup.
They took off, and were returning to land.
Bad fuel usually causes a crash on takeoff.

Putting bits and pieces together, they got in the air, but never fully made cruising speed due to 'some issue', then aborted the flight and returned in distress.

 

[Diggin It]

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- A World War II-era bomber that crashed earlier this month -- killing seven people -- struck approach lights before landing 500 feet short of a Connecticut runway, federal investigators revealed Tuesday.

The National Transportation Safety Board said the pilot of the Boeing B-17, known as a Flying Fortress, asked air-traffic controllers to return to Bradley International Airport shortly after takeoff Oct. 2 because the plane had a "rough mag" in one of the engines.

The plane, dubbed the Nine-O-Nine, returned toward runway 6 at the airport and struck the lights about 1,000 feet before the runway. Prior to impact, the pilot told air-traffic controllers the plane was "getting there."

The plane then landed about 500 feet before the runway before veering to the right and striking vehicles, including a de-icing vehicle. The NTSB said the majority of the plane's cabin, cockpit and right wing were consumed by fire after the crash.

The report, though, didn't reveal the cause of the crash.

B-17 bomber landed 500 feet short of runway before deadly crash - UPI.com

 

[bcp]

Preliminary report, PDF file.

https://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/upload...ings-foundation-accident-bradley-20191015.pdf

or

https://www.wtnh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/100/2019/10/ReportGeneratorFile.pdf

Bruce

 

[MossRoad]

What does this mean?

"Engine Nos. 1, 2, and 3 had 0 hours since major overhaul at that time. Engine No. 4 had 838.2 hours since major overhaul at that time. The airplane's most recent progressive inspection, which was the 100-hour inspection, was completed on September 23, 2019. At that time, the airplane had been operated about 268 hours since the annual inspection."

 

[flyerdan]

That means that at the time of the annual inspection (which I think was this past January, from another site) the three engines were overhauled or replaced with zero time units. Like all commercial aircraft, they have to have periodic inspections, usually after every 100 hours of operation. The last 100 hour was 23 Sept at which time the a/c had accrued 268 hours since the January annual inspection. #4 would have had about 1106 hours at that time, probably nearing TBO, guessing it would be around 1200 for those. It would have accrued a few more hours in the days between the 100 hour and the Oct crash, but probably less than 20.

 

[fried1765]

That means that at the time of the annual inspection (which I think was this past January, from another site) the three engines were overhauled or replaced with zero time units. Like all commercial aircraft, they have to have periodic inspections, usually after every 100 hours of operation. The last 100 hour was 23 Sept at which time the a/c had accrued 268 hours since the January annual inspection. #4 would have had about 1106 hours at that time, probably nearing TBO, guessing it would be around 1200 for those. It would have accrued a few more hours in the days between the 100 hour and the Oct crash, but probably less than 20.

This is all true, and this was not an air carrier type aircraft, so do not equate these requirements with those for airline type aircraft.
Airlines operate under FAA part 121 which is a VERY different set of rules and regulations..