A restored World War II-era B-17 “Flying Fortress” bomber crashed Wednesday morning at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, sending up a huge fireball and pillars of smoke.
In a posting, airport officials said, “We can confirm that there was an accident involving a Collings Foundation World War II aircraft [Wednesday] morning at Bradley Airport.
“We have an active fire and rescue operation underway,” they said, adding that “the airport is closed.”
It was not immediately clear whether the crash occurred on takeoff or landing.
A spokesman for Hartford Hospital said six patients from the crash had been received, one of them by Life Star helicopter. Their conditions were not disclosed.
The airport this week is hosting a tribute to World War II veterans, featuring vintage aircraft.
The nonprofit Collings Foundation, based in Stow, Massachusetts, is dedicated to preserving and displaying vintage aircraft and automobiles.
