Two World War II-era airplanes collided Saturday at a Dallas air show, according to US authorities. Videos posted on social media showed the planes colliding and exploding as they hit the ground.
The number of passengers in the two aircraft, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and a smaller Bell P-63 Kingcobra, was not immediately known, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
It was also unclear if anyone survived the early-afternoon crash at Dallas Executive Airport, which happened during the Wings Over Dallas Airshow.
Although the precise number of fatalities was not immediately known, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson stated that “no spectators or anybody on the ground were reported harmed.”
Videos that were shared on social media captured the dramatic moments as the smaller plane descended near the B-17 and collided with it.
The planes collided, breaking up into what appeared to be several large pieces, slamming into the ground, then exploding in a ball of fire, sending up a huge plume of black smoke.
According to Johnson, the crash left debris on the airport property as well as on a nearby highway and strip mall.
The FAA said its agents and the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate the incident.
“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,” Johnson said.
The B-17, a four-engined bomber, played a major role in winning the air war against Germany in World War II. With a workhorse reputation, it became one of the most produced bombers ever.
Bell Aircraft created the P-63 Kingcobra during the same conflict, but the Soviet Air Force was the only one to use it in actual combat.
Seven people lost their lives in one of the last significant B-17 crashes on October 2, 2019, at an airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.
