The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released the preliminary study on the fatal midair collision betwixt a B-17G in addition to P-63F Kingcobra during the Wings Over Dallas airshow on Nov 12. According to the NTSB study, at that place were no altitude deconflictions briefed before the flight or spell the airplanes were inward the air.
Altitude deconflictions procedures are established inwards the effect pilots notice themselves at an improper altitude during the flight.
Six people were killed in the November 12 crash—v on the B-17G Texas Raiders together with 1 on the Bell P-63F Kingcobra.
Both aircraft—B-17G, N7227C, as well as Bell P-63F, N6763—are registered to the American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum. Both were function of the Dallas, Texas-based Commemorative Air Force (CAF), a non-lucre organisation dedicated to preserving too showing historical aircraft. The pilots were volunteers alongside the CAF.
Detailed Account
The weather at the time of the accident was reported equally clear skies too the winds were from 350° 14 knots amongst gusts to xviii knots. Video of the consequence shows the aircraft were flight on a northerly heading parallel to Runway 31 every bit role of the parade of planes.
There were ii present lines—i 500 feet from the audience, the other one,000 feet from the audience. Show lines are established to proceed aircraft from flying direct over the crowd.
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| NTSB investigators spent several days mapping, photographing, and marking the midair collision debris field. [Photo courtesy of the National Transportation Safety Board] |
According to the NTSB, The P-63F was tertiary in a three-transport formation of fighters too the B-17G was atomic number 82 of a five-ship formation of bombers.
According to the recorded audio for the airshow radio transmissions, the air boss directed both the fighters and bombers to maneuver southwest of the runway before returning to the flight display area, which was the designated functioning surface area. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data shows the aircraft complied.
The air boss so directed the fighter formation to transition to a trail formation, to fly inward forepart of the bombers, so continue well-nigh the 500-feet exhibit occupation.
The bombers were directed to fly the one,000-feet exhibit occupation.
When the fighter formation approached the display expanse, the P-63F was in a left bank. The fighter came upward behind the B-17G, hitting it on the left side merely aft of the fly section. The accident happened about ane:22 p.1000. inwards front end of thousands of spectators. No earth injuries were reported.
The collision was captured on multiple smartphones from multiple angles, these videos together with yet photographs were apace posted to social media. The images show the P-63F disintegrating, its parts raining downwardly on the grassy surface area on drome property southward of the approach cease of Runway 31.
The impact cleaved the B-17G in two. The aft fuselage and empennage of the B-17G tumbled to world spell the wing too frontward department of fuselage of the bomber caught burn. The forwards section continued frontwards for a moment, and so cartwheeled to the ground, exploding on bear on. The burn sent up thick black fume visible for miles.
NTSB Investigation
Immediately next the accident, the NTSB dispatched a get-team to Dallas. During a press conference the mean solar day later the crash NTSB investigator Michael Graham requested anyone who had video or photographs of the accident to share them alongside investigators. Many spectators had already done and so, giving investigators hundreds of images to scrutinize, he said.
According to the NTSB, the debris plain was generally aligned on a magnetic heading of 320 degrees. Investigators spent several days mapping out, photographing in addition to marking the wreckage. All major flight command components for both airplanes were located in the debris plain. The wings from the fighter were found slightly southward of the chief B-17G wreckage. The empennage together with parent fuselage of the B-17G was plant S of the fighter’s wings.
Neither aircraft contained a dark box, nor were they required to accept them. Both aircraft were equipped alongside ADS-B and had GPS onboard. The GPS units were recovered as well as submitted to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory. In add-on, the B-17G had an Avidyne IFD540 unit, which contained place information relevant to the accident. Investigators noted the GPSMap 496 from the fighter did non record any information for the accident flying.
The wreckage of both airplanes has been retained by NTSB for farther exam.
The NTSB stressed that this information is preliminary too may modify every bit the investigation continues. A concluding report on the accident is expected to be released roughly a twelvemonth to eighteen months from directly.
