Two airplanes collide in mid-air during an exhibition in Dallas
Six deceased after two World War II aircraft collided while commemorating Veterans Day.
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A Veterans Day celebration ended in tragedy in Dallas. Two World War II military aircraft participating in an air show at Dallas Executive Airport collided in midair and crashed to the ground. Clay Jenkins, Dallas County Judge, confirmed that six people died in the collision.
The events occurred during the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Wings Over Dallas WWII air show. Some 4,000-6,000 spectators came, many with their families, to enjoy the aerial-acrobatics at the airport. Not long after, the networks were filled with videos of witnesses sharing what had happened.
The investigation into what happened continues
Clay Jenkins, Dallas County Judge, informed 24 hours after the tragedy, the exact number of dead: Six people lost their lives as a result of the collision. In a tweet, the official assured that the identification of the victims and the investigation of what happened continue.
"They're great airplanes."
The president of CAF, Hank Coates, explained in statements to Fox 4 that the B-17 usually has a crew of four to five on board and that the P-63 is a single-pilot fighter. Coates noted that "This was a WWII flight demonstration-type airshow where we highlight the aircraft and their capabilities and what actually happened in WWII. It’s very patriotic. The maneuvers that they were going through were not dynamic at all. It was what we call bombers on parade."
Coates also denied that the incident was due to the poor condition of the planes themselves. "This is not about the aircraft. It's just not. These are great aircraft. They are very well maintained. The pilots are very well trained." The pilots, as explained by the CAF president himself, are volunteers, usually active or retired pilots, who, in any case, must pass a very demanding training process.
Two captains among the deceased
The Allied Pilots Association confirmed the identity of two of the deceased. They are Captains Terry Barker and Len Root, who were among the members of the B-17 at the time of the collision.
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