Damn...

[Truckman]

'blow out' ? I've never heard that term.... was it on fire?

I haven't either...My ejoomacated guess is that either the air intake or the fuel delivery system was plugged, causing a lack of power in the #4 engine preventing sufficient altitude gain, and the pilot had aborted the mission thinking it could be cleared by the ground crew...One observer reported seeing smoke which could indicate an obstructed air intake...He is said to have made a wide turn in his RTB attempts which makes sense because it would enable minimum altitude loss...All I can do is guess, but we have pilots here, Billy Rightwing springs to mind, who may be able to add more...This is another of those times when I miss Dan's input......Ben

[Phillbo]

Fart..

Feel better?

I have a hard time believing the loss of a single engine would bring down an air frame that has a history of crossing oceans with half it's pieces missing and multiple engines out...

[Truckman]

Fart..

Feel better?

I have a hard time believing the loss of a single engine would bring down an air frame that has a history of crossing oceans with half it's pieces missing and multiple engines out...

Me too, if they were tuned for maximum power output as they were on war missions...It was not uncommon in wartime to change engines between missions if enough spares could be kept in rotation for overhaul...The engines on flying museum pieces are tuned for longevity because of the cost of maintenance and upkeep for private enterprises...My previous research for other projects shows that some bombers, particularly B-29's on Tinian and Saipan, often crashed on takeoff because of power loss...Those were also fully fueled and carrying a full load of ordnance, thereby leaving little in the wreckage to determine the cause...

But we're only guessing here...I'm hoping there is enough to make a sound judgement as to cause after the FAA investigation......Ben

[Mike]

......But we're only guessing here...I'm hoping there is enough to make a sound judgement as to cause after the FAA investigation......Ben

I hope we all live long enough for the NTSB to finish the investigation.

[Phillbo]

I just saw a layout of the airport. The deicing facility is almost even with the runway 6 threshold... He was not lined up with the runway. Unless he landed short and something caused a 90* right turn it appears he would have had to almost fly it right into the building.

He was cleared for a left downwind and it appears he never turned to final and possibly a very short base.

[Truckman]

I hope we all live long enough for the NTSB to finish the investigation.

They are slow, but meticulous...I suppose when your own the taxpayer's nickel, you can afford to take your time......Ben

[Truckman]

I just saw a layout of the airport. The deicing facility is almost even with the runway 6 threshold... He was not lined up with the runway. Unless he landed short and something caused a 90* right turn it appears he would have had to almost fly it right into the building.

That may have been his only possible approach with landing in a turning pattern on diminished power......Ben

[Truckman]

I hope we all live long enough for the NTSB to finish the investigation.

Speaking of NTSB, they have removed and quarantined all four of the engines from Nine-O-Nine plus other parts for their investigation...The pilot was the most experienced B-17 driver in history with over 7,300 hours in the left seat...Combat B-17's used as many fuel tanks as they could squeeze into any available space, but according to this article, Nine-O-Nine was equipped with four, one per engine......Ben

[Phillbo]

I would have to assume the fuel samples will be contaminated by the fire suppression activities.

[Phillbo]

A buddy sent me this pic of him exiting Nine O Nine via the bomb bay doors.....

[Truckman]

Sad news here, but probably a necessity...

Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were on that flight and we will be forever grateful to the heroic efforts of the first responders at Bradley.

The Collings Foundation flight team is fully cooperating with officials to determine the cause of the crash of the B-17 Flying Fortress and will comment further when details become known.

In the wake of a tragic accident involving our B-17, the Collings Foundation is currently suspending its flight operations and the Wings of Freedom Tour for the remainder of the 2019 season. We are in the process of issuing refunds for those who had reserved flights through December.

The Battle for the Airfield Event at the American Heritage Museum is still taking place on Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13, 2019

Standing down flight operations will have a large effect on the upcoming Wings Over Houston event which I attend every year...I can only hope that whatever Collings aircraft are already in Houston will be included in the static display......Ben

[Truckman]

Video from some of Nine-O-Nine's last logged hours in the air in the days preceding its loss......Ben

[wacojoe]

It’s coming out bit by bit.

https://americanmilitarynews.com/201...ional-airport/

Although the article is far from truly informative, I fill in some of the pieces in it to get that they were having trouble with engines before the aircraft took off.

[Phillbo]

I wonder what the guy meant when he said "possibly their last flight" ... Last flight of the day?

[Truckman]

The only surviving crew member from last week’s deadly B-17 crash at Bradley has been released from the hospital...

His recounting of the event will be invaluable in the investigation......Ben