Seven killed as World War II aircraft crashes at Bradley Airport

• The plane was carrying 13 passengers and crew members.
• The aircraft was operated by the Collings Foundation, a group catering to aviation buffs, who pay to experience vintage planes.
• Officials said five minutes into the flight a problem was reported to the tower.

(Karachi) At least seven people were killed, while others suffered critical injuries after a World War II plane crashed at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut on Thursday, local media reported. The plane was carrying 13 passengers and crew members.

The vintage, a Boeing B-17 aircraft, crashed at 9:45am local time while trying to land on the runway, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) officials said. As the plane crashed, it caught fire.

As a result of the crash, seven people were killed on the spot while the others suffered critical injuries. Six of the injured were immediately taken to Hartford Hospital for treatment.

Soon after the incident, firefighters reached the scene and extinguished the fire.

The aftermath

The aircraft was operated by the Collings Foundation, a group catering to aviation buffs, who pay to experience vintage planes, officials said.

James Rovella, a Connecticut State Disaster Emergency official, told a news conference, “Burn victims are very difficult to identify. We don’t want to make a mistake.”

A maintenance officer working on the ground was also injured, Rovella added.

Local media later cited officials as saying that the crash left at least seven dead and nine injured, including three people who were on the ground at the time.

Five minutes into the flight, a problem was reported to the tower, said officials. The pilot tried to return to the runway and circle around but on touchdown the plane lost control and struck a de-icing facility, officials said.

Recurring incidents

Bradley International Airport -- the second largest in New England -- shut down immediately after the fiery crash. The airport reopened shortly before 2 p.m., but the runway where the accident occurred remained closed.

The World War II plane was civilian registered -- not flown by the military, according to the FAA, and was part of the Wings of Freedom tour.

The same plane had an incident in 1987 when it ran off a runway in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, according to media report. Three of the 12 people on board the flight were injured.