A collision between two historic military aircraft during an air show in Dallas on Saturday afternoon has killed six people, authorities said early Sunday.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins asked the public to pray for all the families involved in the crash that took place just before 1:30 p.m. at the Wings Over Dallas World War II Airshow.
“According to our Dallas County Medical Examiner, there are a total of 6 deaths from yesterday’s Wings over Dallas air show incident,” Jenkins tweeted. “Authorities will continue working today on the investigation and identification of the deceased. Pray for their families and all those involved.”
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra collided and crashed around 1:20 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement.
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The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra collided and crashed around 1:20 p.m. during an airshow at Dallas Executive Airport in Dallas on Saturday, the FAA said in a statement.
(Photo by Nathaniel Ross via AP)
While it was unclear how many people were aboard each plane, Hall Coates, president of the Memorial Air Force, told reporters Saturday night that the B-17 typically carries four to five members, while the P -63 is a single passenger aircraft.
Dallas County officials said six people were killed in the violent crash and that authorities were working to identify the victims.
(Photo by Nathaniel Ross via AP)
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson described the accident as a “terrible tragedy in our city” and noted that there were still many unanswered questions about it.
The remains of two planes that crashed during an air show at Dallas Executive Airport lie on the ground Saturday.
(AP Photo/LM Otero)
“The videos are heartbreaking,” Johnson tweeted. “Please say a prayer for the souls who took to heaven to entertain and educate our families today.
Several videos posted on social media showed the fighter jet appearing to fly towards the bomber, causing it to rapidly crash to the ground and give off a large ball of fire and smoke.
GRAPHIC VIDEO WARNING:
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board said they will investigate the incident.
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Prior to the accident, the air show was promoted as a chance to “relive history”, with a selection of World War II aircraft on display and in action.
The historic B-17 military aircraft dubbed the “Texas Raiders” flies over Barksdale AFB, Louisiana on May 8, 2021. The aircraft collided with another aircraft on Saturday during the Wings Over Dallas Air Force Memorial air show.
(AP Photo/Dr. Scott M. Lieberman, File)
The show was scheduled for November 11-13, Veterans Day weekend, and the program included guests getting to see more than 40 World War II-era aircraft.
Sarah Rumpf of Fox News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
