B-17 Flying Fortress

A World War II-era airplane that flew into Waterloo as part of a military display earlier this year crashed in Connecticut Wednesday morning, killing at least seven people and injuring seven others.

The Hartford Courant reported that 13 people -- three crew members and 10 passengers -- were on the B-17 Flying Fortress when it slammed into a maintenance building and burst into flames at Bradley International Airport near Hartford, Conn. According to the newspaper, the vintage plane struggled to get into the air and went down as the pilots were circled back for a landing.

Connecticut authorities said one person on the ground was hurt when the plane crashed. The others killed or injured were on the plane.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration is among the agencies investigating the cause of the crash.

The B-17 Flying Fortress was part of the Wings of Freedom Tour, a military display of rare airplanes that's organized by the Collings Foundation. The Massachusetts-based non-profit group has scheduled the tour for the past 30 years.

The Wings of Freedom Tour made a stop in Waterloo less than three months ago. The four-engine, propeller-driven B-17 that crashed Wednesday was among four rare planes that was part of the July display at the Waterloo Regional Airport.

Source: Hartford Courant