# Accident 20191002013779A: Boeing B-17G, Windsor Locks, CT, October 2, 2019 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 2, 2019, 09:53 local time - Place: Windsor Locks, CT - Airport: Bradley International - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.9317° N, 72.6922° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9317&lon=-72.6922&mi=10 - Aircraft: N93012, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N93012) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Boeing B-17G (registry code 1380204, https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-b-17g) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING B-17G - Reported engine: WRIGHT R-1820-97 - People aboard: 13 - Fatal injuries: 7 - Other injuries: 7 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - Pilot flight hours: 75 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20MA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20MA001) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191002013779A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON OCTOBER 2, 2019, AT 0953 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BOEING B-17G, N93012, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE COLLINGS FOUNDATION, WAS DESTROYED DURING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AND SUBSEQUENT RUNWAY EXCURSION AT BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BDL), WINDSOR LOCKS, CONNECTICUT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, AND FIVE PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT MECHANIC/LOADMASTER AND FOUR PASSENGERS WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED, WHILE ONE PASSENGER AND ONE PERSON ON THE GROUND INCURRED MINOR INJURIES. THE LOCAL COMMERCIAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91, IN ACCORDANCE WITH A LIVING HISTORY FLIGHT EXPERIENCE EXEMPTION GRANTED BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA). VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN THE AREA AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT, WHICH DEPARTED BDL AT 0947. ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, AN AIRPORT LINEMAN AT BDL ASSISTED THE LOADMASTER AS HE ADDED 160 GALLONS OF 100LL AVIATION FUEL TO THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. THE LINEMAN STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS THE FIRST TO BE FUELED WITH 100LL FUEL THAT DAY. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) DATA PROVIDED BY THE FAA, SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT 0950, ONE OF THE PILOTS REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE WANTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. AT THAT TIME, THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 500 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) ON THE RIGHT CROSSWIND LEG OF THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 6. THE APPROACH CONTROLLER VERIFIED THE REQUEST AND ASKED IF THE PILOT REQUIRED ANY ASSISTANCE, TO WHICH HE REPLIED NO. THE CONTROLLER THEN ASKED FOR THE REASON FOR THE RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, AND THE PILOT REPLIED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD A "ROUGH MAG" ON THE NO. 4 ENGINE. THE CONTROLLER THEN INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO FLY A RIGHT DOWNWIND LEG FOR RUNWAY 6 AND CONFIRMED THAT THE FLIGHT NEEDED AN IMMEDIATE LANDING. HE SUBSEQUENTLY CANCELLED THE APPROACH OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE AND ADVISED THE PILOT TO PROCEED HOWEVER NECESSARY TO RUNWAY 6. THE APPROACH CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO CONTACT THE TOWER CONTROLLER, WHICH HE DID. THE TOWER CONTROLLER REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS CALM AND CLEARED THE FLIGHT TO LAND ON RUNWAY 6. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE LANDING CLEARANCE; AT THAT TIME, THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 300 FT AGL ON A MIDFIELD RIGHT DOWNWIND LEG FOR RUNWAY 6. THE TOWER CONTROLLER ASKED ABOUT THE AIRPLANE'S PROGRESS TO THE RUNWAY AND THE PILOT REPLIED THAT THEY WERE "GETTING THERE" AND ON THE RIGHT PAGE 2 OF 4 ERA20MA001 THIS IS PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, SUBJECT TO CHANGE, AND MAY CONTAIN ERRORS. DOWNWIND LEG. NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. WITNESS STATEMENTS AND AIRPORT SURVEILLANCE VIDEO CONFIRMED THAT THE AIRPLANE STRUCK APPROACH LIGHTS ABOUT 1,000 FT PRIOR TO THE RUNWAY, THEN CONTACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 500 FT PRIOR TO THE RUNWAY BEFORE REACHING RUNWAY 6. IT THEN VEERED RIGHT OFF THE RUNWAY BEFORE COLLIDING WITH VEHICLES AND A DEICING FLUID TANK ABOUT 1,100 FT RIGHT OF THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THE WRECKAGE CAME TO REST UPRIGHT AND THE MAJORITY OF THE CABIN, COCKPIT, AND RIGHT WING WERE CONSUMED BY POSTIMPACT FIRE. THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED AND MEASUREMENT OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT WING FLAP JACKSCREWS CORRESPONDED TO A FLAPS RETRACTED SETTING. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ERA20MA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20MA001), Oct 2, 2019: Boeing B17 (N93012), Windsor Locks, CT, destroyed, 7 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to properly manage the airplane’s configuration and airspeed after he shut down the No. 4 engine following its partial loss of power during the initial climb. Contributing to the… ## Other reports on N93012 (6) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20050817025699I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050817025699I), Aug 17, 2005: Boeing B17G (N93012), Syracuse, NY. (-23) On take off number 4 engine had a chip light indication, the engine was shut down and the aircraft returned to syr without incident. The engine is being… - [Incident 19970509026389I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970509026389I), May 9, 1997: Boeing B17G (N93012), Burbank, CA. Narrative: aircraft was in a left turn when an intermitting hydraulic failure temporarily resulted in loss of brake's to the right wheel. Aircraft continued in… - [Incident 19950709021729I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950709021729I), Jul 9, 1995: Boeing B17G (N93012), Sioux City, IA, Minor damage. Unsafe left main gear collapsed near end of landing roll. - [Incident 19910715032169I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910715032169I), Jul 15, 1991: Boeing B17G (N93012), Allentown, PA, Minor damage. On engine run up magento check caused NR2 engine to backfire. Oil leak caught fire from exhaust. Put out fire. - [Accident 19870823047569A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870823047569A), Aug 23, 1987: Boeing B17G (N93012), Beaver Falls, PA, Substantial damage. Strong crosswind lifted wing of bomber on landing roll. Unable to stop,overran runway and down an embankment. - [Incident 19860815054489I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860815054489I), Aug 15, 1986: Boeing B17G (N93012), Dunkirk, NY. Noted steam or water condensation from engines. Diverted. Pulled screens. No contamination found. Cause unreported. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.