Wings over Dallas crash: 6 pilots killed in tragic mid-air collision involving WWII-era planes identified

Two historic World War II-era aircraft crashed when a B-17 bomber seemed to stray into a P-63 Kingcobra's blind spot around 1.30 pm on Saturday. In a horrifying video that surfaced online, a Boeing B17 Flying Fortress bomber's flight path was approached by a P-63 Kingcobra. The bomber appeared to fly through the P-63's blind spot, and the two aircraft clashed, ripping the bomber's tail off and sending both of them hurtling toward the ground. A second video taken from a different viewpoint demonstrates how the B-17 entered the Kingcobra's left-banking blind spot. The B-17's front and tail got separated at the point of impact. It caught fire on the wings and spiraled, leading to a fatal crash that left no survivors. The event involving the rare World War II-era aircraft is similar to the 2019 tragedy in which a B-17 performing a "heritage flight" tour crashed into a Connecticut airfield, leaving six people dead. The Kingcobra is a single-pilot fighter aircraft, whereas the Flying Fortress is similar to a "tractor-trailer truck," large enough to carry a crew of 10 or 11. 

When the incident occurred, the Allied Pilots Association tweeted: “We are saddened to report that former APA members CA Terry Barker and CA Len Root were among the crew members lost on B-17 Flying Fortress during the Wings Over Dallas airshow today. Our hearts go out to their families, friends, and colleagues past and present.”

One of just five B-17s authorized for flight, the historic Texas Raiders aircraft were flown and maintained by Root and Baker as part of the B-17 crew. Root was a married father of three grown daughters and lived in Roanoke, Texas. Whereas, Barker, also married, was from Keller, Texas. Several videos shared on social media appeared to show the fighter plane colliding with the bomber, sending them crashing to the ground and igniting a massive ball of flames and smoke. The crash is being looked into by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration. Wings of Dallas is hosted by the Commemorative Air Force, a group devoted to preserving World War II-era aircraft. Due to bad weather on November 11, the first day of the three-day display was postponed to the next day. A parade of bombers like the B-17 and fighter escorts like the P-63 was on the program for the event.