Simple Ignorance

The Collings Foundation, a non-profit organisation, each year does a circuit of a number of American airports offering low-cost flight rides in the foundation’s aircraft. This is the Wings of Freedom flight. The fleet comprises a B-17, B-24 Liberator, P-51 Mustang, P-40 and a B-25. Following the accident the foundation suspended all scheduled flight experience tour operations.

It is unfortunate to record that the foundation’s Boeing SB-17G, N93012, referred to as old 9-0-9 from part of its tail numbers, took off with three crew members and 10 passengers from Bradley Field, Windsor Locks, on October 2.

Soon after takeoff it requested a return and landing on runway 06. When asked why, the reply came that there was an issue with the number four engine. ‘We need to return and blow out the engine’ was the comment.

The aircraft had been noted as failing to gain height. On the return and landing the former bomber undershot and hit a number of instrument landing aids before veeering to the right and right into a de-icing facility. It immediately burst in flames. Seven people died including an airport employee. Seven others survived, some with severe burns. The aircraft was destroyed with only the tail and the port wing recognisable.

The American NTSB is investigating the accident and will issue a report in the future. Already pundits are speculating the cause was anything from a one engine failure and unable to keep the aircraft in the air on the other three to fuel contamination.

The pilot was Ernest McCauley aged 75. He had a reported 7,500 hours flying B-17 aircraft, the highest number of any living pilot. His co-pilot, Michael Foster, was also killed. The flight engineer survived and no doubt will be able to assist the NTSB in trying to make sense of what happened.

The accident follows in the wake of the Hawker Hunter crash at Shoreham, UK, and the crash of a former fighter at the Reno Air races. In both cases a number of non-crew members were killed. The Hunter pilot survived. Following both accidents the same cry went up to ground all warbirds.

The Hunter accident resulted in severe restrictions on the operation of jet warbirds in the UK such that most operators have grounded or sold their aircraft overseas.

It is unfortunate to record that following an aircraft accident like that of old 9-0-9 there will be some people, most notably those with little or no aviation knowledge, who will lead the charge to ground ‘em all. One has to wonder if those people have external pressure being applied to them or are they just out for self publicity to further their career. Neither makes much sense when the accident investigation has just commenced and the NTSB has not released even preliminary investigation findings.

By comparison, if an airliner had undershot and crashed at the same airport there would be no cry to ground all airliners. Perhaps it is a case of warbirds being seen as having a soft underbelly and easy to criticise.

The American warbird movement is the biggest in the world. Anything man-made can have mechanical issues. That does not translate to the need for all warbirds to be grounded because of one event.

The Collings Foundation is to be commended for its philanthropic funding of its small fleet of World War II aircraft. Keeping those aircraft airworthy and sharing their sights and sounds for the American public is a reminder of those days when the world was at war with Nazi Germany and Japan. Those aircraft were what gave us the freedom that we enjoy today.

Let us hope that the foundation can put its aircraft back in the air in the short term and continue to share them with the general public and aviation enthusiasts.