Investigation Summary
The accident flight was part of the Wings of Freedom tour, operating under a Living History Flight Exemption. Before takeoff, the crew experienced difficulty starting one engine, eventually using a spray can to 'blow out moisture'. During the initial climb, the pilot identified a 'rough mag' on the number 4 engine and shut it down. However, post-accident teardowns revealed that the number 3 engine was also underperforming due to spark plugs worn beyond manufacturer specifications and evidence of detonation. This left the aircraft with insufficient power on the right side. The pilot elected to fly the traffic pattern at approximately 100 mph with the landing gear extended, which significantly increased drag. NTSB performance studies indicated that had the pilot maintained a higher airspeed of 120 mph and kept the gear retracted until the final approach, the aircraft likely could have reached the runway threshold despite the power loss.
Final Conclusions
The NTSB determined the probable cause was the pilot's failure to properly manage the airplane's configuration and airspeed following the shutdown of the No. 4 engine. Contributing factors included inadequate maintenance by the pilot (who also served as the Director of Maintenance), which led to power losses in both right-wing engines; the Collings Foundation's ineffective Safety Management System (SMS); and the FAA's inadequate oversight of that SMS. The NTSB adopted the final report on April 13, 2021, and released the full text on May 17, 2021 (Report ERA20MA001).
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
B-17 Crash Flying Fortress NTSB Docket Summary Bradley — A summary of the NTSB docket and investigation findings regarding the 2019 crash of the B-17G 'Nine-O-Nine' at Bradley International Airport.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Aged 75; also served as Director of Maintenance.
First Officer
Aged 71.
Systems & Failure Modes
Ignition System (Magnetos)
The No. 4 engine suffered a partial power loss due to a shorted left magneto and a worn compensator cam in the right magneto, preventing reliable spark.
Safety Management System (SMS)
The Collings Foundation was required to maintain an SMS to carry passengers; however, investigators found the crew chief was unaware of its existence and the system failed to identify maintenance discrepancies.
Landing Gear
The pilot extended the landing gear early in the traffic pattern, creating excessive drag that the underpowered engines could not overcome.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft's actual military serial number was 44-83575 (variant B-17G-85-DL).
- 02The aircraft was 74 years old and had been used as a test specimen for three nuclear explosions during Operation Tumbler-Snapper in 1952 before being sold as scrap and later restored.
- 03The aircraft was painted to represent 'Nine-O-Nine' (serial 42-31909), a historic B-17G that completed 140 combat missions during WWII without a crew fatality.
- 04The pilot, Ernest McCauley, also served as the Collings Foundation's Director of Maintenance.
- 05Post-crash inspection found the No. 4 engine's left magneto had a short circuit caused by safety wire rigging.
- 06The No. 3 engine spark plugs were found to be worn beyond tolerances despite a 25-hour inspection less than a month prior.
- 07One passenger, a Connecticut Air National Guardsman, assisted others in escaping despite his own severe injuries.
- 08One person on the ground, an airport employee at the de-icing facility, sustained severe burns while assisting in the rescue of passengers.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Revocation of Exemption
In March 2020, the FAA revoked the Collings Foundation's Living History Flight Exemption, citing safety deficiencies and a lack of a 'culture of safety'.
Location
APPROXIMATE POSITION · AIRPORT LEVEL · Coordinates are the estimate published in the entered by an editor. The ring shows the accuracy the record supports, not the point of impact.