B-17 “Liberty Belle” Destroyed – All Onboard Escape Serious Injury
AURORA, ILL. —The B-17 Flying Fortress “Liberty Belle,” which is owned by the Liberty Foundation, made an emergency landing in a field southeast of the Aurora Municipal Airport in Aurora, Illinois, June 13, 2011 at approximately 9:30 am CDT. The seven people onboard the aircraft escaped serious injury, but the airplane caught fire and was destroyed.
The pilot at the time is reported to John Hess, a Delta Airlines captain. The copilot is a retired Delta pilot.
It was reported that an in-flight fire was the reason for the emergency, off-field landing. It was also reported that while at Aurora on June 6, the aircraft was grounded by engine problems canceling scheduled media and veteran flights. It is not known if the engine problems are associated with the in-flight fire.
The aircraft departed Aurora enroute to Indianapolis, Indiana for a Father’s Day weekend tour, June 18-19.
The Liberty Belle had survived more than 60 combat missions, escaped being scraped at the salvage yard, and avoided damage in a 1979 tornado in its career.
The Liberty Foundation is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma (www.libertyfoundation.org).