World War II-era B-17 bomber makes belly landing at Van Nuys

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - A vintage World War II-era B-17 bomber made a belly landing at a municipal airport Wednesday after its landing gear collapsed, officials said.

The four-propeller aircraft landed about 4:28 p.m. on the main runway at Van Nuys Airport and there were no immediate reports of injury, said Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey.

The accident left the bomber blocking Van Nuys' longest runway, but a shorter one was still available, said Stacy Geere, an airport spokeswoman.

There were six people aboard the bomber when its left and right landing gear collapsed, Geere said. The Experimental Aircraft Association owns the bomber and it was at the airport as part of a nationwide tour, she said.

The plane was damaged in the landing, but authorities by about 8 p.m. had removed it from the runway.

The city-owned airfield ranks as the world's busiest general aviation airport with almost a half-million takeoffs and landings annually.

An official with the Federal Aviation Administration said the landing would be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.

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