The identities of the 14 people injured or killed due to a crash of a B-17 bomber plane, as well as a lengthy list of first responders, is being released today as authorities continue to respond to and investigate this tragic aviation accident.
The plane crashed as it attempted to return to Bradley International Airport minutes after its 9:45 a.m. takeoff on October 2, 2019. Seven people aboard the plane were killed while six on the plane and one on the ground were injured.
Crew
Ernest McCauley (Pilot) 75 Long Beach, CA Presumed Deceased
Michael Foster (Co-Pilot) 71 Jacksonville, FL Presumed Deceased
Mitchell Melton (Flight Engineer) 34 Dalehart, TX Injured
Passengers
Andy Barrett 36 South Hadley, MA - Injured
Linda Schmidt 62 Suffield, CT - Injured
Tom Schmidt 62 Suffield, CT - Injured
Joseph Huber 48 Tariffville, CT - Injured
James Traficante 54 Simsbury, CT - Injured
David Broderick 56 West Springfield, MA - Deceased
Gary Mazzone 66 Broad Brook, CT - Presumed Deceased
James Robe1is 48 Ludlow, MA - Presumed Deceased
Robert Riddell 59 East Granby, CT - Presumed Deceased
Robe1i Rubner 64 Tolland, CT - Presumed Deceased
Airport personnel:
Andrew Sullivan 28 Enfield, CT - Injured
"When unexpected casualty events occur in our state, we have a mutual aid agreement that begins immediately. Yesterday, a tragic event shocked and saddened all of us. Yet there was a true team effort to respond to the scene and to try to save as many lives as possible. This is a small state in which our first responders act as one for the best interest of their fellow citizens. They have my thanks, as well as the gratitude from Connecticut citizens," said James C. Rovella, Commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.
Officials from the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection expressed their thanks to the following agencies:
First Responders were vital in this incident
Connecticut State Police, State Fire Training Academy, Division of Emergency Management and Homeland
Security, Connecticut Airport Authority, DEEP, Airport Operations, Windsor Locks Police Department, East Granby
Resident Trooper's Office
Federal Agencies
NTSB, FAA, TSA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, ATF
Hospitals which treated the injured:
. Hartford Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, Bridgeport Hospital
Fire departments which provided mutual aid support
Windsor Locks, Windsor, East Granby, Suffield, Blue Hills, Bloomfield, CT Air National Guard, Hazardville, Shaker
Pines, Thompsonville, North Thompsonville, Enfield, UCONN, Avon, Burlington, Canton, Farmington, Simsbury,
Rocky Hill, Willington, Berlin, Newington, Wethersfield , Cromwell and Hmtford
EMS providers who responded
Windsor Locks Lions Ambulance, Collins Aerospace, East Windsor, Windsor, Ambulance Service of
Manchester, American Medical Response, Granby, Windsor, and Life Star Helicopters.
Other
In addition, Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner, the American Red Cross from Connecticut and
Massachusetts responded, as did Lockheed-Martin, the Bradley Air Traffic Control, State' s Attorney Inspectors, the
Sheraton Haitford at Bradley Airport