http://AviationExplorer.com - A vintage World War II aircraft made an emergency landing in a cornfield near west suburban Oswego on Monday morning, and all seven people on board escaped without injury.
The B17 plane, built in 1944, took off from Aurora Airport in Sugar Grove at 9:30 a.m. Monday and landed in a field about 5 miles from the airport just a few minutes later, according to the FAA.
A spokeswoman for the Oswego Fire Dept. said the incident occurred near Route 71 and Minkler Road.
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported a fire on board.
The pilot attempted to make a return to the airport, but couldn't make it so he put it down in a cornfield.
The plane was on fire and fire crews from Oswego, Sugar Grove and other departments were on the scene, but were having difficulty getting to the crash because of "extremely wet fields.
The plane was burning in the field but it was too muddy for fire trucks to get to.
Several residents reported seeing the plane flying low with flames coming out of the it.
By 10:30 a.m., most of the black smoke from the crash had dissipated, but flames were still visible. Firefighters were shooting water on the plane.
One person was slightly injured after the plane hit the ground and burst into flames, but six others escaped without injury.
The vintage plane, buitl in 1944 referred to as the "Flying Fortress,"crashed and burned at Route 71 and Minkler road in Oswego, just four miles from its takeoff. The bomber was headed toward Indianapolis.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.
