The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report on the B-17 bomber crash at Bradley International Airport earlier this month.

The four-page report doesn't give a cause for the accident, but it details the minutes before the fiery crash that left seven people dead.

Thirteen people were on board the vintage World War II plane operated by the Collings Foundation, including three crew members along with 10 people who had paid for a living history experience.

The NTSB's report says just minutes after takeoff on the morning of Oct. 2, one of the pilots reported to air traffic control that he wanted to return to the airport because the plane had a "rough mag" on the No. 4 engine.

Kari Sorenson, of Tally-Ho Aviation, told News 12 that "rough mag" means that the engine wasn't running well and there could've been a problem with the ignition system.

 

 

The report says air traffic control cleared the pilot to land on runway 6, but the plane hit approach lights around 1,000 feet before the runway and hit the ground about 500 feet before the runway.

It then veered off the runway into vehicles and a deicing fluid tank before bursting into flames. NTSB officials say they have recovered all four of the plane's engines for analysis as well as its tail and the instrument panel.

NTSB officials also sent fuel samples from one of the engines to a laboratory for testing, which came back clear of debris of water contamination.

The NTSB says a review of the maintenance records revealed that the plane's most recent annual inspection was done on Jan. 16 and the most recent progressive inspection was on Sept. 23. A full report wont be expected to be released for another year.

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