Thirteen people aboard Bluebonnet Belle, a well-known Commemorative Air Force C-47, escaped after the aircraft crashed on takeoff at Burnet Airport near Austin, Texas, on Saturday. The aircraft was on a flight to AirVenture 2018 when it seemed to struggle to get airborne from a three-point attitude (C-47s normally take off tail high), banked right and slewed left before crashing on the infield. The aircraft caught fire and was destroyed.
At least one person on the plane suffered severe burns, seven were slightly injured and the rest were unhurt. The aircraft served most of its life with the Royal Canadian Air Force, which retired it in 1970. It was used by a variety of operators in Canada and the U.S. before it was purchased by the CAF in 2002 and based at Burnet.
