The World War II North American B–25 Mitchell bomber known as Old Glory was damaged during a forced landing in a field near Stockton, California, after experiencing mechanical difficulties on September 19, according to the foundation that owns the vintage aircraft.
The two pilots and one other crew member aboard Old Glory were transported to a hospital for evaluation. “Currently, one crew member has been released and the other two are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries,” said the Prescott Foundation, owner of Old Glory, in a statement emailed to AOPA on September 21.
A local news report said the aircraft “apparently struck an irrigation ditch” during the forced landing.
Old Glory had recently returned to California aboard a U.S. Navy vessel from Hawaii, where it had flown with other period aircraft in a Legacy of Peace Aerial Parade and other events commemorating the seventy-fifth anniversary of the end of World War II.
The bomber had been scheduled to spend a few weeks in California before returning to its base in Albany, New York.
“The Prescott Foundation was in the process of planning the warbird’s route which included several stops across the country. The stops were intended to provide a more personable experience for WWII veterans unable to attend the Commemoration events due to the pandemic,” the organization said.