Foggy Fiasco: B-25 Bomber Meets Empire State Building in Freak Accident

On July 28, 1945, a B-25 Mitchell bomber piloted by Lieutenant Colonel William F. Smith Jr. catastrophically crashed into the 79th floor of the Empire State Building during heavy fog, creating one of the most extraordinary aviation accidents in New York City history. The bomber, flying a routine mission from Bedford, Massachusetts, became disoriented in the thick Manhattan fog and slammed into the iconic skyscraper between the 78th and 79th floors.

The impact was staggering: the plane's two engines tore through the building's limestone exterior and interior walls, igniting a massive fire. Miraculously, only 14 people died, including Smith and two other crew members. An elevator operator, Betty Lou Oliver, was blown out of her elevator shaft but survived a 75-story plunge when her elevator's safety mechanisms activated, an almost unbelievable feat of survival.

The building's structural integrity, designed by chief engineer William F. Lamb, proved remarkably resilient. Despite the devastating impact and subsequent fire, the Empire State Building suffered minimal structural damage and reopened for business the very next day. This incident would later influence building codes and aviation safety regulations, transforming how architects and engineers considered potential disaster scenarios in urban environments.

The crash remains one of the most peculiar and improbable accidents in New York City's rich and tumultuous history, a testament to the unpredictable nature of human error and technological limitations.