Vicki Cruise dies tragically at Silverstone.
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Vicki Cruise dies tragically at Silverstone.
Inquiry after Silverstone air crashInquiry after Silverstone air crash
pa.press.net
An investigation is under way after a pilot taking part in an aerobatic competition died when her light aircraft crashed.
American Vicki Cruse, 40, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is investigating the incident, which happened at the World Aerobatic Championships at Silverstone Circuit on Saturday.
Ms Cruse, from California, was the only person on board the Edge E40 plane aircraft.
A spokesman for event organiser Flying Aces said: "American aviator Vicki Cruse has been named as the pilot killed at the World Aerobatic Championships being held at Silverstone today.
"Cruse was the sole occupant of the aircraft and the incident did not involve any other persons. The incident is under investigation and more details will be released as soon as available."
A decision has not yet been made on whether the 10-day championships will continue, he added.
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said the crash happened in the south-west coroner of the racing circuit, in Buckinghamshire.
A Thames Valley Police spokeswoman said: "Police were notified at 12.12pm that a single aircraft taking part in an acrobatic show at Silverstone had come down on the circuit. The pilot, an American woman, was pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was injured in the incident."
The World Aerobatic Championships website states the event is held every two years and brings together the "best aerobatic pilots in the world".
pa.press.net
An investigation is under way after a pilot taking part in an aerobatic competition died when her light aircraft crashed.
American Vicki Cruse, 40, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is investigating the incident, which happened at the World Aerobatic Championships at Silverstone Circuit on Saturday.
Ms Cruse, from California, was the only person on board the Edge E40 plane aircraft.
A spokesman for event organiser Flying Aces said: "American aviator Vicki Cruse has been named as the pilot killed at the World Aerobatic Championships being held at Silverstone today.
"Cruse was the sole occupant of the aircraft and the incident did not involve any other persons. The incident is under investigation and more details will be released as soon as available."
A decision has not yet been made on whether the 10-day championships will continue, he added.
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said the crash happened in the south-west coroner of the racing circuit, in Buckinghamshire.
A Thames Valley Police spokeswoman said: "Police were notified at 12.12pm that a single aircraft taking part in an acrobatic show at Silverstone had come down on the circuit. The pilot, an American woman, was pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was injured in the incident."
The World Aerobatic Championships website states the event is held every two years and brings together the "best aerobatic pilots in the world".
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BBC News - Stunt pilot plummeted to ground at Silverstone display
Stunt pilot plummeted to ground at Silverstone display
American Vicki Cruse, 41, died at the World Aerobatic Championships at the Silverstone racing circuit. Jurors at the inquest at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court were shown footage of the crash in August 2009. Miss Cruse, 41, died on impact from multiple injuries when her single-seater plane nosedived and crashed. Miss Cruse, a former US aerobatic champion, was competing with 61 pilots from around the world at the event in Northamptonshire.
Buckinghamshire coroner Richard Hulett told the jury that Miss Cruse, from Santa Paula, California, had been a member of the US team attending the event. The 11 jurors were shown footage of Miss Cruse's scheduled 10-minute flight, which took place just before 1200 BST on day two of the contest on 22 August.
Images showed the Zivko Edge 540 start to perform the required series of nine manoeuvres, including quick turns, spins and dives. The aircraft was seen failing to recover from a downward snap roll, the fifth manoeuvre in the sequence, and plunge to the ground.
Wing Cdr Graeme Maidment, head of the aviation pathology department at the RAF's Centre of Aviation Medicine, told the inquest that Miss Cruse suffered severe multiple injuries. He noted two lacerations to her left hand which he said suggested that she was grasping something on impact. He said: "I do not believe that she was unconscious at the time the aircraft hit the ground and was grasping something with the hand."
Miss Cruse's US team engineer Leonard Rulason recalled she experienced some problems starting the plane on 19 August and ignition checks were carried out before it was transferred to the Silverstone hangar. He said Miss Cruse was "a hugely competent flyer".
The inquest continues.
Stunt pilot plummeted to ground at Silverstone display
American Vicki Cruse, 41, died at the World Aerobatic Championships at the Silverstone racing circuit. Jurors at the inquest at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court were shown footage of the crash in August 2009. Miss Cruse, 41, died on impact from multiple injuries when her single-seater plane nosedived and crashed. Miss Cruse, a former US aerobatic champion, was competing with 61 pilots from around the world at the event in Northamptonshire.
Buckinghamshire coroner Richard Hulett told the jury that Miss Cruse, from Santa Paula, California, had been a member of the US team attending the event. The 11 jurors were shown footage of Miss Cruse's scheduled 10-minute flight, which took place just before 1200 BST on day two of the contest on 22 August.
Images showed the Zivko Edge 540 start to perform the required series of nine manoeuvres, including quick turns, spins and dives. The aircraft was seen failing to recover from a downward snap roll, the fifth manoeuvre in the sequence, and plunge to the ground.
Wing Cdr Graeme Maidment, head of the aviation pathology department at the RAF's Centre of Aviation Medicine, told the inquest that Miss Cruse suffered severe multiple injuries. He noted two lacerations to her left hand which he said suggested that she was grasping something on impact. He said: "I do not believe that she was unconscious at the time the aircraft hit the ground and was grasping something with the hand."
Miss Cruse's US team engineer Leonard Rulason recalled she experienced some problems starting the plane on 19 August and ignition checks were carried out before it was transferred to the Silverstone hangar. He said Miss Cruse was "a hugely competent flyer".
The inquest continues.
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BBC News - Pedal factor in fatal Silverstone contest plane crash
Pedal factor in fatal Silverstone contest plane crash
A rudder pedal extension was a contributing factor in a plane crash which killed an aerobatics pilot in Northamptonshire, an inquest has found. American Vicki Cruse, 41, died on impact when her plane nose-dived and fell 2,300ft (701m) in August 2009. She was competing in the 25th World Aerobatic Championships.
The inquest jury returned a narrative verdict, adding that the left rudder could not be fully removed in order to recover from an aerobatic manoeuvre. Miss Cruse, a former US aerobatic champion, was among 62 pilots from around the world competing in the event at Silverstone on 22 August.
In a statement read out at High Wycombe magistrates' court, the jury concluded: "Vicki Cruse, a highly experienced aerobatic competitor, while taking part in the FA1 World Aerobatic Championships, failed to recover from a downward snap roll manoeuvre, resulting in her plane crashing to the ground, leading to immediate death as the result of severe multiple injuries. "Based on the evidence given to the jury, it is our belief that the deceased's rudder pedal extensions, installed on her instruction, caused a restriction to the left pedal such that the left rudder could not be fully removed once applied in order to recover from the manoeuvre.
"We believe this was a significant contributing factor in this fatal accident."
Pedal factor in fatal Silverstone contest plane crash
A rudder pedal extension was a contributing factor in a plane crash which killed an aerobatics pilot in Northamptonshire, an inquest has found. American Vicki Cruse, 41, died on impact when her plane nose-dived and fell 2,300ft (701m) in August 2009. She was competing in the 25th World Aerobatic Championships.
The inquest jury returned a narrative verdict, adding that the left rudder could not be fully removed in order to recover from an aerobatic manoeuvre. Miss Cruse, a former US aerobatic champion, was among 62 pilots from around the world competing in the event at Silverstone on 22 August.
In a statement read out at High Wycombe magistrates' court, the jury concluded: "Vicki Cruse, a highly experienced aerobatic competitor, while taking part in the FA1 World Aerobatic Championships, failed to recover from a downward snap roll manoeuvre, resulting in her plane crashing to the ground, leading to immediate death as the result of severe multiple injuries. "Based on the evidence given to the jury, it is our belief that the deceased's rudder pedal extensions, installed on her instruction, caused a restriction to the left pedal such that the left rudder could not be fully removed once applied in order to recover from the manoeuvre.
"We believe this was a significant contributing factor in this fatal accident."
