Originally Posted by
India Four Two
Two weeks ago I witnessed an accident. Two friends died as a result of a mid-air collision between an ASK-21 and the C-182 which had just released it. The towplane severed the glider's tailboom at the base of the fin. The descent was mercifully quick.
Allan W. was a few years younger than me. He had started gliding quite late in life, but quickly progressed and by the time I rejoined my club in 2015 after an overseas assignment, he was the CFI. He had imposed a strong safety culture on the club and was well-respected and was a very nice, sociable person. As a friend said "He was one of the good guys."
Adam L. was an 18 year-old post-solo student, who was doing a pre-license flight with Allan. I had known him for two years as a friendly, outgoing club-member, who was very keen, always helping out if he was not flying. His instructors universally described him as a very good pilot. What I didn't know was his achievements in other fields. He had been doing Taekwondo since the age of five, was an instructor and had recently become a Second Dan Black Belt. He was also a very popular and well respected WO2 in a local Air Cadet squadron. He had graduated from High School this year and was going to study Physics at university this fall.
A tragic loss of two such nice people. This was the first time I had been involved with the aftermath of a fatal accident and I had often wondered how I would react in this situation. I discovered that I was able to separate the events after the accident from my interaction with my two friends earlier in the day. I went into a kind of automatic mode when dealing with police and emergency personnel at the crash site.
I have been lucky in that only one other friend has been killed in an aircraft accident. Bruce Handyside was a school friend of mine. We did RAF Special Flying Awards together at White Waltham in 1966 and then he went on to Cranwell and I went to university. After getting his wings, he went onto helicopters. He was killed in Oman in the early 70s when an underslung load hit his Huey.
Good Morning India Four two,I hope you are well.
I was extremely saddened to hear of Flt Lt Bruce Handyside's passing as I also knew him.
I met him when I was detatched to RAF Leconfield from Binbrook in the early 70's.I was on the RAF Police flight,and he was flying SAR on 202 Sqn.I volunteered to act as survivor on training sorties,and did several "wet" and "dry" exercises with him and his crew.
I met him again at RAF Salalah a few months later and we spent some time reminiscing. I recall he was involved in an incident when his a/c struck the ground and he was thrown through the windscreen, suffering facial and other injuries. I visited him at the FST, shortly after his admission.
I found Bruce to be an extremely pleasant,friendly and genuine guy,who would always take time to explain what we were doing and why.I value the memories of the times I flew with him and remember him with deep respect and affection.
He was definitely one of the good guys. I shall raise a glass to his memory tonight.
With respect.
Rob Wharton.