Don Wylie of Texas Air Aces was killed Nov. 19 when the wing separated from his trainer aircraft in flight (he was going through an advanced maneuver demonstration for a potential client at the time). I'd flown with him for some upset recovery training a few years ago. The airplane was a T-34 piston. The wing separated at 7,000 ft., and Wylie and his client apparently attempted to bail out. One body reportedly was found wrapped in a fouled chute. There is an AD out restricting manueuvering loads (fatique cracking). This airplane was due to have its wing spar replaced in the next 60 days (terminating action per the AD, I think). NTSB is all over the case.
I am told that the T34 Mentor had a bit of a history of mainplane failure both in service and as a warbird - as well as in its civilian guise.
Can anybody provide (or point me towards) some data?
[email protected] will get me.