Rolling pull out can be dangerous. One example of this was at the Werribee (Victoria) bombing range in late 1950's. The aircraft was a RAAF Wirraway doing practice dive bombing. The briefed session was a 45 degrees angle of dive using partial power. Release the 25 lb bomb at 1000 ft followed by a straight ahead pull up to 1000 ft then join the circuit for another bomb run.
On this occasion the pilot decided he could bomb more accurately by steepening the dive to 60 degrees and with closed throttle to keep the speed in check. Witnesses saw the aircraft pull up at well below 1000 ft and immediately roll into steep climbing left turn to join the downwind leg of the circuit. One wing broke away and the aircraft crashed killing the pilot. The cause of the accident was found to be asymetric G forces on the wings.
The offcial accidenr report in part stated:
During a recovery from a dive bombing pass over the Werribee Air Weapons Range 1204hrs 01/04/58 the aircraft was overstressed resulting in the catastrophic failure of the port wing which then caused the aircraft to crash. Pilot was Warrant Officer E F Dillon was killed instantly. .
Last edited by Centaurus; 9th December 2024 at 07:07.