The Coventry airshow Meteor T7 crash of 30 May 1988 was the result of the 'phantom dive'. Wasn't that the one in which PS was killed?
The Mildenhall airshow collision of 25 May 1986 which destroyed the Vintage Pair (Meteor T7 and Vampire T11), in which both occupants of the Meteor were killed was NOT caused by the 'phantom dive'. I was later told that it was the direct result of a change in the display routine and, as a result, the 'wrong' aircraft was leading. Earlier Vintage Pair pilots had allegedly advised that the formation should not be constituted in the way it was when the fatal collision occurred. A totally avoidable accident which, in addition to the fatalities, destroyed 2 rare aeroplanes..... The Accident Report uncovered quite a few organisational failures as well, if I recall correctly.
And yet the 'Pair's Meteor T7 'Clementine' had survived years of target towing at Chivenor and Brawdy without even a scratch.
Last edited by BEagle; 15th May 2005 at 08:07.