Pilot dies in crash at Ontario air show

[rotornut]

Pilot dies in crash at Ontario air show

Last Updated Sat, 25 Jun 2005 18:12:25 EDT

CBC News

A pilot who died after his plane smashed to the ground during an Ontario air show on Saturday is being hailed as a hero.

Police said the 58-year-old man deliberately directed his light plane away from residential areas before crashing near the municipal airport in Oshawa, Ont.

The man, who has not been publicly identified, was piloting his light plane at the Oshawa International Air Show when he ran into problems.

He appears to have maneuvered his plane to a deserted construction site, police said.

The man was alone in the plane.

Emergency workers found him dead in the cockpit.

The Transportation Safety Board has been called in to investigate the cause of the crash

[Glorified Donkey]

Really sad news, but is he really a hero? I mean it was his plane. I think the media uses the word "hero" too loosely

[slowstream]

Sad in deed! Condolences for all in involved. Nobody will ever know if he was indeed a hero. The media are in that same shallow gene pool as lawyers with the same moronic comments and insane questions that they air. "How do you feel?" How the H#ll do you think they feel, are you a complete idiot? Personally I would like to think that the guy did his level best to steer clear and I'll stay with that.

[rotornut]

Let's give him the benefit of the doubt and call him a hero.

[PaperTiger]

No, let's not further devalue the word, thereby detracting from those who really are heroes.

I don't fault the media for this one, they simply published what some local plod said. I didn't see it and neither did the police, but the one eye-witness* interview I saw seemed to suggest it happened so quickly (low-level stall & spin ?) as to preclude any 'aiming'.

Maybe he was a hero, maybe not. I reserve judgment.

* appeared to be more intelligent than usual

[p290951]

I was at the air show and saw the incident. The pilot in question took of in tandem with another sea-rey and at app. 500-600ft agl
there was a wing waggle and then he banked hard left with a nose down attidude and disappeared behind the tree line. There was no fire or smoke. The Toronto Star published a photo the next day and the aircraft appeared to have landed inverted. The pilot was found in the cockpit and had suffered a fatal injurie.
My thoughts go out to his family.

[Gerhardt]

My thoughts are of him and his family.

I'm disappointed that someone dies in an aircraft accident and we have idiots whose biggest concern is to let the world know they don't think he deserves hero status. Folks, don't you think whether someone calls him a hero or not is irrelevant?

[PaperTiger]

I'm disappointed that someone dies in an aircraft accident and we have idiots whose biggest concern is to let the world know they don't think he deserves hero status. Folks, don't you think whether someone calls him a hero or not is irrelevant?No. I am saddened by the death of this man as I am by that of any aviator (pompous and sanctimonious finger-wagging notwithstanding).

As pilots we all know (or should) that there is always a risk, however small every time we take off. That does not fit my definition of heroic, but perhaps you are given to more hyperbole than I, or believe everything published and reported by uninformed, ignorant sources. If he sacrificed himself to prevent injury and death to others then he is indeed a hero, like many before. If not, then we idiots are correctly taking to task those (...epithet suppressed... ) who use the word with blatant disregard for its meaning.

You will understand if I omit any mawkish, meaningless condolences to people whom I do not know and who will never read them.

[3holelover]

You will understand if I omit any mawkish, meaningless condolences to people whom I do not know and who will never read them.

Brutal, some would say crass, but honest. I can appreciate the honesty, but in some sense, isn't it better to swallow those honest thoughts and have a care for the off chance such honesty might cause pain? Better to omit the explanation for the omition, no?

This man was an Air Canada pilot... the chances that those condolences, if they came, may indeed be read by those who may appreciate the sentiment, are rather good.

... and with that, I offer, not mawkish, perhaps meaningless, but certainly sincere ...condolences to his family and friends.

I understand he was a well liked man, so there will be many heavy hearts...
...very sad....

[brucelee]

I flew with him on the Bus at AC. Good guy. Worked real hard for the former Canadian group. I learned alot from him. Mainly his easy going qualities at work. He will be missed. My condolences to the family.