Trimdon Aerodrome

[tonker]

Just drove over the hill to the north of Trimdon, to see a light aircraft of some sorts and 2 fire engines next to it at the end of the eastern runway.

Hope all is well?

[chevvron]

It would help others if you gave a hint where Trimdon might be eg what county?

[chevvron]

OK what county/country is Fishburn in then?

[hoodie]

Chevvron, the very quickest of Googles for 'fishburn airfield' shows it to be near Sedgefield, in the NE.

Anthony Charles Lynton Blair International, in other words. :}

[Trinity 09L]

Fishburn & Trimdon are in County Durham, their other claim to fame is Tony Bliar's :ugh:former constituency. Hope the crew & aircraft are well:ok:

[Papa Charlie]

BBC NEWS | England | Plane crash inquiry is under way (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7590480.stm)

[hoodie]

Yet another Van's RV-xA nosewheel failure, I wonder? From that report and picture there are at least superficial similarities with the Croft Farm flip from last summer. :(

[Parsnip]

Anyone know any more about this? It looked as if the nosewheel dug in to a waterlogged strip, from the telly footage but someone at the field should know a bit more, was the strip being used by others?

[strangersinthenight]

Air crash plane was built by pilot, 73

8:06am Monday 1st September 2008
http://m6-static.newsquestdigital.co.uk/system/comment_bubble.gif Comments (0) (http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/3635600.Air_crash_plane_was_built_by_pilot__73/#show) Have your say » (http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/3635600.Air_crash_plane_was_built_by_pilot__73/#commentsform)
By Rachel Wearmouth »


A PENSIONER who escaped death when his plane flipped over in a crash-landing had spent ten years building the aircraft from parts sent in the post.
Bill Knott, 73, who is afraid of heights, escaped with serious injuries to his neck and back, while a passenger, also in his 70s, was able to walk away from the scene at Fishburn Airfield – also know as Morgansfield Airstrip – near Sedgefield, County Durham.
Both managed to free themselves from the wreckage of the Vans RV two-seater craft before the emergency services arrived on Saturday.
Firecrews and police arrived at the scene, near the A177, at about 3.50pm.
Stockton pilot Eric Bentley was one of the first to reach the crash site.
He said: “Working at the airfield, I see planes landing and taking off all the time, and there was absolutely nothing untoward about Mr Knott’s approach.
“But then all of a sudden the plane just flipped onto its back.
“Both of the men were able to speak, but it was clear the pilot was very shaken and he couldn’t walk.
“They were both extremely fortunate to have survived something like that.”
Mr Knott, from Inverness, Scotland, was taken by air ambulance to the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton, after paramedics found he was unable to stand.
The co-pilot, whose identity has not been released, was discharged from hospital with minor neck injuries on Saturday.
Jane Peacock and consultant anaesthetist Phil Godfrey, of the Great North Air Ambulance, gave assistance.
Ms Peacock said: “On arrival, there were many bystanders and the aircraft was lying upside down.
“The two occupants had managed to get themselves out.
“One was walking and the other was lying down on the grass.
“We dealt with him as a priority and administered strong pain relief before putting him into the air ambulance.
“They are both lucky to have come out of a plane crash and not have sustained injuries any more serious. They are both amazing really.”
Grahame Pickering, chief executive of the Great North Air Ambulance, was due to visit Morgansfield airstrip yesterday to collect a cheque in aid of the service. Mr Knott and his companion had taken off from North Weald airfield, in Essex, on Saturday morning, where they had attended an aircraft owners’ convention the day before.
Their flight plan included a routine fuel stop in the region before heading for Inverness in the evening.
Mr Knott took up flying as a hobby on retiring after a lifelong fascination with air travel, and was awarded his pilot’s licence in 2006.
The grandfather-of-eight finished building the aircraft in January last year, after a decade of assembling parts received by post.
Speaking to the BBC last year, Mr Knott said: “The first time the plane flew it was in the hands of the test pilot.
“It was very nerve-racking because you have put it together.
There are 13,000 rivets in the plane, and you are a little bit nervous that you may have done something incorrect.”
The Air Accident Investigation Branch has launched a probe into the cause of the incident.
Yesterday, a spokesman said it was thought the weather had not been a factor.
Airfield owner Beryl Morgan said she could not remember anything similar happening the past. “Mr Knott simply came here to fill up,” she said.
A spokesman for the Highway Flying School, in Inverness, said: “Mr Knott is a determined private pilot with a great enthusiasm and is a very active member of the Light Aircraft Association. We wish him a speedy recovery.”
Mr Knott was still receiving treatment last night.

[Papa Charlie]

BBC NEWS | England | Pilot built crash plane in garden (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7592765.stm)

[eason67]

While I only know what the BBC news has said about the accident, I can say I doubt very much whether it would be a waterlogged strip. I flew a tail wheel Piper out of there for 5 years and the only waterlogging there was near the bottom of the runway about 100m from 26 threshold. It underwent drainage 2 years ago too!
I do know if he landed on 08, which is downhill, he may have got it wrong, especially if he is not familar with it, and nosed over, although, in a nosewheel thats interesting. If he landed heavy and broke it off the that explains it.
Over the years I flew at Fishburn, the majority of accidents (and I mean practically 99%) happened on landing or taking off on Runway 08. When you land on it you need substantial power right down almost to the threshold as you get alot of sink there, dont ask me why. If you dont have that power and do experience a rapid RoD then you land hard. About 2 years ago a Europa did just that and ended up breaking the undercarriage off!

Fishburn is a well maintained airfield, friendly and helpful. Theres always someone around and the emergency services land there regularly for cuppas etc.. They know exactly where it is. The airfield is not licenced but has fire trained pilots, first aid trained pilots, an ex fireman and pilots there who are doctors and nurses.

I hope both chaps get well soon.

[DBChopper]

had spent ten years building the aircraft from parts sent in the post.

I know we all like to have a go at the journos, but you have to grudgingly admire her turn of phrase here. She makes an immaculate aircraft sound like a balsa wood model in one sentence - funny how a careful choice of words has that effect :8

Best wishes, Bill and passenger (sorry, co-pilot), for a speedy recovery :ok:

[Parsnip]

eason67
I'm still not sure how the state of the strip might of contributed to the nose over. I've only ever put down there once on the O8 end and I did find it a bit spongy. I used to drive past the field on the way to work every day for seven years and I do now that there is a terrific amount of water which runs down the road west of the field when ever there's a heavy rain shower.We've had a lot of rain in these parts recently (but who hasn't)

[tonker]

Chevvron your posts about the whereabouts of Trimdon our childish and smack of a little snobbery.

I wouldn't instantly know where say Compton Abbas is because i live in the north east, but for you maybe it is just around the corner, ie you are a local and you wouldn't feel it appropriate to put "Compton Abbas, Uk (just south of Shaftesbury and near Madona's house air crash)" thread would you?

I was just concerned about the wellbeing of a fellow pilot.

ps no i didn't go to the field to find out for myself like a rubbernecker, thus blocking the road for the relevant emergency services.:*