Crash at Austrian Airshow, pilot killed

[unworry]

This is the sixth fatal incident at airshows this month.

The accident happened at the Hirt airfield, near the town of Friesach in the southern province of Carinthia.

Plane Crashes at Austrian Air Show, Fatally Injuring Pilot - ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/plane-crashes-austrian-air-show-fatally-injuring-pilot-33415494)


LiveLeak video: LiveLeak.com - Plane Crashes at Austrian Airshow

[DaveReidUK]

BFU investigating.


http://www.kleinezeitung.at/images/uploads_520/4/3/5/4809781/A92EE625-DC4A-4E5A-938F-1850DADD67DC_v0_h.jpg

[Less Hair]

As it happened in Austria, the german BFU has nothing to do with it.
The "Flugunfalluntersuchungsstelle Österreich" at Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Innovation und Technologie (BMVIT) in Vienna would be the investigator envolved in Austria.

[Hotel Tango]

Judging by his first stunt (beginning of the longer video), this guy was not leaving himself much room for error. Was it really necessary?

[sovereign680]

Well the German BFU will be involved since the Pitts was ob the German registry.

[Tourist]

Judging by his first stunt (beginning of the longer video), this guy was not leaving himself much room for error. Was it really necessary?

It doesn't really work like that.

It is common, once you are sure to complete the loop safely, to deliberately reduce the pull and let the aircraft get low to give exactly the impression you have received.

That is very different from what happened on the accident however. He was pulling as hard as he could on that one.

[Volume]

Was it really necessary?Especially as you can see from video that going so low just means a lot of spectators can not see you.
50 meters higher and you are always visible for all spectators and have some margin for error...

[RAT 5]

One snap too many. It must have felt mushy entering the last one. Perhaps very difficult to cancel that last one if you felt committed. Damn shame.

[Less Hair]

Crashed Pilot is said to have been the private jet pilot of german billionaire Ingrid Flick according to Krone newspaper in Austria.

[Machinbird]

One snap too many. It must have felt mushy entering the last one. Perhaps very difficult to cancel that last one if you felt committed. Damn shame. Maybe just a half snap too many. That looked like it was intended to be a half cuban eight profile.
In any case, he was cutting it too close.:sad:

[malabo]

Shoulder roll, somewhat unpredictable as it is part gyroscopic, though here it was initiated at the top of a manoeuvre so should have been benign with recovery with margin. Held in too long, trajectory eventually goes to vertical where there is no shortcut to horizontal. Like Machinbird says, probably meant to be a half-cuban profile, we could check his sequence card to be sure.

The first loop low? Nah, just airshow where you complete a recovery and then drive it down for drama.

That's a lot of fatalities in airshow in Europe this year. UK, Italy, Ireland, Austria, Switzerland. What the hell is wrong with EASA regulations that would permit this carnage?

[Lonewolf_50]

That's a lot of fatalities in airshow in Europe this year. UK, Italy, Ireland, Austria, Switzerland. What the hell is wrong with EASA regulations that would permit this carnage? Why would you assume that there is something wrong with regulations? Accidents happen rarely, but it's interesting how sometimes those that do happen cluster: there isn't always a correlation between them other than the calendar date.

[Toruk Macto]

To all the talented , competent pilots out there . Take it easy .

[golfyankeesierra]

And so close to the public!
Ok, the performance was not over the public but losing control after those rolls it looks like it easily could have hit the crowd!

And sorry I am no aerobatics expert but what have the multiple rolls to do with a cuban eight? Shouldn't it be only a half roll?

[mv031161]

You see four snaps. Last one definitely unintentional catching the pilot of guard and exiting off heading. High Speed Stall also noticed before crash due to pull

[golfyankeesierra]

But what maneuver was it supposed to be then?

[mv031161]

Golf...without his sequence card or Air boss calling his maneuvers, we can only guess that his intentions were to enter the Y axis, do a 3 snaps and exit in the same on course direction.

[deptrai]

Poor guy. I feel physically unwell after watching aircraft (and pilots) flying into the ground. Unrelated to this or any specific accident, just a general rant: There's a reason they're called AIRcraft, and imho when they just skim the ground they resemble redneck "monster" trucks with suspension lift kits. I've watched some pretty spectacular displays flown with recovery at minimum 100, or 300m (not ft) AGL. High precision, highly skilled aviators. For me, the feeling that maneuvers are executed reasonably safely makes me enjoy the display more (again, just a personal opinion). Personally I can't understand why many air show spectators seem not to enjoy competitive aerobatics where margins are slightly - only slightly - better. I do realise, also from posts here, that many seem to think "the lower, the more spectacular", but if that's what you like, why not watch the great american trucking show, or a steam engine display. They're built for that kind of display. Nothing personal, just a thought.

[RAT 5]

In 1976 Dave Perrin, of Rothmans fame, used to start his solo display with a roll on takeoff. It was amazing to see the a/c lift off, and, seemingly, before he was half a wing span in the air he was starting the roll. It was scary; and then the inverted flight at 20' into a -ve push up to vertical. All in a Pitts S2A. 40 years ago; it was considered exceptionally skillful, but not outrageous, because we all trusted he knew what he was doing and wanted to continue to do it for many more years. Mr. Tucker does even more exceptional. I guess, as Dirty Clint Harry said; " a man's got to know his limitations". Rather than, "do you feel lucky; well do you?" Luck shouldn't be in the plan; it is skill & judgement. When there is a crack in either of those luck may be the saving grace, but as often as not you will feel the painful bite of very sharp teeth in you backside.
Is it the case that very capable aero-pilots visually assess airshow routines, regularly, to approve the capability of various pilots? I know that this will not stop the odd 'push the envelope for a little extra' by some guys on a one-off basis. In my days with air shows it was common to see the same guys on tour with their set routine. It was all well practised, thought out and performed many times per season. Is there any 'recurrency' requirement for todays airshow pilots?

[deptrai]

in brief, regarding Display Authorization regulations, for the UK, CAA CAP 403, Part A - Pilot Display Competency, only stipulates that evaluators (the equivalent of a TRE) should "normally be an active Display Pilot."

Flying Displays and Special Events | Air Operations | Operations and Safety (http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=1428&pageid=8148)

EDIT: and..."In addition to a valid Certificate of Test and Competence, a Display
Pilot is required to meet certain recency requirements before his DA is
valid. In the 90 days preceding a demonstration at a flying display for
which an Article 162 Permission is required, a minimum of three full
display sequences must have been flown or practised, with at
least one display sequence flown or practised in the specific type
of aircraft to be displayed."

and "If the display sequence has not been practised recently, the pilot
should set himself appropriately higher minima, for practice or actual
display purposes, until such time as full currency is regained."

[RAT 5]

Deptrai: thank you for the info. Who verifies the 3 practices within 90 days? And the application of DA? If it is the pilot themselves, then what's the point? There are no videos on a log book.
I've been watching the series 'Airshow' on History channel. It's USA based and very interesting. There was a story line about a newbie and how he was awarded his airshow wings. I also saw some amazing displays & manoeuvres which I really wonder if they would be allowed in EU. The real astonishing event was the formation display by 3 small a/c at night with wing mounted pyrotechnics. Truly astonishing. It seemed the Air Boss had a strong watchful eye on things, but these were often small shows. I had the idea that local FAA guys were never far away. Is that the same in EU; local suitably qualified XAA guys being watchful?

[glad rag]

In 1976 Dave Perrin, of Rothmans fame, used to start his solo display with a roll on takeoff. It was amazing to see the a/c lift off, and, seemingly, before he was half a wing span in the air he was starting the roll. It was scary; and then the inverted flight at 20' into a -ve push up to vertical. All in a Pitts S2A. 40 years ago; it was considered exceptionally skillful, but not outrageous, because we all trusted he knew what he was doing and wanted to continue to do it for many more years. Mr. Tucker does even more exceptional. I guess, as Dirty Clint Harry said; " a man's got to know his limitations". Rather than, "do you feel lucky; well do you?" Luck shouldn't be in the plan; it is skill & judgement. When there is a crack in either of those luck may be the saving grace, but as often as not you will feel the painful bite of very sharp teeth in you backside.
Is it the case that very capable aero-pilots visually assess airshow routines, regularly, to approve the capability of various pilots? I know that this will not stop the odd 'push the envelope for a little extra' by some guys on a one-off basis. In my days with air shows it was common to see the same guys on tour with their set routine. It was all well practised, thought out and performed many times per season. Is there any 'recurrency' requirement for todays airshow pilots?

Thank you for that RAT 5.

my previous posting, thanking no spectators were physically involved, was removed: hey it's prune: but the sentiments still stand.

I personally feel that there is a point where the display pilot mindset resets into the what if category: military discipline normally either self kicks in or the kick is applied from peers/above to curtail this behavioural trait these days.

However, in the civil field, in days off from "the job" where pilots are constrained from using their natural skills to the full, is there a subconscious tendency to just push beyond the boundaries even more? Akin to the early Sunday morning blast, on two wheels or four? And yes I've done both before you ask!

my original post was perhaps insensitive, and for that I apologise, but the sentiment stands after Shoreham.

rgds

gr.

[deptrai]

in the civil field, in days off from "the job" where pilots are constrained from using their natural skills to the full, is there a subconscious tendency to just push beyond the boundaries even more

I can't generalize, but many "civil" line pilots I know would be horrified at the thought of even pushing the boundaries in a simulator. To me as a young man, who thought out loud "I'd like to try and see how it behaves", the reply was "just don't, not even in a sim, what's the point". (from the mouth a former starfighter driver)

[glad rag]

?

You purposely missed the above out when you quoted me.

Well done. :D:D:D:D

[mv031161]

Rat 5....TV shows are made for TV Audience. Please don't tell me you also believe in the Aircraft Repo series?

I invite you to visit ICAS web site and see what it takes to be a low level performer amd what it takes to have an airshow waiver. Most performers are stuck at 800 to 500 ft low level and it takes this license to be part of any airshow in the US. no ICAS license..no Air Shows for you...Simple as that!

https://www.airshows.aero/

[martine]

In 1976 Dave Perrin, of Rothmans fame, used to start his solo display with a roll on takeoff. It was amazing to see the a/c lift off, and, seemingly, before he was half a wing span in the air he was starting the roll. It was scary; and then the inverted flight at 20' into a -ve push up to vertical. All in a Pitts S2A.
Was it Neil Williams that did something similar in a Pitts...on take-off and very low, pulled to the vertical and rolled before pushing back to horizontal as the speed decayed? I believe he may have written something about it in his book explaining that despite being spectacular was actually safer than rolling horizontally at very low level.

[Pittsextra]

Unlike the Hunter accident not much of a "let's wait for the Accident report" here... It's no criticism more an observation. Funny old world.

[helen-damnation]

"The flying display was closed by Genardy Elfimov in his Yak-52. Considered by many to be the master of the type, Genardy was formerly an instructor at the Moscow Aerobatic School but is now based at Wolverhampton Business Airport (formerly Halfpenny Green) in the West Midlands. Beginning his display with his trademark flick roll shortly after take-off he earned enthusiastic applause from his fellow pilots for manoeuvres that some would consider impossible. His final 'show stopper' was to pull up into a 45 degree climb, roll inverted, lower the Yak's undercarriage, pull through the bottom half of a loop and land - all whilst opening the canopy and waving to the crowd!"

Saw him do it, very impressive!