DH Dragon Rapide crash

[Pilot DAR]

A Dragon Rapide came to grief during takeoff while taking a group flying following an airshow in British Colombia

https://globalnews.ca/news/4383253/abbotsford-airshow-crash/

[India Four Two]

It was the Rapide from Historic Flight Foundation at Paine Field:

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.gmforum.com-vbulletin/1139x661/screen_shot_2018_08_12_at_10_38_04_0e5c810c4f3edba687affc6da 61fd2ec4979a015.png


De Havilland DH-89A Dragon Rapide 4 - Untitled Aviation Photo #4380859 Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled/De-Havilland-DH-89A-Dragon-Rapide-4/4380859/L)

[India Four Two]

More information. The pilot was John Sessions, the founder of the Historic Flight Museum at Paine Field.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/historic-flight-museum-founder-injured-in-bc-air-show-crash/

[treadigraph]

This was apparently posted by John Sessions on Facebook... A grievous life-changing injury but he is home, positive and evidently in good humour, which I feel will aid him back in to the cockpit in no time at all.

As many followers of HFF know, I was the pilot of a beautifully restored DH 89 Dragon Rapide that crashed shortly after takeoff last Saturday at Abbotsford. The best news is the passengers are home and will be whole again. I was critically injured and required two surgeries, but less than four days later, the doctors at Royal Columbian (BC's trauma hospital) sent me home. From my present perch, I have resumed general ruckus-making via e-mail.

Regarding flying commitments and events for the remainder of the season, HFF will finish strong where it can and modify or substitute where necessary. The web site and Facebook will be the best sources of information. Looking longer term, we will spend the fall and winter presenting some of the best aviation programs available, constructing a second facility at Spokane's Felts Field, and preparing to pathfind in 2019, the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the 70th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift.

I will focus on healing and a love/hate relationship with a physical therapist. The rules allow me to fly again after I demonstrate pilot skills with a prosthetic lower left leg. Pistorius gave blade runners a bad name. I'm motivated to turn that around.

When you need a good read, pick up one of the biographies of WWII RAF ace Douglas Bader.

Thank you for many expressions of concern. HFF attracts a lovely group. I will see some of you this Saturday at Challenge Air.

John

[India Four Two]

waltair,

That's not the same aircraft, but it does appear to have suffered the same kind of accident - a nose over.

[Piece of Cake]

It is the same aircraft (N683DH/G-AHXW), it was repainted from the Green/Red/Cream livery into the British European Airways one.

[rog747]

An awful shame and accident.
Sad news about the pilot's life changing injuries and wish him a speedy recovery - His Facebook post is most heart warming and humbling, he has so much positive attitude over his injury and his prospects to resume to fly ASAP.

[rcsa]

However, who ever is taking it over, I did see several derelict Dragon Rapides at the Addis Ababa airport, just to the west of the main terminal. Addis is fairly dry, high altitude, so maybe whoever is restoring it could use the parts? Apparently the ones in Addis were being used as crop dusters.

They don't seem to be visible on Google East, Walt - there's a couple of DC3/C47 of the side of 07L, another DC3 apparently as a kind of gate guardian just west of the Bole main terminal, and a few old a/c in the aviation museum yard by the NW perimeter. Nothing that looks like a Rapide though. I've seen lots of decrepit An-2 lying around Sudan - they were certainly used as crop dusters and locust control back in the 60's and 70's. But if there's really 'several' DH Rapides, someone should make a plan for them. PM me if you can pin down the location.