Wing Walking Stearman in the Sea at Bournemouth Air Show

[pulse1]

Reported as an incident, one of the wing walker's aircraft is down in the sea near the Sandbanks Ferry. The air show has been stopped for a while. It appears that the two crew are safe. That could be the third accident involving their aircraft this year.

[Nanjizal]

Biplane and its wing-walker ditched in sea, away from main display area. All reported rescued.

[G-MILF]

Watching the video of the ditching I'm surprised the wing walker is reportedly uninjured.

[treadigraph]

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/19559447.wingwalker-plane-ditches-poole-harbour-air-festival-display/

[ETOPS]

On a slightly lighter note a witness is reported to have seen the Police and RNLI “looking for the black box” ..:confused:

[EGPI10BR]

If your going to have to put it down on water, do it on the doorstep of the RLNI HQ.

[Nanjizal]

And that they didn't hit a boat! That must be one of the most crowded stretches of Poole Bay on one of the busiest days of the year!

I had watched the two aircraft flying above my house as they waited for their display slot, must have been just minutes before this accident. So glad to hear nobody has been badly hurt.

[dixi188]

Went down town to watch the evening display to find it's been cancelled due to the crash.
Nobody died, so what happened to "The Show Must Go On".
It was the Typhoon I wanted to see.

[treadigraph]

It sounds as though she relocated to the front cockpit before the ditching!

[Charles Hill]

I hope so as she wouldn’t have stood a chance if not🤞

[dixi188]

I imagine they would train for a quick return to the cockpit for just this case.

[OR72a]

What were the other 2?

[DogTailRed2]

From what I understand it's standard proceedure for the wing walker to travel in the cockpit only taking the wing for the display.
I would expect they have well drilled emergency proceedures and the wing walker would return to the cockpit under any emergency situation.
Be interested to know if the crew have any form of water escape training?

[sky9]

There were better places in Poole harbour to ditch, they were inches away from the chain ferry slipway.

[treadigraph]

Munnst, correct they do normally travel in the cockpit and are well practiced in getting back and forth between the cockpit and the SOW rig.

Don't know if he still inhabits this forum but one of our esteemed PPRuNers has an excellent tale from many, many years ago bringing together a Tiger Moth with an upstanding passenger, an unseen telephone cable and the River Trent... fortunately, of the dramatis personae, two were undamaged. I hope he is hard at work on his memoirs.

[Tech Guy]

There were better places in Poole harbour to ditch, they were inches away from the chain ferry slipway.
I am guessing the situation was sufficient that getting the plane down safely took precedent over location. On the other hand, its not a bad location, as its an easy swim to shore.

[Don't sink]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/16051154/bournemouth-air-festival-incident-plane/

good old “accurate” Sun reporting! Witnesses saying the girl was still on the wing when it hit, both her and pilot “screaming” as they swam to the surface! ‘Desperately swimming to the dinghy!

[catch21]

I was on the seafront between the air show location and the sandbanks ferry yesterday afternoon when the two aircraft flew past, about 2 km from where the aircraft ditched. I could see the unoccupied wing walking positions quite clearly. The aircraft would have ditched maybe 1 to 2 minutes after I saw it.

[Flying_Scotsman]

If it was at the end of the display then the last pass is with the wingwalker standing on the cockpit rim (Arabesque?) then immediately into the cockpit.

[DogTailRed2]

Does anyone know what is happening with the aircraft? Has it been recovered yet?
Hopefully some concideration for the old girl unlike the recent Avenger which was basically pulled onto the beach and destroyed.

[pulse1]

What a pity that no-one in one of the boats had the presence of mind or gear to tie a fender/buoy on a long line to the aircraft before it sank. Knowing the tides through there quite well, the wreck could be anywhere by now.

[QTG]

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/f6ad8912_71e2_4ac5_adc3_261dc30c323e_6b3b17d128f17f2d869276f bbb1bd48909d5bb0b.jpeg
1600 this afternoon
Less than 50m from the Haven Hotel Sandbanks

[Nightstop]

A salvor is entitled to a salvage award for recovering aircraft wrecked at sea, so yes a marker buoy would be very useful to any successful salvor. See the Merchant Shipping Act of 1995, if interested.

Looks like Jenkins Marine has won the prize!

[Addlepate]

Does anyone know what is happening with the aircraft? Has it been recovered yet?
Hopefully some concideration for the old girl unlike the recent Avenger which was basically pulled onto the beach and destroyed.

Being recovered this afternoon, supposedly (Jenkins Marine on site about the time you wrote this!)

Edit - cross post with the two above!

[VictorGolf]

Hmm, did the wings come off on impact or the recovery. For those in the know was MC the pilot?

[Waltzer]

Reported as an incident, one of the wing walker's aircraft is down in the sea near the Sandbanks Ferry. The air show has been stopped for a while. It appears that the two crew are safe. That could be the third accident involving their aircraft this year.

The previous two accidents were not this company.

You're referring to the two crashes involving the Dunkeswell based Stearman G-CGPY operated by Wingwalk Buzz last year 1.flying through power lines and 2.running out of fuel.

[Waltzer]

Hmm, did the wings come off on impact or the recovery. For those in the know was MC the pilot?

Don't know about a/c.

He's no longer working for that Co, apparently gone in 2019.

[red9]

Don't know about a/c.

He's no longer working for that Co, apparently gone in 2019.
Waltzer was it my old mate AC ?

[OldLurker]

I don't think Jenkins Marine win any prizes for aircraft recovery. Look at the way they've bust up the tail with the arm of the crane.

[Waltzer]

Waltzer was it my old mate AC ?

Don't think so.

[DaveReidUK]

I don't think Jenkins Marine win any prizes for aircraft recovery. Look at the way they've bust up the tail with the arm of the crane.

Looking at the geometry, it was always going to be a tricky recovery.

A bigger crane would have helped, maybe those don't float ...

[EGPI10BR]

Some parts of Poole Harbour are very shallow -- a couple of feet deep. I've run aground in there in a Wayfairer (I wasn't the skipper and it was a stag weekend.) I guess that there way have been limited options if the old mill stops turning. I'm glad both got out OK and hopefully the aircraft can be recovered.

[Just seen the pics form the salvage and it appears that the aircraft doesn't look well. :( ]

[EGPI10BR]

The salvage company isn't interested in the aircraft. They will get paid as a salvor by an insurance company. The wreckage will be handed to the AAIB.

[DaveReidUK]

I can't see the AAIB being particularly interested in the wreckage. It's unlikely to tell them anything that they won't already know from their interview with the pilot.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

I would have thought that the 'restoration project' now belongs to 'xx' Insurance Co...??

Both survived....ALL Good!!

[sky9]

I can't see the AAIB being particularly interested in the wreckage. It's unlikely to tell them anything that they won't already know from their interview with the pilot.
They could be interested in stripping down the engine. At least Jenkins managed to miss that with their "salvage operation".

[DogTailRed2]

I don't think Jenkins Marine win any prizes for aircraft recovery. Look at the way they've bust up the tail with the arm of the crane.

Academic really. The plane is a write off. Complete strip down and rebuild I would suggest.

[Waltzer]

What were the other 2?

Different company, other two were Dunkeswell based G-CGPY, see my other post on this thread.

[treadigraph]

If you saw how quickly another somewhat infamous Stearman was rebuilt from a far tattier condition after a prang, you'll have no doubts that this aeroplane will reappear in due course, hopefully with the current owners.

[VictorGolf]

Thanks for the update on MC, Waltzer. I hadn't seen him in a while and his moving on is probably why.

[Glevum]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/16060565/plane-crash-wing-walker-recovered/

[Davidsa]

I am guessing the situation was sufficient that getting the plane down safely took precedent over location. On the other hand, its not a bad location, as its an easy swim to shore.

"an easy swim to the shore" Really??

Have you seen th currents through there?

[Nightstop]

"an easy swim to the shore" Really??

Have you seen th currents through there?

I’ve had to go-around from two approaches (in a Westerly Storm 33’) to the quayside pub at Poole, diverted to the Marina nearby. Thirst had to be quenched rather late. I wouldn’t want to swim in that current either.

[Don't sink]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/16060565/plane-crash-wing-walker-recovered/

The sun still insisting she was strapped to the wing:ugh:

[Background Noise]

Slightly more level-headed report here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-58475187

Which quotes most of their own statement at www.aerosuperbatics.com (although the pop-up only seems to appear once on your first visit):

Bournemouth Air FestivalOn Saturday 4th September 2021 one of our aircraft suffered technical difficulties during an air display at Bournemouth Air Festival.

Unfortunately, the aircraft was unable to maintain altitude and despite very difficult circumstances, a successful ditching was carried out into Poole Harbour.

Both pilot (David Barrell) and wingwalker (Kirsten Pobjoy) sustained minor injuries, received medical treatment in Poole Hospital and were released shortly thereafter.

We are conducting our own thorough investigation and currently liaising with the Civil Aviation Authority and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

We would like to extend our thanks to the RNLI, Coastguard, South-West Ambulance, Dorset Police, Poole Harbour Commissioners and all those who took part in the rescue of the two crew members aboard the aircraft.

We are also grateful to have received many dozens of messages from well-wishers and are placing the well-being of all of our staff as our top priority.

AeroSuperBatics
6th September 2021

[DownWest]

Apologies for linking the Mail, but it appears that the donk quit because of an oil pipe.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11336251/Wing-walker-stunt-pilot-crashed-sea-airshow-power-loss-caused-oil-fault.html
DW

[treadigraph]

Here's the AAIB report...

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63455275d3bf7f618d8f8850/Boeing_A75N1_PT17__Stearman_N707TJ_12-22.pdf

[Waltzer]

Long may Bournemouth Airshow continue. Sunderland may well have made a mistake getting rid of theirs.

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/23066545.wingwalker-air-festival-crash-pilots-quick-thinking-revealed/

[uxb99]

Interesting report. Would the quantity of oil on the underside of the aircraft indicate a problem or is it normal for these aircraft to have oil on them?
Interesting the other pilot didn't point it out.

[megan]

is it normal for these aircraft to have oil on themRadial engines leak oil, during military training it was said, tongue in cheek, if you could step over the puddle of oil on the ground it was only a drip. See some operators at at air shows have reused tins from the kitchen to hang below the known leak points to collect the drips and prevent fouling the tarmac. In the hangars you will see drip trays on the floor adroitly positioned.

The photo in the report however suggests the leak was not normal.

[First_Principal]

Radial engines leak oil, during military training it was said, tongue in cheek, if you could step over the puddle of oil on the ground it was only a drip. See some operators at at air shows have reused tins from the kitchen to hang below the known leak points to collect the drips and prevent fouling the tarmac. In the hangars you will see drip trays on the floor adroitly positioned.


Indeed, see here from 'our' C-47; drip trays were always put in place directly after flight, followed by a board to protect the tyres when the tray filled up, then handy rags when it all cascaded down the boards... all quite normal:


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/603x534/c47_drip_trays_9ad063eeede036dc9fe7d737bed12a04b13d2a76.jpg

From this it's possible to see that if the underside of the Stearman hadn't been wiped down recently a bit of oil may not have attracted much attention (disclaimer: conversational comment only, I've never flown a Stearman, nor am I familiar with this operation, who may religiously clean their a/c after each flight!):

[Waltzer]

Indeed, see here from 'our' C-47; drip trays were always put in place directly after flight, followed by a board to protect the tyres when the tray filled up, then handy rags when it all cascaded down the boards... all quite normal:


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/603x534/c47_drip_trays_9ad063eeede036dc9fe7d737bed12a04b13d2a76.jpg

From this it's possible to see that if the underside of the Stearman hadn't been wiped down recently a bit of oil may not have attracted much attention (disclaimer: conversational comment only, I've never flown a Stearman, nor am I familiar with this operation, who may religiously clean their a/c after each flight!):



https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1125x850/824becb2_ecf1_47aa_901c_f5fb1a015a5e_bbe24c71c7ef2dec302e6a7 ebf6fe0bbaa91fff3.jpeg


Photo taken the day before the incident, of the subject aircraft landing at our local airport, Bournemouth after display.
Note clean underside.
As a respected and long established air display operator, flying in front of crowds of people every year, it’s in their best interests to present their aircraft in as clean condition as possible.

[uxb99]

The AAIB report makes no mention of escape drills. Would it be advantageous for aircraft that display over water to have some form of underwater escape training?
I can't think of anything more terrifying than being dunked into water upside-down while strapped to an aircraft.