Yak 52 Down 2 Dead

[Captain Numpty]

Confirmed report that a YAK 52 has crashed in Northamptonshire following an acrobatic accident. (Possible location Blisworth)

Seemingly the YAK based in Oxfordshire had landed for fuel at Turweston before commencing acrobatics.

Cause of accident is not confirmed yet, but it has been suggested that the Plane hit a Pylon whilst pulling out of a dive????

RIP to those involved. Our thoughts are with their families at this time

C.N.:(

[AerBabe]

A sad end to a beautiful weekend for flying. :(
I echo your sentiments CN.

[NigelOnDraft]

CN

Are you going to back this up with some more info / sources? 4 hours since you posted, and nothing on any news channel I can find, even local news for the area you quote.

If you decide it is a hoax, maybe you would be so good as to say so / remove the post, and relieve the anxiety of all those who potentially know the "victims".

[avrodamo]

This is unfortunately correct. Just been on local news, also Ceefax.

[jet_noseover]

Two dead after aircraft crash
5 January 2003

Two people were killed when their light aircraft crashed while performing aerobatics manoeuvres.

The wreckage of the aircraft was discovered by police in a field on the Easton Neston estate, near Towcester, Northamptonshire.




It is believed the plane had crashed after refuelling from an airfield in the Brackley area of the county.

Northamptonshire Police said that the inquiry would be co-ordinated by the Air Accident Investigation Branch.

A force spokeswoman added that immediate enquiries would concentrate on identifying the pilot and passenger of the plane.

She said: "The air crash happened at 11.20am when an aircraft had been seen performing aerobatics in the area.

"When witnesses reported it had crashed Northamptonshire Police were quickly on the scene and discovered the wreckage of a small plane in a field.

"The wreckage is that of a small plane that has come down in a field and we understand it had taken off from an airfield, near Brackley, where it had stopped to refuel."

An 800-metre exclusion zone remains in place over the scene and forensic scientists and a specialist police search team is on site to assist the investigation.

The spokeswoman added: "Northamptonshire Police will be preparing a report for the coroner and we are currently carrying out enquiries to try and identify both the owners and or the people in the plane."


http://www.thisislondon.com/news/articles/nmhp-home_news-79260-10?source=

[Tonic Please]

Nigel,

I think that your post was quite un-neccersary. I am quite positive that such posts would not be posted if "hoax". If I was the poster of that, then I would be quite insulted that you could arise to such a propotsition...

I am sure that now, since news has been updated, that this accident is not a hoax.

Smooth skies,

Dan. RIP to all involved.

[NigelOnDraft]

Thanks for that... I was getting optimisitic that lack of info meant the original post has mistaken. Unfortuntately not...

<<I think that your post was quite un-neccersary. I am quite positive that such posts would not be posted if "hoax". >>
In retrospect my post obviously was unnecessary. However, for obvious reasons, since the original post, I had been scanning both this forum, and news websites for any more info. Nothing was forthcoming, and the time period for such news had grown to be far longer than would be usual.

Regrettably there have been "hoaxes" of this nature posted here - some I am sure genuine mistakes - some maybe not.

[Tonic Please]

Solely agree, and no rudeness intended towards you sir.

So, to quote the poster that the plane "Hit a pylon whilst pulling out of a dive". Very well, but are there pylons in designated Aerobatic zones? Suprised in there are! :confused:


Dan

[dmdrewitt]

Dan

So, to quote the poster that the plane "Hit a pylon whilst pulling out of a dive". Very well, but are there pylons in designated Aerobatic zones? Suprised in there are!

Aeros are not necessarily practiced in a designated areas. I have practiced aeros over unpopulated areas which I am sure contain pylons.

In theory you should never be low enough that pylons present a problem. 500 foot rule.....????

Its only when something goes wrong you wish they wern't there!

Dave

[Hairyplane]

I was at Turweston today - saw the aircraft land, refuel and follow us down to the hold for departure.

The pilot - pax unknown to us - was a popular visitor, highly experienced (ex-mil) and has left us all numbed with shock.

Tragedies such as this affect so many people. I have been there myself.......

Spare a thought for the wives, kids and all the friends and relatives who will be grieving tonight and for a long long time to come...

Fly safe guys.....

Such a sad event on a beautiful flying day.


HP

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Have names been released to the public domain yet? As an ex-'52 jock I know quite a few of the small world of Yak pilots, and wonder if I knew this pilot.

It must be awful for those left behind. My thoughts are for them, whoever they may be. I know a poem written by 'Poetpilot' (who is a PPRuNer) that would be appropriate for such a tragedy in such circumstances on such a day as yesterday.

SSD

[poetpilot]

Hi Shaggy... my thoughts too, but I didn't want to post out of hand.... I was flying too, yesterday morning and the splendour of the day contrasts so much with the sadness at the loss our fellow flyers....

You Flew.....
=========

You flew - you were one in many thousands, yet so few
to know the sunkissed splendour of a towering cloud
to climb unhindered to the glory of the sun
whilst others slept in the drab grey brown worlds far below.

You lived - you took the chances, made the breaks for self
to try and taste for real the game of living life
and learned new ways, new skills that generations just
gone by had never known, and always you were you.

You laughed - a wholesome laugh, a sincere laugh with those
who after having flown the day, returned to home
to talk with like-mind others on the hours aloft
and recall shared adventures, known to those select.

You died - too young, too soon, but die we all one day
and yours was such a day, so full of hope and joy
to glory in the very thing which took your life
and we will always know you're there because - you flew.

[Circuit Basher]

Obviously, sympathy and condolences to all involved. 2002 was not a good year for Yaks and 2003 has not started much better. :( :(

The other appropriate quote is from an unknown source (not me), which strikes a chord with my thinking on the matter:

If I ever kill myself flying, I would ask but one thing from you all.

Learn as much as you can from whatever I did wrong, but don't waste your sympathy. It will have happened in the context of a pastime I love with an enduring passion, in full knowledge of the inherent risks, and in attempting to minimise them through knowledge, practice, and care.

But I'm fallible, like all of us, so nothing is guaranteed.

If I have destroyed a beautiful aeroplane by my carelessness, I'm sorry. All aeroplanes are, of course, beautiful.

If I have hurt anyone else in the accident, again, I apologise, unless they were of like mind, aware of the risks, and making a free and informed choice to fly with me.

The way the human spirit is lifted in flight is more important than the life of any one individual pilot. There will be pilots, but there may not always be the historic and rare aircraft to be flown by them. Such aircraft are pointers to the heritage in whose shadow we all stand and enjoy our privileges, but when another one dies, so too does another small fragment of our connection to that heritage.

This is the real tragedy of Biggin and Rouen, and why it is important to remain connected to the history of man's adventures in the air, not just in books and museums. It is also the real tragedy of the loss of airfields, and the growing band of noise complainers. This lifting of the human spirit is increasingly denied to more and more, and replaced by a smallmindedness that impoverishes the soul.

And if any cynic out there denies that aeroplanes have their own life that encapsulates and reflects much of ours, go into a hangar full of them one evening, and in the quiet broken only by the wind rattling the hangar doors, listen very carefully.

If you hear nothing, maybe your soul needs a 50 hour check.

RIP

[Hairyplane]

PP - your poem is perfect. I hope if I end in a smoking hole that these words will give comfort to the bereaved.

CB - I operate old, rare planes. There is an added responsibility in preserving them. I am aware of that. If I do indeed end up in a smoking hole in one of them I would want everybody to know that I did my best but - like my fellow man - I am fallible. I am only as good as I am on the day too.... If I destroy the aircraft - even sadder. They do have souls. I get to walk around the Shuttleworth Collection after everybody has gone. I am not alone....

Your words are an inspiration and, with your consent will be shared often.

This is a polite, dignifed thread - no speculation - no jabbing fingers.

My heart is with the families and also - with those professionals who have to be involved n the aftermath of tragedies such as this.

HP

[Kolibear]

For Johnny

Do not despair
For Johnny-head-in-air;
He sleeps as sound
As Johnny underground.

Fetch out no shroud
For Johnny-in-the-cloud;
And keep your tears
For him in after years.

Better by far
For Johnny-the-bright-star,
To keep your head,
And see his children fed.

John Pudney (1909-1977)

[Flyin'Dutch']

Friends,

Two have been torn away from us.

Words are not enough.

Those who proclaim that flying is safer than driving have not been in aviation for long enough.

Let's all be careful out there.

FD

[Agaricus bisporus]

Koli, perhaps Johnny the Star kept his children fed because he was bright enough not to do aeros at low level...

Very sad, but once again a hard lesson in how unforgiving aerobatics are at low level if you make even a single mistake, and very very few indeed are that infallible.

[Fast Erect]

Any names yet, please?:(

[TheAerosCo]

Agaricus

The facts about this accident are as yet unknown and are likely to be so for some time. May I respectfully suggest that it is inappropriate to imply criticism of the crew (which is how I read your post) with respect to what they may or may not have been doing leading up to the accident. My apologies in advance if I have misinterpreted your thoughts; I certainly agree that low-level aeros is unforgiving, but this may or may not be relevant here - we just don't know.

[stiknruda]

I know/compete against quite a few Yak drivers, rumour has it that this poor chap was a BAeA member.

Names or discreet id's would be v gratefully received - can't help wondering if it is X or Y or Z or A, etc. Thanks

Commiserations to the families and friends.

Stik

[rotorcraig]

BBC News are reporting today at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2630625.stm

"Northamptonshire Police said the two men killed in the accident have not yet been formally identified, but are thought to have been brothers from Surrey."

[rotorcraig]

BBC News now reporting names at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2636865.stm

[DB6]

Bad news indeed. Nice bloke, Tony.

[stiknruda]

Very sad indeed.

He was a very nice guy and we got on well. He beat me by one place in the Nationals last year!

The weird thing is that on Monday morning when I heard the news I was quite sure that it was him - dunno why, just geography and a/c type. I guess that is why I wanted confirmation.

It seems that every year someone I know loses their life or is seriously injured as a result of enjoying aviation.:confused: :confused:

Stik

[Bearintheair]

A very sad loss to all aviators. Rip and condolences to those left behind.

I only made contact with Tony again recently after several years, a splendid chap.

Another of 94 Flight RN flies higher than most !!!

[rotorcraig]

AAIB report is at http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_avsafety/documents/page/dft_avsafety_024587.hcsp

Synopsis

After a series of aerobatic manoeuvres the aircraft completed a stall turn and entered a vertical dive from which it did not recover. Examination of the wreckage revealed the presence of a short-handled flat bladed screwdriver that had jammed the elevator control such that the elevator control surface could not be moved beyond neutral in the nose-up direction.RC

[noisy]

Rotorcraig,

Thanks for your last post, I wasn't aware of this case but felt moved to write. What an appalling way to go and what an awful tragedy for the family and friends of those involved.

[stiknruda]

I heard about this last night and felt sick.. it certainly contributed to this morning's hang-over.

Tragic preventable loss of a chum

Stik

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

That AAIB report should be required reading for every Yak pilot. I, too, used to think that the 'belly slap' check would reveal dropped articles in the tail area. Sadly not - indeed the design seems ideal for picking up such debris in the elevator mechanism during up vertical manouvres, with subsequent jamming of the elevator in the attempted pull out from the down vertical as in this tragic instance..

There is reference to fitting of a ceconite bulkhead ahead of the elevator mechanism in the tail to prevent such occurances. But as the mention of the Russian accident shows, where a camera lens fouled the under-seat elevator linkage, that won't be a complete cure.

SSD