29 November 1975
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29 November 1975
If I remember correctly, tonight is the 30th anniversary of two fatal crashes at UK airfields. One was at Birmingham - where I used to live and work. A Baron (?) crashed in the fog while trying to land on Rwy 24 (?)
Sadly, on the same night, the racing driver Graham Hill was also killed in a twin landing at Elstree I believe...can't remember if he was the pilot or a passenger...
Anyone else remember these accidents?
Sadly, on the same night, the racing driver Graham Hill was also killed in a twin landing at Elstree I believe...can't remember if he was the pilot or a passenger...
Anyone else remember these accidents?
Graham Hill was PIC and the aircraft crashed on Elstree golf course. There were several on board including Tony Brise, a very promising english driver. The accident wiped out the key members of the team formed by Graham Hill. I can remember it quite well as it was relatively local to me, as at the time he was one of my heroes.
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Contemporary report on Graham Hill's accident repeated here. He was flying.
Six died in that accident. Sad day. I remember seeing the wreckage in the AAIB compound during the course of one Farnborough show many years ago.
Six died in that accident. Sad day. I remember seeing the wreckage in the AAIB compound during the course of one Farnborough show many years ago.
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Thanks J/S & DW.
I hadn't realised that Graham Hill had only recently retired from racing when he was killed.
I do remember how terrible the conditions were at BHX (but not what the forecasts/actuals stated) that night, no doubt a similar story at Elstree and across much of the UK.
I hadn't realised that Graham Hill had only recently retired from racing when he was killed.
I do remember how terrible the conditions were at BHX (but not what the forecasts/actuals stated) that night, no doubt a similar story at Elstree and across much of the UK.
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ID 90
If you do a search for "29/11/75 Birmingham" you will find a thread that I started on 13 Dec ’02 on this very subject. More info there.
If I was clever, which I’m not, I would put a link in. Mod can you help ?
Incidentally, as an aside I read the other day that the ATCO in the tower at Elstree on that night was a guy called Peter Wood. Exactly ten years later to the very day he himself was killed in an accident. Spookey.
Clint.
If you do a search for "29/11/75 Birmingham" you will find a thread that I started on 13 Dec ’02 on this very subject. More info there.
If I was clever, which I’m not, I would put a link in. Mod can you help ?
Incidentally, as an aside I read the other day that the ATCO in the tower at Elstree on that night was a guy called Peter Wood. Exactly ten years later to the very day he himself was killed in an accident. Spookey.
Clint.
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I was sitting in front of the radar at Luton the night GH went in. The Heathrow line rang and I was asked if I was working N6645Y. The weather caught many people out that night, sadly Luton was still clear at the time.
Yes, there was the Baron at Brum and wasn't there a third crash that day?
I was writing a report at the time on an incident we had earlier, but happily no one hurt.
Edited to add: I'd forgotten that previous thread. Now found.
Yes, there was the Baron at Brum and wasn't there a third crash that day?
I was writing a report at the time on an incident we had earlier, but happily no one hurt.
Edited to add: I'd forgotten that previous thread. Now found.
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Interesting to see another great aviation character, who sadly is no longer with us, mentioned in DaveW’s link to the Graham Hill crash story.
Spencer Flack survived a Sea Fury crash in which he was badly injured in the late 70s/early 80s, but lost his life in February 2002 driving his 1959 BRM in a vintage race in Australia. A very sad loss - a lovely chap who enjoyed life to the full.
Spencer’s collection of vintage aircraft included G-FURY, G-FIRE and G-HUNT.
Spencer Flack survived a Sea Fury crash in which he was badly injured in the late 70s/early 80s, but lost his life in February 2002 driving his 1959 BRM in a vintage race in Australia. A very sad loss - a lovely chap who enjoyed life to the full.
Spencer’s collection of vintage aircraft included G-FURY, G-FIRE and G-HUNT.
