Airshow related accidents
29 Jun 66
from this old thread
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...nd-flying.html
rgds LR
XM716
Victor SR2
543 Sqn
Near Warboys Airfield
4
Broke up in high speed low level turn. The aircraft, the first SR2 to enter service with the squadron, was being demonstrated to the Press. The evidence suggests that it was overstressed in the turn and broke up over the old airfield at Warboys.
Squadron Leader John Anthony HOLLAND Captain
Flying Officer Harry WALSH Co Pilot
Flight Lieutenant Royston Arthur NORMAN Navigator
Flight Lieutenant Kenneth SMITH Air Electronics Officer
Victor SR2
543 Sqn
Near Warboys Airfield
4
Broke up in high speed low level turn. The aircraft, the first SR2 to enter service with the squadron, was being demonstrated to the Press. The evidence suggests that it was overstressed in the turn and broke up over the old airfield at Warboys.
Squadron Leader John Anthony HOLLAND Captain
Flying Officer Harry WALSH Co Pilot
Flight Lieutenant Royston Arthur NORMAN Navigator
Flight Lieutenant Kenneth SMITH Air Electronics Officer
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...nd-flying.html
rgds LR
Victor crash
The 1975 accident was the Buccaneer collision with the tanker. Whilst I know nothing about the accident, the one you're probably referring to was in 1966 when XM716 lost its tail near Wyton.
Last edited by bonajet; 23rd Jul 2012 at 10:08. Reason: sorry missed LR reply
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There were at least two Stearman accidents - one during practice near Rockford Illinois (Rolly Cole 1963), and one at Valparaiso Indiana (Bill Adams 1966?) which involved the R-985 crankshaft breaking, allowing the prop to tear off most of the wing structure on one side.
In the latter case, and probably the former too, a triple snap roll was performed - brutal on man and machine. The poor P&W engineers must have never envisioned such gyro loads on their hardware.
In the latter case, and probably the former too, a triple snap roll was performed - brutal on man and machine. The poor P&W engineers must have never envisioned such gyro loads on their hardware.
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Grosvenor Cup
Hello everyone
I thought you might be interested in this excerpt from my book about Bert Hinkler and the Grosvenor Cup
* One of the most important races for British flyers became the Grosvenor Cup held for the first time at Lympne on 25 June 1923. It was a handicap event for British-built aeroplanes of not more than 150 horsepower contested over a course of 650 kilometres.
Bert lodged with his friends Henry and Maggie Staines, who had a bungalow named Ingleside next to the Lympne airfield, and whenever he wanted to take off he just climbed over the back fence and strolled out to his machine. He was a big hit with all the kids of the village and those who flocked to the air meets, and he let them take turns listening to his new whiz-bang radio through special devices he called ‘earphones’.
Nine pilots took off for the inaugural Grosvenor Cup race with the favourite being the newly married Major Ernest Leslie Foot in a Bristol Monoplane with a 100-horsepower Lucifer engine. Bert fancied his chances in the Avro Baby registered G-EAUM and was the first to take off at 10 a.m. By the time the planes arrived before a crowd of 25,000 enjoying a carnival atmosphere at Bristol’s Filton aerodrome, RAF ace Flight Lieutenant Walter ‘Scruffy’ Longton was in the lead on a Sopwith Gnu, but Bert was just six minutes behind. When Major Foot landed after them at Bristol he said he felt dizzy from petrol fumes, and mechanics got busy repairing the leak. In the end Longton held on to win the race with Fred Raynham second and Bert third.
In a stark understatement, the local paper later reported that a good day’s sport was rather ruined when Major Foot was burned to death. He had covered 480 kilometres when his machine crashed onto Stonehill Road near Chertsey between Bristol and Croydon. Both his legs had been torn off at the thigh, and he was burnt beyond recognition.
I thought you might be interested in this excerpt from my book about Bert Hinkler and the Grosvenor Cup
* One of the most important races for British flyers became the Grosvenor Cup held for the first time at Lympne on 25 June 1923. It was a handicap event for British-built aeroplanes of not more than 150 horsepower contested over a course of 650 kilometres.
Bert lodged with his friends Henry and Maggie Staines, who had a bungalow named Ingleside next to the Lympne airfield, and whenever he wanted to take off he just climbed over the back fence and strolled out to his machine. He was a big hit with all the kids of the village and those who flocked to the air meets, and he let them take turns listening to his new whiz-bang radio through special devices he called ‘earphones’.
Nine pilots took off for the inaugural Grosvenor Cup race with the favourite being the newly married Major Ernest Leslie Foot in a Bristol Monoplane with a 100-horsepower Lucifer engine. Bert fancied his chances in the Avro Baby registered G-EAUM and was the first to take off at 10 a.m. By the time the planes arrived before a crowd of 25,000 enjoying a carnival atmosphere at Bristol’s Filton aerodrome, RAF ace Flight Lieutenant Walter ‘Scruffy’ Longton was in the lead on a Sopwith Gnu, but Bert was just six minutes behind. When Major Foot landed after them at Bristol he said he felt dizzy from petrol fumes, and mechanics got busy repairing the leak. In the end Longton held on to win the race with Fred Raynham second and Bert third.
In a stark understatement, the local paper later reported that a good day’s sport was rather ruined when Major Foot was burned to death. He had covered 480 kilometres when his machine crashed onto Stonehill Road near Chertsey between Bristol and Croydon. Both his legs had been torn off at the thigh, and he was burnt beyond recognition.
G-KEST
I was at a RAF day at Waterbeach when about 12-13 years old, ie about 1953. I had cycled there from Cambridge to see the show. 4 Meteors were doing a formation display. I think they were in a box when the rear two collided. This may be one of the incidents in your list.
The accident has been engraved on my memory all my life. I was standing, as it turned out, close to the mother of one of the pilots in the formation, although of course no-one knew until later which of them were involved. I remember one aircraft losing its tail end, and both crashing on the field and burning, with at least one parachute appearing to go into one of the fires.
My mother still has, I think, a dated cutting from the local paper which I could copy and send, although not until I next visit her, which would be in the next 2-3 weeks.
Afterthought: I'm losing confidence in the date of 1953...could have been well before that. I've just remembered that we moved from Cambridge well before then!
I was at a RAF day at Waterbeach when about 12-13 years old, ie about 1953. I had cycled there from Cambridge to see the show. 4 Meteors were doing a formation display. I think they were in a box when the rear two collided. This may be one of the incidents in your list.
The accident has been engraved on my memory all my life. I was standing, as it turned out, close to the mother of one of the pilots in the formation, although of course no-one knew until later which of them were involved. I remember one aircraft losing its tail end, and both crashing on the field and burning, with at least one parachute appearing to go into one of the fires.
My mother still has, I think, a dated cutting from the local paper which I could copy and send, although not until I next visit her, which would be in the next 2-3 weeks.
Afterthought: I'm losing confidence in the date of 1953...could have been well before that. I've just remembered that we moved from Cambridge well before then!
I too had cycled from Cambridge and have exactly the same enduring memory. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Seem to remember the survivor was up in the station flight Harvard whilst the wreckage was still smoldering.
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This wasn't a fatal or even a bent aircraft - but it very well could have been for someone..
A Richmond RAAF base airshow (1990,if I remember correctly) and a Piper Pawnee was on short finals after having towed a glider up for a display.
I thought, hmm, he's a bit keen to land on the piano keys, considering he's got the tow-line dangling.
Well, as he came across the perimeter road where there were hundreds of people making their way to the entrance gate, the end of the tow-line was only a few feet above the ground.
It didn't actually hit anybody but he took out the 3000 volt powerlines bordering the road.
This caused a bit of a fireworks display amongst the throng.
What's that saying about frightening the women and horses?
A Richmond RAAF base airshow (1990,if I remember correctly) and a Piper Pawnee was on short finals after having towed a glider up for a display.
I thought, hmm, he's a bit keen to land on the piano keys, considering he's got the tow-line dangling.
Well, as he came across the perimeter road where there were hundreds of people making their way to the entrance gate, the end of the tow-line was only a few feet above the ground.
It didn't actually hit anybody but he took out the 3000 volt powerlines bordering the road.
This caused a bit of a fireworks display amongst the throng.
What's that saying about frightening the women and horses?
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No aircraft directly involved, but a mid-air between two jumpers.
Army skydiver dies after airshow accident - CNN.com
Sgt Corey Hood is from West Chester, OH. a suburb of Cincinnati.
Army skydiver dies after airshow accident - CNN.com
Sgt Corey Hood is from West Chester, OH. a suburb of Cincinnati.
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25 May 1946 Seafire III
My Grandfather was just telling me about the Seafire crash in Beaulieu. The pilot, R H Palmer, used to teach Drummond Fife Band to his ATC (1308 Sqd ATC) group in Lymington. He was watching the Air show that day and was just telling me that he may be the only person who remembers it. He has never forgotten it (He is 90 this year) and can never find any info on it. I found him some info about the incident. If anyone wants his (grandfather’s) details, feel free to message me. I can relay what he just told me...
” Palmer took off, then landed and they announced over the tannoy system that he had ‘booster problems’ and that he would go out again. He took off again and as he was performing a low roll, coming from Lymington direction, he rolled upside down and then just dropped, cockpit side first, into the ground.”
“ I remember being in the Guardhouse before the show and Palmer drove in in his Austin Seven convertible and I saluted him”
” Palmer took off, then landed and they announced over the tannoy system that he had ‘booster problems’ and that he would go out again. He took off again and as he was performing a low roll, coming from Lymington direction, he rolled upside down and then just dropped, cockpit side first, into the ground.”
“ I remember being in the Guardhouse before the show and Palmer drove in in his Austin Seven convertible and I saluted him”
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Three at Mildenhall, T-34C in 1983.
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I remember the T.34C well. First of 9 Airshow crashes I have witnessed, most with the inevitable result. Despite only being a lowly PPL at the time, I had attended quite a few Airshows, and I was less than impressed with the T.34C's display. I remarked to my friend next to me that 'I bet the guy in the back is having kittens in there!' Ten seconds later, he killed them both.
During an Empire Air Day in Aldergrove in 1948 or 49 a Tiger Moth was doing a solo aerobatic display. He was a bit low for the loop and he only managed 90% of it.
The impact wasn't that hard and he waded out of the wreckage. Later on the remains were put on a trailer and towed around the spectators enclosure so that they could see what a crashed aeroplane looked like.
The impact wasn't that hard and he waded out of the wreckage. Later on the remains were put on a trailer and towed around the spectators enclosure so that they could see what a crashed aeroplane looked like.
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G-KEST
May I offer these 'off the top of my head':
1952 - John Derry's DH110 broke up at the Farnborough airshow 1952 - 31 killed. UK' worst airshow disaster
1962 - Fg Off Blackgrove dived into the ground at RAF Khormaksar - Aden Forces Day, Hunter FGA9
1968 - Farnborough Airshow - Breguet Atlantic crashed into airfield hangar complex
1983 - Air Training Corps/Recruiting Event flypast at Scarborough c1984. RAF lightning crashed into the bay after loss of control in tight turn. I assisted the local police with beach clearance and recovery of the deceased pilot
1984 - Farborough Airshow - Bill Loverseed (ex Red Arrows leader) crashed, spectacularly, on the runway after a tight finals turn
1993 - Two Russian Mig 29s collided over the airfield - both pilots ejected and landed near the Red Arrows line. Both came into the BAe hospitality suite about 20 minutes later - calm as cucumbers.
1999 - Paris Airshow. Russian Su 30 failed to pull out after a 'spiral' manoeuvre - clipped his rear end on the airfield and ejected safely.
I witnessed the last five of these.
May I offer these 'off the top of my head':
1952 - John Derry's DH110 broke up at the Farnborough airshow 1952 - 31 killed. UK' worst airshow disaster
1962 - Fg Off Blackgrove dived into the ground at RAF Khormaksar - Aden Forces Day, Hunter FGA9
1968 - Farnborough Airshow - Breguet Atlantic crashed into airfield hangar complex
1983 - Air Training Corps/Recruiting Event flypast at Scarborough c1984. RAF lightning crashed into the bay after loss of control in tight turn. I assisted the local police with beach clearance and recovery of the deceased pilot
1984 - Farborough Airshow - Bill Loverseed (ex Red Arrows leader) crashed, spectacularly, on the runway after a tight finals turn
1993 - Two Russian Mig 29s collided over the airfield - both pilots ejected and landed near the Red Arrows line. Both came into the BAe hospitality suite about 20 minutes later - calm as cucumbers.
1999 - Paris Airshow. Russian Su 30 failed to pull out after a 'spiral' manoeuvre - clipped his rear end on the airfield and ejected safely.
I witnessed the last five of these.
The weekend before the Fairford Mig 29 collision, I'd been at Hradec Kralove in the Czech Republic with a VC10K3 on static display at their air show. Which included the same pair of MiGs. "That looks bloody sporting", we thought of their display - and promptly christened them 'The Dangerous Brothers' after the Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson comedy duo...
Apart from the near miss of the Typhoon at RIAT in 2005, the only other near accidents I've witnessed at air shows were a CF-18 at the Abbotsford Air Show on a very hot day in August 1987 which missed the ground by not very much (20 ft I heard later) pulling out of a loop and an F-111 at the last Alconbury air show in 1993 which came steaming in at high speed with wings full swept, turned hard and went into serious wing rock. I was chatting with a Tornado mate at the time and we both said "Did you just see what I saw?" - we thought he was about to depart. The next day he came in much the same, except with the wings rather less swept.
Then there was a B-1B at Griffiss AFB in July 1988 - it came in low and fast and pulled up into an impressive vertical manoeuvre... Rather too impressive as it turned out, I later chatted with their crew chief, a real old-time SAC character, who merely said "Young asshole overstressed my jet - we'll be here for days!"....
So fortunately no fatals, but a few rather tense moments!
Apart from the near miss of the Typhoon at RIAT in 2005, the only other near accidents I've witnessed at air shows were a CF-18 at the Abbotsford Air Show on a very hot day in August 1987 which missed the ground by not very much (20 ft I heard later) pulling out of a loop and an F-111 at the last Alconbury air show in 1993 which came steaming in at high speed with wings full swept, turned hard and went into serious wing rock. I was chatting with a Tornado mate at the time and we both said "Did you just see what I saw?" - we thought he was about to depart. The next day he came in much the same, except with the wings rather less swept.
Then there was a B-1B at Griffiss AFB in July 1988 - it came in low and fast and pulled up into an impressive vertical manoeuvre... Rather too impressive as it turned out, I later chatted with their crew chief, a real old-time SAC character, who merely said "Young asshole overstressed my jet - we'll be here for days!"....
So fortunately no fatals, but a few rather tense moments!
I witnessed and filmed the Fairford and Paris incidents, luckily with no fatalities but saw the Starfighter crash at Yeovilton. These things leave you with a sick feeling in your stomach. In the background on my Paris tape, a voice can be heard saying “Did he just hit the ground? Bu@@er, my kit is on that” It was the marketing guy from BAE Systems who had just installed an IN system or some such.
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I witnessed and filmed the Fairford and Paris incidents, luckily with no fatalities but saw the Starfighter crash at Yeovilton. These things leave you with a sick feeling in your stomach. In the background on my Paris tape, a voice can be heard saying “Did he just hit the ground? Bu@@er, my kit is on that” It was the marketing guy from BAE Systems who had just installed an IN system or some such.
A few I might mention are Le Bourget, the Tu-144, the Mig-29, the A-10 and I believe hearing about a Fiat G-91 a few years earlier, told me by an ex usaf chap who was on duty at the time and who had just vacated the area it came down in.
I might also mention a Canadian F-104 at Frankfurt, one of four, one without tip tanks, that had problems, wanted to return, but came down near the football stadium, wiping out a vicar and his family in their car. And a Harrier near Aschaffenburg (of which I also have a slide but little detail).
Not forgetting the loss of Stephen Piercey and his Flight pilot friend at Hannover whilst on a photo shoot with a Beech (1900?), and a little-known incident also at Hannover of a certain Shrike Commander pilot trying out his same skills in a Sabreliner and finding it not quite suitable...the result of which I also have as a photo somewhere. I knew the owner, or let us say the person in whose name the aircraft was registered, and am still in contact with one of his co-pilots.
best regards
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Steve Piercy was flying with Cliff Barnett. Hoover's issue with the German Sabreliner was an undercarriage problem I believe, though whether he had indulged in a little Tennessee Waltzing before hand I know not.