Another airshow plane crash!

STEED · 08-22-15, 10:05 AM

Not a good year in the UK..

Quote:

A Hawker Hunter plane has crashed into several vehicles after coming down at Shoreham Airshow in West Sussex.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34027260

Oberon · 08-22-15, 10:53 AM

Yeah, I've been mentioning it in the 'What are you doing now' thread, but it looks like Hawker Hunter T. Mk VII WV372 has crashed into cars at the traffic lights by Shoreham airfield, killing at least seven and injuring at least fourteen.

A video of her in happier times:

Here is a video of the impact (there is no sound):

Initial reports indicated the pilot had been pulled from the wreckage but these reports were quickly pulled indicating that they were incorrect.
Meanwhile, the Daily Fail:

Gutter press at its best there.

Tchocky · 08-22-15, 10:55 AM

They were one word away from decency

Commander Wallace · 08-22-15, 01:42 PM

It's easy to forget how dangerous flying combat aircraft can be since so many skilled pilots do it day in and day out. Condolences to the families
of the pilot and those lost on the ground. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for those injured as well.

Oberon · 08-22-15, 02:03 PM

Just got this from my cousin:

Quote:

I drove along the A27 en route to my brother's about 30 mins before. Saw the smoke from his house. It's chaos on the roads down here

Oberon · 08-22-15, 03:21 PM

Apparently the earlier reports about the pilot did seem to have a grain of truth in them as it's been reported that he is in critical condition in hospital.

eddie · 08-22-15, 06:03 PM

Tragic event all the way around. My prayers go out for all who were involved in this sad event.

Oberon · 08-22-15, 07:15 PM

The picture making most of the headlines tomorrow:

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...r_3415985b.jpg

Shocking, absolutely shocking...

eddie · 08-22-15, 09:32 PM

Reminds me of the time the Air Florida flight left Reagan National Airport during a winter storm, wings iced up and it pancaked right on top of cars on the 14th Street bridge, poor folks never knew what hit them, sadly just like this accident.

BossMark · 08-23-15, 05:29 AM

And the pilot survived the carnage all though he is in a bad way, my thoughts with all those involved in this sad and bad accident.

HunterICX · 08-23-15, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

The picture making most of the headlines tomorrow:

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...r_3415985b.jpg

Shocking, absolutely shocking...

Now that's a sight that comes straight out of a terrible nightmare

Oberon · 08-23-15, 07:27 AM

Life is strange, really.

After the Hawker Hunter crash yesterday, the Sea Vixen was already up, ready to do its display, it flew in salute overhead, and a short while after the Vulcan came through in tribute as well.

The last time we had an airshow crash of this magnitude when spectators or people outside of the airshow were involved was in 1952 at Farnborough when a de Havilland 110, the prototype for the Sea Vixen, broke up during a manoeuvre and crashed into the crowd, killing 29 people. There was a pause in the displays while the runway was cleared, and then an aircraft took off and did displays for the crowd.
That aircraft...a prototype Hawker Hunter.

Bookends in a tragic history.

Torplexed · 08-23-15, 09:28 AM

Would a plane of this vintage have had a ejection seat? Seems like it would, but maybe the aircraft was demilitarized for civilian airshow use.

Of course, I suppose that would look even worse in retrospect if the pilot bails in a vertical direction and parachutes to safety while his errant plane belly-flops in a major motorway.

Oberon · 08-23-15, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torplexed

Would a plane of this vintage have had a ejection seat? Seems like it would, but maybe the aircraft was demilitarized for civilian airshow use.

Of course, I suppose that would look even worse in retrospect if the pilot bails in a vertical direction and parachutes to safety while his errant plane belly-flops in a major motorway.

The original had a Mk2 Martin Baker, that may have been upgraded since then, but yes they do have ejection seats, not sure if it's a zero/zero though.
Honestly though I think the pilot was trying to bring the nose up to the last second but the sink rate was just too high.

Really there's two things that I expect the AAIB will be looking at, control failure or pilot error. Either the pilot misjudged his available altitude when he commenced his loop, sadly that is easily done, or the aircraft elevators did not work correctly to make the loop tighter. You can see in the video that there was possibly a stall while he was attempting to pull up out of the dive, so it looks like he had full control, just not enough height.

Must have been a terrible few seconds for him, realising that the aircraft wasn't going to climb up out of the dive, and realising where his flightpath was.

Terribly tragic for all involved.

Stealhead · 08-23-15, 09:55 AM

I don't think ejection sets are permitted in a civil aircraft even a demilitarized fighter.
The maintainence would be very cost prohibitive ejection seats and related systems require a lot of routine attention. The rocket motors that power the seats is the biggest issue.

Never mind FAA says that you can have functioning seats in a demilitarized aircraft but they must be fully maintained. So at least in the US you can again though I can see it becoming a cost vs need situation.

08-22-15, 10:55 AM	#3
Tchocky Navy Seal Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,874 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	They were one word away from decency __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

08-22-15, 06:03 PM	#7
eddie Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,023 Downloads: 99 Uploads: 0	Tragic event all the way around. My prayers go out for all who were involved in this sad event. __________________ Don't mistake my kindness for weakness. I'm kind to everyone, but when someone is unkind to me, weak is not what you are going to remember about me. Al Capone

08-22-15, 09:32 PM	#9
eddie Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,023 Downloads: 99 Uploads: 0	Reminds me of the time the Air Florida flight left Reagan National Airport during a winter storm, wings iced up and it pancaked right on top of cars on the 14th Street bridge, poor folks never knew what hit them, sadly just like this accident. __________________ Don't mistake my kindness for weakness. I'm kind to everyone, but when someone is unkind to me, weak is not what you are going to remember about me. Al Capone

08-23-15, 05:29 AM	#10
BossMark Fleet Admiral Join Date: May 2011 Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire Posts: 15,272 Downloads: 278 Uploads: 0	And the pilot survived the carnage all though he is in a bad way, my thoughts with all those involved in this sad and bad accident. __________________ Never trust the Tories look what Thatcher and Major did in the 80s and 90s and look what the wicked witch May is doing now doing now

08-23-15, 07:27 AM	#12
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Life is strange, really. After the Hawker Hunter crash yesterday, the Sea Vixen was already up, ready to do its display, it flew in salute overhead, and a short while after the Vulcan came through in tribute as well. The last time we had an airshow crash of this magnitude when spectators or people outside of the airshow were involved was in 1952 at Farnborough when a de Havilland 110, the prototype for the Sea Vixen, broke up during a manoeuvre and crashed into the crowd, killing 29 people. There was a pause in the displays while the runway was cleared, and then an aircraft took off and did displays for the crowd. That aircraft...a prototype Hawker Hunter. Bookends in a tragic history. Last edited by Oberon; 08-23-15 at 07:33 AM.

08-22-15, 10:53 AM	#2
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Yeah, I've been mentioning it in the 'What are you doing now' thread, but it looks like Hawker Hunter T. Mk VII WV372 has crashed into cars at the traffic lights by Shoreham airfield, killing at least seven and injuring at least fourteen. A video of her in happier times: Here is a video of the impact (there is no sound): Initial reports indicated the pilot had been pulled from the wreckage but these reports were quickly pulled indicating that they were incorrect. Meanwhile, the Daily Fail: Gutter press at its best there.

08-22-15, 01:42 PM	#4
Commander Wallace Navy Seal Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Under the sea in an Octupus garden in the shade Posts: 5,294 Downloads: 366 Uploads: 0	It's easy to forget how dangerous flying combat aircraft can be since so many skilled pilots do it day in and day out. Condolences to the families of the pilot and those lost on the ground. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for those injured as well.

08-22-15, 03:21 PM	#6
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Apparently the earlier reports about the pilot did seem to have a grain of truth in them as it's been reported that he is in critical condition in hospital.

08-22-15, 07:15 PM	#8
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	The picture making most of the headlines tomorrow: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...r_3415985b.jpg Shocking, absolutely shocking...

08-23-15, 09:28 AM	#13
Torplexed Let's Sink Sumptin' ! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,823 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Would a plane of this vintage have had a ejection seat? Seems like it would, but maybe the aircraft was demilitarized for civilian airshow use. Of course, I suppose that would look even worse in retrospect if the pilot bails in a vertical direction and parachutes to safety while his errant plane belly-flops in a major motorway. __________________ --Mobilis in Mobili--

08-23-15, 09:55 AM	#15
Stealhead Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,421 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	I don't think ejection sets are permitted in a civil aircraft even a demilitarized fighter. The maintainence would be very cost prohibitive ejection seats and related systems require a lot of routine attention. The rocket motors that power the seats is the biggest issue. Never mind FAA says that you can have functioning seats in a demilitarized aircraft but they must be fully maintained. So at least in the US you can again though I can see it becoming a cost vs need situation.