Stunt plane crash at Silverstone.
Discussion
Hi everyone. I witnessed the crash of the aerobatic plane at Silverstone today in which the lady pilot was killed. We were at the race meeting at the other end of the circuit. There had been several planes practicing for a forthcoming competition.
The plane in question was in a vertical spin and had completed around six or seven revolutions when I thought she had better start pulling up. She dropped out of view and I was looking left and right expecting the plane to pop up. When it didn't I assumed it had landed.
Only later did we hear about the accident. It was a sobering moment to think that you have seen someone die.
Has anyone else has a similar experience at an airshow or similar?
Geoff.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/northamptonshir...
The plane in question was in a vertical spin and had completed around six or seven revolutions when I thought she had better start pulling up. She dropped out of view and I was looking left and right expecting the plane to pop up. When it didn't I assumed it had landed.
Only later did we hear about the accident. It was a sobering moment to think that you have seen someone die.
Has anyone else has a similar experience at an airshow or similar?
Geoff.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/northamptonshir...
SD,
As you can appreciate, today's events strike very close to home for all of us involved in competition aerobatics in the UK, and whilst I didn't know Vicki Cruse, she was well liked and highly regarded by a lot of my friends - most of whom are at Silverstone either competing in or running the competition.
A very sad day indeed.
The sad truth is that whilst we strive to make competition aerobatics as safe a sport as it can be, just as in other forms of motorsport, there are risks involved.
At the moment, just thinking of the family involved, and the teams and organisers at WAC.
Ed
As you can appreciate, today's events strike very close to home for all of us involved in competition aerobatics in the UK, and whilst I didn't know Vicki Cruse, she was well liked and highly regarded by a lot of my friends - most of whom are at Silverstone either competing in or running the competition.
A very sad day indeed.
The sad truth is that whilst we strive to make competition aerobatics as safe a sport as it can be, just as in other forms of motorsport, there are risks involved.
At the moment, just thinking of the family involved, and the teams and organisers at WAC.
Ed
Have controlled GA planes in three airfield accidents, two where all were ok, a bit banged up, one broken arm, one where a guy was killed.
Only one was a genuine proper pilot error mistake that can happen anytime really, the other two unfortunatley were pilots messing around, incl the guy who was killed, poor sod.
In one where the guy and his daughter got out relatively intact, he'd "bounced" on landing then stalled at about 50ft, turned 90 degrees straight toward the tower and piled in about 30m short of me! He later told me, he knew he was not going to save it and was gunna crash when he heard the crash alarm sound from the tower! I'd hit the button as soon as the stall started as it was inevitable!
Wont go into the circs of the pilot killed, but the other messing about incident where they were ok was a sartarse showing off to his "bird" (turns out was NOT his wife!!) who tried to start his take off roll from the taxiway, failed to negotiate the turn onto the threshold correctly, and went of the runway, nosewheel collapsed, prop hit and over he went....!
Hillarious seeing womans leapard skin handbag come flinging out of the upturned plane nearly taking firecrew's head off, followed by real angry woman in hot pants!!
It's always a bit unerving, and when the guy died, it was all a little surreal tbh. Took a day or so to sink in. I think the fact you have to carry on and deal with the other stuff you have in the air as a priority and leave the accident to the emergency guys, means it takes a while to really suss what has just happened.
Very sad incident today. I presume the crash was off the circuit.
Apparently yesterday they were preacticing with some unmanned full size RC stunt plane over the circuit! I'm not sure I like the idea of that...
Only one was a genuine proper pilot error mistake that can happen anytime really, the other two unfortunatley were pilots messing around, incl the guy who was killed, poor sod.
In one where the guy and his daughter got out relatively intact, he'd "bounced" on landing then stalled at about 50ft, turned 90 degrees straight toward the tower and piled in about 30m short of me! He later told me, he knew he was not going to save it and was gunna crash when he heard the crash alarm sound from the tower! I'd hit the button as soon as the stall started as it was inevitable!
Wont go into the circs of the pilot killed, but the other messing about incident where they were ok was a sartarse showing off to his "bird" (turns out was NOT his wife!!) who tried to start his take off roll from the taxiway, failed to negotiate the turn onto the threshold correctly, and went of the runway, nosewheel collapsed, prop hit and over he went....!
Hillarious seeing womans leapard skin handbag come flinging out of the upturned plane nearly taking firecrew's head off, followed by real angry woman in hot pants!!
It's always a bit unerving, and when the guy died, it was all a little surreal tbh. Took a day or so to sink in. I think the fact you have to carry on and deal with the other stuff you have in the air as a priority and leave the accident to the emergency guys, means it takes a while to really suss what has just happened.
Very sad incident today. I presume the crash was off the circuit.
Apparently yesterday they were preacticing with some unmanned full size RC stunt plane over the circuit! I'm not sure I like the idea of that...
Edited by s3fella on Saturday 22 August 23:52
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