crash at duxford today [2011]

[mazex]

Originally Posted by RocketDog

Some pics of the P-51 pilot bailing out here: http://forum.keypublishing.com/showt...=110391&page=3 (scroll down a bit)

It looks like the Skyraider wing hit the underside of the fuselage between the wing and tailplane (nearer the wing) and put a huge dent in it, perhaps damaging the control runs to the elevator and rudder. The BBC video shows the P-51 being almost knocked out of control by the force of the impact. The pilot's parachute deployed with only seconds to spare.

Combining the damage in this post with the "cut" in the fuselage:

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showp...0&postcount=77

With this drawing showing the control cables:

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showp...&postcount=174

I would say there is a big risk he lost the control cables... Bad luck as the damage to the airframe was not that bad otherwise? At the other hand, when managing to bale out at that altitude it feels a bit picky to talk about bad luck... Impressive to make that decision so fast and manage to get out in a few seconds.

Further speculation (would not speculate if someone got hurt!)...

Looking at the high res Youtube clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qME7VefLxFw

there is something weird with how flat the P-51 breaks away compared to the Skyraider and the other P51? Could he have gotten some engine problem that made a steep turn impossible? I guess the Skyraider pilot was confused that he could not see the P-51 while baking away hard - as the P51 had almost stopped turning at that point and went rather straight out after turning 60-70 degrees? May be fooled by the angle though...

[PeterPanPan]

This happened as I was leaving, so didn't see/hear it at all (which is odd, as I was in earshot of the tannoy system for ages).

Here are a couple of pics of the 2 aircraft involved, only a short while before the collision.

Is that a pitot tube under the Skyraider's right wing, where it's folded up? If so, that pilot also had to contend with a dead ASI and a missing wing tip. Makes his recovery and landing even better.

So pleased both pilots walked away ok.

PPP

[PeterPanPan]

... and here's a short clip of her last ever taxi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TujQuzoR2k8

PPP

[Houndstone Hawk]

Originally Posted by Mysticpuma

Amazing....gazillions of people there and we have two phone cameras capture the event 400-miles away!

Does no-one know how to operate a bloody camera!!!!!! That's the second clip where there is a collison and everyone stops filming....totally bizarre!

Thanks for the link though, cheers, MP

Sorry but I can't let this go. People like you bug the XXXXXXXX crap out of me. Only interestede in a 'creepy peepshow'.
Yes I videoed the whole event yesterday; yes I saw what happended, yes I immidietely then turned my camera off.

I realise had I had filmed the event then it would've been perhaps helpful to the air crash invistigation team at a later date & some good comes out of such footage but I'm glad my footage isn't used to entertain XXXXX like you.

BBD gone for good, massive blow but no one was hurt but you'll probably be disappointed in learning that there was no epic fireball or plumes of smoke or gasps from the crowd; just decent folk that knew when to stop filming, out of concern, respect, whatever!!!

[ckolonko]

The BBC video shows the wreckage of the P-51. From what I saw there is more than enough left of the 'plane to rebuild it. They have rebuilt Spitfires from less parts.

[swiss]

Originally Posted by ckolonko

the bbc video shows the wreckage of the p-51. From what i saw there is more than enough left of the 'plane to rebuild it. They have rebuilt spitfires from less parts.

rofl!

[JG52Krupi]

Have only seen the wreck on the distant pics but I hope your proven right or at least it's turned into a static rebuild it is one of the more famous survivors.

[ZG26-extralarge]

i dont think we will see bbd back in the air.....

[Viper2000]

Impressive flying by the Skyraider pilot to save the aeroplane. It's a miracle that nobody was hurt.

It wouldn't surprise me if the P-51 was rebuilt; the concept of "beyond economic repair" doesn't apply to this sort of aeroplane.

Originally Posted by Houndstone Hawk

Yes I videoed the whole event yesterday; yes I saw what happended, yes I immidietely then turned my camera off.

I realise had I had filmed the event then it would've been perhaps helpful to the air crash invistigation team at a later date & some good comes out of such footage but I'm glad my footage isn't used to entertain XXXXX like you.

[...]

just decent folk that knew when to stop filming, out of concern, respect, whatever!!!

I find this attitude most unfortunate. Accident footage is extremely beneficial to aviation safety. In addition to directly aiding the investigators, it also allows other pilots to get a feel for the anatomy of an accident.

This isn't really about the spectacular crash part which some may find ghoulish; it's about the lead-up (though it's also actually quite helpful for people to see what the limits of a parachute escape are, both in terms of time and altitude, so that they are better equipped to make that very important split-second decision should they be forced into a nightmare scenario).

It is a fact that safety is to a certain extent self-limiting because as things become safer, fewer people are exposed to accidents, which inherently limits their ability to learn from the mistakes of others. Video footage of accidents is therefore extremely useful, because it allows far more people to learn.

Not filming doesn't prevent the accident. Whilst there may be people who get some kind of kick out of watching crashes, I think that really that's their problem; it shouldn't be aviation's problem. If one person learns something which helps to prevent an accident, I personally think that's well worth any number of ghouls getting their rocks off.

[JG52Krupi]

I watch these accidents to understand where the fault lies, pilot or aircraft it's the same reason I watch aircraft accident investigations. But I'm sure there people that watch these shows for all the wrong reasons .

These videos do help investigations but I can understand why people would turn it off incase they are recording the last second of a persons life.