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Not everyone got the message

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I'd sure like to hear from pilots about this one. It *looks* to me like he signalled way too late to stop the takeoffs. Appears that the three planes behind him are already moving when he raises the canopy. Read the text description on the YouTube page.

Your thoughts?

TM
 
Sort of looks that way, but the camera foreshortens the depth of field.
He did take his sweet time to open the canopy.
Looks like he was about halfway down the strip. You would have thought he would have had enough momentum when the engine acted up to roll to the side.
 
He's very lucky, had the aircraft taking off been slightly to the left, he would have ate a prop! No reason for him to stop on the runway, he should have drifted off to the side. But of course, he's number 1 and has privileges, but saying that, attitudes can change, I think his now has. :encouragement:
 
Paul - just wondering aloud, but how the heck did those three planes get the OK to take off, if there was a plane sitting on the runway? It didn't just magically appear there.

And didn't the pilot who nearly crashed into him look down the runway before takeoff? Seems it would have been obvious there was something in the way, and he would have at least aborted his own takeoff halfway through the run.

Interesting there are no details about any of this on any aviation (and non-aviation) news sites, other than the video of the accident, and the pilot's own description of what he did.

TM
 
I agree that there is more to the story. The three aircraft should never have been permitted to take off, that was a stupid mistake. Not much fault can be directed to the center pilot, as those aircraft have limited visibility directly in front, you mostly take off and land with peripheral vision, a lot of tail draggers are like that, especially this type of aircraft where the pilot sets a little lower in the cockpit so the canopy can be made for less drag. This also decreases forward visibility. The program directors were asleep at the wheel on this one and could have gotten someone killed by their stupidity. JMHO. PJ

One thing I didn't mention was, someone gave those pilots the go ahead to take off, via radio or hand signal. During competition, no aircraft takes off without permission from an event director, FAA is very strict on this. Their just not publicizing what happened, more than likely an on going investigation is in the works. Even though so slight, an injury was involved here, that also throws the investigation into a different light.
 
Paul, wouldn't there be a NTSB report of the incident. I don't believe this is a recent incident as I remember seeing it on the news some time ago.
 
I've seen a short clip of the footage going around social media, but this was the first one where I saw it all the way through.
 
Thanks for the update Tom.
 
Two guys were very lucky. They should have bought lottery tickets that night. That was the only fear I had when flying - a midair collision. Very easy to happen when two planes are converging when both are flying in the same direction at the same altitude into the sun or somehow find themselves on top of each other in the pattern. Most collisions happen on a clear day with perfect visibility.
 
pdplot said:
Two guys were very lucky. They should have bought lottery tickets that night. That was the only fear I had when flying - a midair collision. Very easy to happen when two planes are converging when both are flying in the same direction at the same altitude into the sun or somehow find themselves on top of each other in the pattern. Most collisions happen on a clear day with perfect visibility.
Click to expand...

My daughter went to Embry-Riddle in Prescott. Went on to fly charters for 13 years, got married, quit flying, got two grandkids.
The summer before she started, they had a mid-air of two ER planes on approach to Love Field.

I took her to get checked in, then went off and found the safety instructor.
Old 'nam F-4 pilot.

I asked to see the report.
He said there wasn't one, as there were no fatalities.
I looked him in the eye and said "bullshXt".

Dead silence. Finally he said, go to the library, ask the librarian for a specific folder they keep behind the desk, and give his name.

Yeah, it was there.

Instructor, right seat, student left seat (172's?) observer student in back, on approach over the wash.
ANOTHER student on solo in a 172 came in above and settled on top of them. The three below could not see back and up through the wings and wing root, one above didn't see over the engine and through the floor.

Prop of upper plane cut through the cowling, chopped into the top of one of the cylinders, causing a very rough run. Instructor said "my controls", took over, realized handling was poor, power was poor, set it down on wheels in the wash...which dug in and in went over the nose onto it's back. Only injury then occurred when back seat student released belt without bracing and banged his head.
Upper plane, with bent prop, pulled up, clear, and made a safe landing on the field.

There was some issue with the tower calling out to observe aircraft on approach in front of them...and there was one just touching down...and both upper and lower planes thought that was it. Nobody said there were other aircraft on approach.

I wrote down the tail numbers, then went back to the safety instructor, thanked him, and he showed me the cylinder...was on the shelf the prop blade had cut, behind him.
He told me I was the ONLY parent who had EVER asked about the incident, and he was surprised at how forceful I was to get the info.

I told him it was MY daughter and I was going to make D@MN sure it was as safe as it could be.

Then I went and found the aircraft. The upper plane that landed safely was repaired and returned to service. I looked it over..carefully. No dents or creases. Doors and covers fit nicely.
The lower plane that inverted in the wash they wrote off, was in their accident training area for students to see if they could figure out what had happened to cause the damage.

So, yeah, poo happens.

Some time I'll tell you about my interaction couple of years later with the Chief Instructor.
I told him in no uncertain terms he did NOT want me to come down there right now.
 
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