Post by camtech on Sept 16, 2011 20:38:24 GMT 12
Here's another photo of Renai's Harvard
And one of the truck cab
And a report on the accident: -
"He's going to hit that truck", said the camper.
"He's left his wingtip behind", shouted the ranger.
"What is he trying to do, Daddy ?"cried the small boy.
"What indeed!" remarked the Airforce officer.
"He scared the living daylights out of me", complained the tractor driver.
“I said fifty feet, not five feet”, snapped the briefing officer.
"Irresponsible and unprofessional", reported the Flight Safety Officer.
"Report to the A.O.C.", growled the Adjutant.
Plt Off B. M. F. Renai 3 Feb 69
The pilot, the sole occupant of a Harvard, took off to carry out an hour and a half's continuation training that was to include aerobatics and low flying. The first part of the exercise completed, the aircraft entered the low flying area. After making several runs over a car park on a beach, the aircraft struck the cab of a parked truck with the port wing tip. Luckily, the driver of the truck had vacated his vehicle prior to the collision.
People in the vicinity of the collision stated that the pilot made several runs over them and the truck at heights estimated as ranging from 40 ft down to 9 ft AGL. One spectator, who was sitting on a tractor close to the truck, was so convinced that the aircraft was going to hit him that he jumped for his life.
Carrying on, the aircraft grazed the top of a sand hill before the pilot climbed his aircraft to 1,300ft and returned to base. He had to use a considerable amount of aileron and rudder to remain wings level. This wasn't surprising as about 18 inches of the port wing tip was missing.
It was not until the Harvard joined for landing that the pilot decided to inform the tower that his aircraft had part of its port wing missing. He did not declare an emergency, but made a high approach, crossing the boundary 5kts faster than usual to complete a safe landing.
The Harvard's port wing was so severely damaged that it was beyond economical repair. In addition to the wing tip being torn off, the wing main spar was distorted and the port aileron spar fractured.
The truck had been hit by the port wing tip about 5 ft above ground level. Damage to the truck was assessed to be in excess of $500.
*A bad incident which could so easily have been fatal not only to the pilot but to one or more of those unwilling and intimidated spectators in the area.
No one is authorized for low flying below fifty feet in a Harvard, and 50 feet means 50 feet above ground level in any manoeuvre.
This pilot was recently released from the restraint of pilot training and his exuberance tempted him to show off a skill which he proved conclusively he did not possess. For his flagrant breach of flying discipline the pilot was fined and awarded a loss of seniority by his Air Officer Commanding.
The pilot was briefed not to descend below 50 ft, lie had been airborne for only a short time, therefore fatigue should not have affected his judgement, and he was in current flying practice. There were no mitigating circumstances revealed in the inquiry into this accident.
And one of the truck cab
And a report on the accident: -
"He's going to hit that truck", said the camper.
"He's left his wingtip behind", shouted the ranger.
"What is he trying to do, Daddy ?"cried the small boy.
"What indeed!" remarked the Airforce officer.
"He scared the living daylights out of me", complained the tractor driver.
“I said fifty feet, not five feet”, snapped the briefing officer.
"Irresponsible and unprofessional", reported the Flight Safety Officer.
"Report to the A.O.C.", growled the Adjutant.
Plt Off B. M. F. Renai 3 Feb 69
The pilot, the sole occupant of a Harvard, took off to carry out an hour and a half's continuation training that was to include aerobatics and low flying. The first part of the exercise completed, the aircraft entered the low flying area. After making several runs over a car park on a beach, the aircraft struck the cab of a parked truck with the port wing tip. Luckily, the driver of the truck had vacated his vehicle prior to the collision.
People in the vicinity of the collision stated that the pilot made several runs over them and the truck at heights estimated as ranging from 40 ft down to 9 ft AGL. One spectator, who was sitting on a tractor close to the truck, was so convinced that the aircraft was going to hit him that he jumped for his life.
Carrying on, the aircraft grazed the top of a sand hill before the pilot climbed his aircraft to 1,300ft and returned to base. He had to use a considerable amount of aileron and rudder to remain wings level. This wasn't surprising as about 18 inches of the port wing tip was missing.
It was not until the Harvard joined for landing that the pilot decided to inform the tower that his aircraft had part of its port wing missing. He did not declare an emergency, but made a high approach, crossing the boundary 5kts faster than usual to complete a safe landing.
The Harvard's port wing was so severely damaged that it was beyond economical repair. In addition to the wing tip being torn off, the wing main spar was distorted and the port aileron spar fractured.
The truck had been hit by the port wing tip about 5 ft above ground level. Damage to the truck was assessed to be in excess of $500.
*A bad incident which could so easily have been fatal not only to the pilot but to one or more of those unwilling and intimidated spectators in the area.
No one is authorized for low flying below fifty feet in a Harvard, and 50 feet means 50 feet above ground level in any manoeuvre.
This pilot was recently released from the restraint of pilot training and his exuberance tempted him to show off a skill which he proved conclusively he did not possess. For his flagrant breach of flying discipline the pilot was fined and awarded a loss of seniority by his Air Officer Commanding.
The pilot was briefed not to descend below 50 ft, lie had been airborne for only a short time, therefore fatigue should not have affected his judgement, and he was in current flying practice. There were no mitigating circumstances revealed in the inquiry into this accident.
