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Post by phil on Jan 28, 2006 13:04:53 GMT 12
That was the last fatal RNZAF crash in NZ, but we lost SQNLDR Muzza Neilson (CO 2 at the time) when he crashed NZ6211 at Nowra in 2001, I think it was.
I was working in the seat bay at the time, we got the word just after work, about 5.30pm and I was very worried that the obsolete old A4 seat had not got him out in time, but as it turned out he hadn't even had time to try and eject. He did have enough time to warn his wingman (Jason Easthope I think) to pull up, which he managed to do thankfully.
Of the fatal A4 crashes, two out of three were practising for air shows. What a waste.
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Post by phil82 on Jan 28, 2006 13:44:51 GMT 12
Jason Easthope was flying that very last solo display at Ohakea the day they were grounded. I was out on the tarmac in front of the tower, beyond the flight line, and I actually felt the air move as he came by. I have a photo taken from the other side of the tower which shows him below the cab. The tower is 80', so go figure! What were they going to do, ground him? He's flying for the RAF now I believe, F3s.
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Post by Calum on Jan 28, 2006 17:15:37 GMT 12
Jason Easthope was flying that very last solo display at Ohakea the day they were grounded. I was out on the tarmac in front of the tower, beyond the flight line, and I actually felt the air move as he came by. I have a photo taken from the other side of the tower which shows him below the cab. The tower is 80', so go figure! What were they going to do, ground him? He's flying for the RAF now I believe, F3s. Nope he flys hawks for the RAAF. How about you post that picture Phil. I'd like it for my A-4 alley site.  |
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Post by Calum on Jan 28, 2006 17:17:50 GMT 12
That was the last fatal RNZAF crash in NZ, but we lost SQNLDR Muzza Neilson (CO 2 at the time) when he crashed NZ6211 at Nowra in 2001, I think it was. I was working in the seat bay at the time, we got the word just after work, about 5.30pm and I was very worried that the obsolete old A4 seat had not got him out in time, but as it turned out he hadn't even had time to try and eject. He did have enough time to warn his wingman (Jason Easthope I think) to pull up, which he managed to do thankfully. Of the fatal A4 crashes, two out of three were practising for air shows. What a waste. Living at Nowra, and knowing Muz (i played water polo with him) it certainily was a waste. We had a 2 Sqn reunion in Nowra last ANZAC day and had a little service for him. He has a plaque in the base chapel. |
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Post by phil82 on Jan 28, 2006 18:25:15 GMT 12
Thanks for the correction on Jason Easthope; my info was wrong!
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Post by aileronroll on Feb 10, 2006 22:51:00 GMT 12
Saw a Hughes 500 pull itself to peices (as only a helicopter can) during a "deer recovery" routine at an airshow at Masterton in either 1984 or 86
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Post by mumbles on Feb 19, 2006 14:44:40 GMT 12
Alright, finally got the photobucket thing sorted. Here are two pics of the SE5 crash at the Air Expo at Mangere in November 1992  SE5 on it's nose just to the right centre of frame  Some time later the somewhat bent biplane is removed... These photos are far more average than I remember. It's amazing what can be acheived with a cheap pint and click camera with no zoom lens!. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 19, 2006 14:55:46 GMT 12
I couldn't find any cheap pints at the airshow - hehe
Interesting stuff though. I saw it on the news on the Saturday night showing the SE5 nosing over. I thought from that it was much closer to the crowdline.
Thanks for showing these.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 4, 2007 12:06:21 GMT 12
I have discovered another historical airshow crash in NZ. Apparentlyvintage aviation enthusiast Ron Alexander of Blenheim was killed whilst displaying the recently-restored single-seat Tiger Moth ZK-BDH at the Motueka Airport for a Labour Weekend 1976 fly-in and airshow organised by the Nelson and Motueka Aero Clubs.
The NZ Wings issue for November 1976 has an obituary and also photos from the airshow, showing the Tiger Moth, which was owned by Tom Williams of Masterton, before the crash.
Ron Alexander had apparently been one of the founders of the Golden Age Flying Society, which in 1976 became part of the SVAS. He was also known for his Keystone Kops routine, and for a routine they call 'wing stand' which I assume they mean wing walking. Apparently he and the late Jack moon had pioneered the latter routine. He'd flown in the RNZAF, TEAL DC-6'sand at the time of his death, the SAFE Air Argosy. A cartoonist too, he'd also written and illustrated the 1968 book High Adventure.
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Post by kiwi on Jan 4, 2007 13:04:51 GMT 12
Not quite what you are after but an accident at a airshow all the same . At one of the Wanaka air shows an occupied Portaloo was blown over by a helicopter landing to refuel !
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 4, 2007 13:10:11 GMT 12
I'll bet someone was really in the shit over that one! :-)
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Post by beagle on Jan 4, 2007 13:33:19 GMT 12
crappy remark dave
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Post by corsair67 on Jan 4, 2007 14:29:12 GMT 12
I wonder if anyone kicked up a stink about their shitty treatment?  |
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Post by Bruce on Jan 4, 2007 16:50:23 GMT 12
You could say the fan almost hit the.....  |
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Post by beagle on Jan 4, 2007 17:53:17 GMT 12
Give that man a paddle, the creek is full of it.
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Post by kiwi on Jan 4, 2007 17:58:12 GMT 12
If I remember correctly this was in the Gold pass area and the occupant was female .
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Post by ARU on Jan 4, 2007 20:53:17 GMT 12
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Post by Kereru on Jan 4, 2007 21:09:02 GMT 12
Didn't the Fokker hit a rabbit hole and rolled over?
I know there was a lady just a couple of metres from where I was standing fell down a Rabbit hole up to her knee and needed medical attention. More for the shock I think than any physical damage. I took a photo of the hole after the rescue. See if I can dig it out and post it. The car park and airfield edges were riddled with rabbit holes at Wanaka.
Colin
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Post by ARU on Jan 4, 2007 21:18:49 GMT 12
I dont know it was pretty much as soon as he touched down (more of my attention was on the yak3 warming up), but considering the value of the aircraft at the show, you would of thought that they would of giving the grass strip a good looking over
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 4, 2007 22:47:37 GMT 12
I don't know whether things are better now than they were before the Rabbit Calisi Virus was released, but you cannot balme the airport in terms of holes. That area has been devastated by rabbits. When I was on exercise Wise Owl there in 1993 I went for a drive with the Duty NCO whilst on security watch one night, and we sped the ute down the runway. In the headlights you could see nothing but rabbits, an absolute sea of them. They tried to control them but back then it was uncontrollable.
I too had heard whilst in the AFC hangar that the Fokker hit a rabbit hole. The photos remind me that the Sopwith camel had a similar ding at Masterton last year (or 2005?), but I can't recall if it was during a flying display. Also recently I found out Mark Hanna bellied the OFMC's P-40E before the 1998 show at Wanaka, and it was rebuilt within days to fly at the show.
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