December 1998:
- Rescue crews searching for the wreckage of a Piper Cherokee in
California's Salton Sea have discovered the corroded remains of a WWII
Grumman TBF Avenger
torpedo-bomber. It is located in 37 feet of water and covered by a thick layer of mud.
Though it appears largely intact, there are no plans to recover it due to its
substantially-corroded condition.
Sonar image of the "Salton Sea Avenger"
- 24 December: A
BAC Jet Provost trainer crashed into the sea
off the coast of Essex, England, killing owner/pilot Nigel Paterson.
February 1999:
- 4 February: Pilots Bill Jones and Greg Weber were killed when
their two North American T-28 Trojans crashed in the mountains near Joshua Tree, California. They departed Van
Nuys Airport, CA as a flight of two, headed for a fly-in at Thermal Airport in Palm
Springs. Approximately 50 minutes later, they flew into the side of Quail Mountain at the
5,300-foot level. Weather at the time of the accident was reported as "an overcast
sky, with clouds and rain showers obscuring the tops of the mountains." The crash
site was not located until the 6th of February.
March 1999:
- 10 March: The first privately-owned and operated
English
Electric Lightning, a T.5 (XS452), has flown at Capetown, South Africa. Operated by the
Classic Jets company, the Lightning will eventually be available for training and
adventure flights.
- The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed
substantial fines and certificate suspensions for at least two of the participants in a
formation flight staged between a passenger-carrying Northwest Airlines 747 and the
Collings Foundation's Consolidated B-24
Liberator bomber last summer. The airliner's captain, who was flying his
last flight before retirement, had pre-arranged the formation, and Northwest had approved
it. The FAA, however, took a dim view of the proceedings and has begun an investigation
into the matter.
April 1999:
- 19 April: A
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor operated by Sky Warriors, Inc. of Atlanta,
Georgia, USA, suffered an inflight breakup during mock combat maneuvering. The instructor
and his pilot-rated student were killed.
May 1999:
- 19 May: Raytheon released a "Safety Communiqué"
which essentially grounds all Beechcraft T-34
Mentor aircraft following two recent in-flight
structural failures. The areas of the aircraft affected by the resulting mandatory
inspections are the wing attach fittings and the wing spar assemblies.
- 30 May: An Australian
Commonwealth Wirraway crashed at an air show
at Naval Base HMAS Albatross, near Nowra, New South Wales, Australia. Both occupants were
killed.
June 1999:
- T-34 AD: The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Priority
Letter Airworthiness Directive (99-CE-22-AD) on
Beech Models 45 (YT-34), A45 (T-34A,
B-45), and D45 (T-34B) which restricts operation of these aircraft until the wing
structure has been inspected and found to be free of cracks. The Directive prohibits
aerobatic or utility-category operations, and limits the aircraft's maximum speed (Vne) to
152 KIAS.
- 19 June: Entrepreneur and inventor Steve Snyder, the owner of
South Jersey Regional Airport, Lumberton Township, New Jersey, USA, was killed in the
crash of his North American F-86 Sabre Mk.6. He was reportedly performing a flying demonstration for the
Bonanza Society, and impacted the ground during a flyby.
July 1999:
- A Federal Judge in Miami, Florida, USA decided against the US
Navy in a case involving noted warbird collector and museum owner Doug Champlin of Mesa,
Arizona. Champlin has been attempting to recover one of three known Douglas TBD Devastator
dive bombers from the ocean floor, 56 years after it ditched. He now has the right to
salvage the aircraft, but it is believed the Navy will appeal the decision. They claim
ownership of the airplane, despite the fact that the aircraft was stricken from their
records shortly after the crash.
- 29 July: A Chance-Vought F4U Corsair collided with a
Grumman
F8F Bearcat on the runway at the AirVenture airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA, destroying
the Corsair and seriously injuring its pilot, Laird "Lad" Doctor. The Corsair
had begun its takeoff roll while the Bearcat sat idling on the runway ahead. The
pilot of the Bearcat, Howard Pardue, was only slightly injured. A second Corsair narrowly
avoided the collision.
August 1999:
- 1 August: A privately-owned
BAC Jet Provost trainer crashed near
Gloucester, UK, killing both people aboard.
- 24 August: A
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 operated by Air USA of Quincy, Illinois,
USA, crashed while engaged in shipboard radar-tracking tests off the west coast of
Vancouver Island, Canada. Only debris and an oil slick were found after the airplane
disappeared from radar. Pilot Doug Schultz was killed.
- 24 August: The Finnish Aviation Museum and their volunteer
diving group have successfully raised a rare WWII
Messerschmitt Bf109-G2 fighter from the
sea. The airplane will be stored in a tank of fresh water until the salt-water corrosion
process has been halted. It will then be restored to static display condition for the
museum in Vantaa, Finland.
September 1999:
- 12 September: A
Cessna L-19 Bird Dog and a
Cessna O-2 Skymaster
collided in mid-air during an airshow in North Hampton, Massachusetts, USA, killing both
pilots.
- 24 September: New Zealand's Alpine Fighter Collection is
pleased to announce the rollout of their newly-restored
Hawker Hurricane IIb, which is
scheduled to once again take to the air very shortly.
- 25 September: Two pilots were lost in the crash of a
North
American SNJ-5 trainer in a residential area of Nashville, Tennessee, USA. The airplane
was seen maneuvering, then dove and hit trees and the ground before bursting into
flames against the side of a house.
- 26 September: Mark Hanna, legendary warbird pilot and
co-founder of England's Old Flying Machine Company at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, passed away
from injuries sustained in the in-flight fire and crash of a Hispano Buchon (Messerschmitt
Bf109) fighter near Barcelona, Spain.
October 1999:
- 1 October: A
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor of the Lima Lima flight team crashed in
rural Illinois, USA, after a mid-air collision with another Lima Lima aircraft during a
non-aerobatic formation practice session. The pilot, Keith Evans, was killed.
- 13 October: The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
(ATF) lifted its moratorium on the importation of subsonic ex-military aircraft. The
agency will resume processing of Form 6 applications. The Form 6 is necessary for the
importation of former military aircraft, since they are considered implements of war.
- 30 October: Ron Mitchell's
English Electric TT.18 Canberra
(WJ680) has made a successful engine run, and taxied under its own power for the first
time in many years, at Kemble Airfield, UK. This is the first of many tests which will
culminate in the restoration to flight status of the rare Canberra bomber.
November 1999:
- A Hawker Hunter jet crashed at Williams Gateway airport in
Arizona, USA after the engine failed immediately after takeoff. The pilot, ex-Blue Angel
Larry "Hoss" Pearson, suffered a fractured vertebrae, but is expected to make a
full recovery. Pearson's passenger, crew chief Terry Daubner, suffered only minor
injuries. The aircraft reportedly "shed engine parts" as it took off, then
plowed through a fence and a flood-control canal. It took rescue crews over an hour to
rescue the two men.
- 23 November: A Japanese Air Force
Lockheed T-33 crashed near Tokyo,
causing a widespread power failure throughout much of the city as it clipped two power
lines. Military leaders have grounded the entire Air Force until an investigation can be
completed.
December 1999:
- A group of over 20 volunteers in Bradford, Ontario, Canada has
begun the restoration of a 1944 Douglas A-26 Invader attack bomber which, for the past 25
years, had been sitting on a rooftop.
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2000:
- 8 January: A
Hawker Hunter Mk.4 crashed in a field
approximately half a mile short of the runway at Chino, California, USA, after the pilot
ejected following an engine failure. The pilot was ferrying the airplane from Mojave,
California to Tulsa, Oklahoma and elected to land at Chino for maintenance work. The
pilot, who ejected at a very low altitude, was seriously injured.
- The Corsair pilot involved in last July's spectacular runway
collision at the AirVenture airshow ("Oshkosh") has filed a lawsuit against the
pilot of the Bearcat he hit, claiming the other pilot was negligent.
- The crash site of a British Lancastrian lost in August 1947
has been found high on the side of Tupungato Mountain in the Andes, near the
Chile/Argentina border. The wreck still contained three bodies, which were partially
preserved by the cold. The airplane was enroute from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aries,
Argentina, when it vanished.
February 2000:
- A North American NA-64, N64WP, crashed near Clearwater,
Florida, USA, sustaining substantial damage. The pilot, who was uninjured, reported a
partial loss of engine power and was unable to regain enough power to make the runway. The
aircraft came to rest on a street, after striking trees and a telephone pole.
March 2000:
- 16 March: A barge left San Diego, California, USA, carrying 24
WWII-era warbirds to be used in the filming of the movie "Pearl Harbor" to be
filmed in Hawaii beginning next month.
- British TV has reported that a 1944
Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX sustained
minor damage at Duxford Airfield, Cambridgeshire, UK, after colliding with a parked
helicopter after landing. The pilot, Carolyn Grace, is Britain's only woman Spitfire
pilot. She was treated for shock.
April 2000:
- 8 April: One of three remaining two-seat
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXs,
G-TRIX, crashed during landing at Goodwood Airfield, West Sussex, UK, bursting into flame
and killing the pilots, Norman Alan Lees and South African Greg McCurragh. The aircraft
apparently clipped a tree and skidded down a bank and onto the Goodwood motor racing track
before coming to rest 50 years short of the runway.
- 9 April: A
Fouga CM-170 Magister VI, N495F, was destroyed and
both crewmembers killed after the jet crashed in a pasture near San Joaquin, California,
USA. Witnesses reported the aircraft performed aerobatic maneuvers at approximately 2,000
feet above ground level, ending in a series of descending aileron rolls into the ground.
- 15 April: A
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX crashed during a loss of
engine power during an air display at Swartkop Air Force Base, near Pretoria, South
Africa. The pilot, LtCol Neil Thomas, commander of South Africa's Air Force Museum,
sustained cuts and bruises. The military-owned Spitfire was extensively damaged.
- 17 April: A
Vultee BT-13 built to resemble a Japanese D3A
"Val" dive bomber crashed on Ford Island, Hawaii, during the filming of the
movie "Pearl Harbor," slightly injuring the pilot and heavily damaging the
aircraft. The plane apparently flew through an area of heavy smoke, clipped a tree and hit
the ground, coming to rest inverted.
- 17 April: American pilot Gus McLeod was forced to leave his
Boeing PT-17 Stearman biplane near the North Pole after a hard landing which damaged it.
- 28 April: A North American SNJ-5, N3187G, crashed on Beech
Mountain, near Elk Park, NC, USA. Both occupants were killed. Witnesses reported hearing
the sound of an engine sputtering prior to the crash.
May 2000:
- 19 May: A PZL Mielec AN-2 biplane sank through the ice at the
North Pole after landing with a load of adventure travelers, including Dick Rutan, the
pilot of the globe-circling Voyager aircraft. The group was rescued by a
deHavilland Twin Otter sent by the Canadian Coast Guard.
- 24 May: Telecommunications workers on Bathurst Island, north
of Darwin, Australia, have discovered the wreckage of a WWII-era Beaufighter strike
aircraft. The aircraft is believed to have crashed in November or December of 1942, and it
is believed the two-man Australian crew escaped injury.
June 2000:
- French newspaper Le Figaro has reported that a French
Scuba-diver has discovered what might be the wreckage of the
Lockheed P-38 Lightning flown by author and
aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupery when he disappeared in 1944. The wreck is located off the
coast of Marseilles, France.
- The Vulcan Operating Company at Bruntingthorpe Airfield,
England, has reported that its Avro Vulcan (XH558) will resume airshow flight
demonstrations by next year. The massive delta-winged bomber is one of several which is
under restoration to fly in the UK.
July 2000:
- The FAA has agreed to extend the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(NPRM) comment period for the T-34 Airworthiness Directive 2000-CE-09 to October 2000. The
directive applies to the wing spars of all
Beech T-34 Mentor aircraft.
- 19 July: The US Navy won its appeal against collector Doug
Champlin, who had claimed ownership of a rare Douglas Devastator located on the bottom of
the ocean. (See July 1999 story above.) The Navy says it wants to recover, restore and
display the aircraft at its Pensacola, Florida museum. Champlin, who says he will appeal
the ruling, wants reimbursement of the $130,000 he has invested in the aircraft's
recovery.
- The first civilian F-16 and F/A-18s may soon be appearing on
the warbird circuit. Air Capitol Warbirds of Wichita, Kansas, USA, is offering one of each
for sale. The aircraft are not airworthy, but it is believed they can be restored to
flight status.
August 2000:
- 18 August: An
Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin jet trainer crashed into the
sea during an airshow at Eastbourne, East Sussex, UK, killing the pilot, ex-Red Arrows
pilot Ted Girdler. Onlookers report that the aircraft appeared to have insufficient
altitude to complete a maneuver.
- A US House bill (H.R. 4205) has been introduced which might
inadvertently ground all surplus military aircraft in the USA. Its language aims to ensure
that ex-military equipment is thoroughly "demilitarized" prior to its sale to
civilians. In theory, the bill, if passed into law, would require all warbird owners to
render their aircraft unflyable.
- The Confederate Air Force (CAF), of Midland, Texas, USA, has
announced that its membership will vote next year on whether or not the organization will
adopt a new name in 2002. The group has been under pressure from corporate sponsors, who
are increasingly uncomfortable with the word "Confederate," a term which
is claimed by some segments of American society to have racist
connotations.
- The FAA has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) which has
effectively grounded the venerable Bell 47 helicopter in the USA, by calling for
additional inspections and time-limited replacement of certain hard-to-find parts. Several
sport aviation associations are expected to fight the issue on behalf of owners and
operators of the 50-year old aircraft, many of which have been in continuous use since the
Korean War.
September 2000:
- 2 September: A
Hispano HA-1112 (NX700E), playing the part of a
Messerschmitt Bf 109 for the filming of a scene in the Warner Brothers film "Pearl
Harbor," at Folkestone, England, experienced an apparent wheel brake failure after
landing, causing it to depart the runway surface, and collapsing the main landing gear.
The pilot, noted warbird pilot Steve Hinton, was uninjured. The aircraft is operated by
the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California, USA.
- 3 September: A
North American T-6 / SNJ, registered N440JG,
crashed in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, killing pilot Joe Gunnels. Witnesses reported
seeing the aircraft enter a 5-10 turn flat spin, from which it did not recover.
- 7 September: Another
T-6 / SNJ went down in Colorado, this time with
happier results. The aircraft, enroute to the National Air Races in
Reno, Nevada, suffered an engine
failure and made a forced landing on a major four-lane street in suburban Denver. No
injuries were reported.
- 21 September: The 53-year old wreckage of a Supermarine
Seafire (PR432) has been lifted by helicopter off a remote hill west of Glascow, Scotland
where it had lain since its pilot J.R. Knight hit the hill during a cross-country flight
in February 1947. Several blocks of stone will be lifted to the site to form a memorial.
Plans for the aircraft are unknown at this time.
- 23 September: A 1952
deHavilland DH-100 Vampire jet, N152RD,
crashed two miles north of the Ontario Municipal Airport in Ontario, Oregon, USA. The
pilot, Fred Ihlenburg, was killed. No persons or property on the ground were damaged in
the accident. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft enter a "series of rolls"
after a low, climbing pass, which continued to ground impact.
October 2000:
- 4 October: A newly-restored
Messerschmitt Bf 109 (Hispano
HA-1112), N109W, has made its first post-restoration flight in California, USA, under the
command of Charlie Brown. The aircraft is owned by Harold Kindsater.
- The US House bill which could have grounded all warbirds, H.R.
4205, has been re-written to remove the threatening language. The bill, as it was first
written, would have required all military items sold as surplus to be completely
demilitarized, with no time limit or "grandfather clause" for items already
sold, whether it was a bolt or a completely restored WWII airplane. The US aviation
community banded together in a remarkable grassroots effort to stop the bill from being
passed.
- 16 October: A 1946
Republic P-47N Thunderbolt, N47TB, owned by the Confederate Air
Force and operated by the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, was involved in a landing accident at
an unknown airport. According to the FAA's preliminary report, the aircraft's right brake
locked, causing the aircraft to skid off the runway and nose over in the grass.
- 16 October: The only airworthy
B-29 Superfortress,
"Fifi," operated by the Confederate Air Force, was safely landed after suffering
an engine fire shortly after takeoff from Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. The crew performed a
shortened landing pattern after the Number 3 engine began backfiring.
- 16 October: An aircraft mechanic was seriously burned and a
Douglas B-26 Invader aircraft operated by Airspray Ltd., a Canadian aerial firefighting
company, was destroyed in a hangar fire at the company's Red Deer, Alberta facility. Two
other B-26 fuselages and at least four other aircraft were also destroyed. An Airspray
F-86 and several nearby
PBY Catalinas belonging to Buffalo Airways narrowly escaped the
fire.
- 21 October: The UK-based Vulcan Operating Company (VOC) has
launched a massive fundraising effort to bring their
Avro Vulcan (XH558) back to flight
status in time for the 2002 airshow season. If the group is successful, the huge
1950s-vintage delta-winged bomber would be the only airworthy one of its kind in the
world.
November 2000:
- 3 November: A restored
Boeing C-97 Stratocruiser landed at the
Minneapolis-St.Paul Airport in Minnesota, USA. It will to be added to the aircraft
collection at the Minnesota Air National Guard Museum.
- 10 November: A Thai Air Force
Aero Vodochody L-39 jet trainer crashed in
northeastern Thailand during a training mission. The trainee was killed and the instructor
was seriously injured. Few details of the accident, which took place 130 miles northeast
of Bangkok, have been released.
- 17 November: Robert Ragozzino landed his 1942
Boeing Stearman
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA and became the first pilot to fly around the world solo in
an open-cockpit biplane. He flew more than 23,000 miles in 170 days, and beat a previous
speed record set by a US Army crew in 1924.
- 18 November: The Confederate Air Force, based in Midland,
Texas, USA has released the results of its recent membership vote (see August 2000 news
item) on whether the organization will change its name. 82% of the membership approved the
proposal. In late 2001, four proposed names will be submitted to the membership for
further voting.
- A rare North American P-82 Twin Mustang belonging to the
Confederate Air Force has been moved from Midland, Texas, to Gillespie Field, San Diego,
California to be restored to flight status. The aircraft, one of two P-82s in the world
which has the potential to fly again, last flew in 1987. It was disassembled and flown to
California inside a U.S. Air Force C-5 transport.
December 2000:
- Russia will allegedly repay part of its debt to Croatia by
delivering a number of aircraft, including at least two MiG-21UM
jets, and spare parts to support them.
- 9 December: A privately-owned BAC Strikemaster, registered G-BXFX, crashed in Lincolnshire, UK.
One of the two occupants was killed. Further details are not known.
- South Coast
Airways, based at Biggin
Hill, UK, has begun London sightseeing flights in their freshly-renovated DC-3/C-47, giving modern adventurers a chance to experience the
nostalgia of the Golden Age of Flight.
- 16 December: An Aero
Vodochody L-39C Albatros was damaged during a landing accident at Hilton Head, South Carolina,
USA. The pilot delayed extending the jet's landing gear until just prior to touchdown, and
since it had not fully locked in place, it collapsed upon landing. The pilot was unhurt.
- 17 December: The entire collection of
the Phoenix, Arizona-based Champlin Fighter Museum has been sold to the Museum of Flight
in Seattle, Washington, according to a press release. The collection will remain in its
present location until 2003, and will reopen on December 17, 2003, in Seattle. Museum
owner Doug Champlin will continue to act as the Curator Emeritus of the new collection.
- 17 December: A T-34
Mentor crashed during an airshow near Istanbul, Turkey, killing the pilot and a
passenger, and injuring two spectators. The cause is not known.
- 21 December: A 1944 Curtiss
C-46A Commando, operated by Everts Air Fuel of Fairbanks, Alaska went down in bad
weather during a flight from Nondalton to Kenai, Alaska, with the loss of both pilots.
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2001:
- The owner of a newly-imported Russian Mi-2 helicopter has had
his aircraft grounded at California's Hayward Airport while the FAA looks into allegations
that he flew it without an Airworthiness Certificate and without locally-required
insurance documents. Officials in Oakland, California, where pilot Thierry Thys was based,
asked him for the documents, but when he couldn't produce them (and later flew the Mi-2 to
nearby Hayward), the FAA was notified.
- 9 January: A Messerschmitt Bf 208 (Nord 1101), registered
N208BF, was damaged in a forced landing near McKinney Texas, USA, after it lost engine
power. The pilot was not injured, and damage to the aircraft was relatively minor. [The Bf
208 is the tricycle-gear version of the Bf108 Taifun.]
- 17 January: A Hispano HA-200 Saeta,
registered N3179Z, was involved in an unusual landing incident at Deer Valley Airport near
Phoenix, Arizona, USA. The jet's right wing tip struck the runway and started a small fire
on the wing, which then started a grass fire at the airport. The aircraft suffered an
unknown amount of damage.
- 21 January: A 1982 Nanchang CJ-6,
N6373S, crashed into a high school parking lot in Edgewood, Texas, USA, after striking the
guy wire of a radio tower. Both occupants were fatally injured, one of whom was the
aircraft owner. The pilots were flying from Georgia to New Mexico, where the owner lived.
- The Government of Nigeria has ordered the sale of over 600
out-of-service and abandoned aircraft from around that country. It is not known what
aircraft types are involved, but since at least some of the aircraft are rumored to have
been dormant for many years, warbird- and vintage-aircraft collectors are scrambling to
research the matter.
- 24 January: The chairman and CEO of Atlas Air, Inc., a
US-based cargo airline, was killed along with a reporter for the Washington Post, when his
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros jet (N602MC) crashed after takeoff from Front
Range Airport, near Denver, Colorado, USA. The reporter was riding along as part of an
interview he was conducting for a story on the pilot.
- Helicopter pilots Charlie Hollinger and Jack Kelly have begun
the formation of a worldwide association dedicated to the Bell Model 47 helicopter, a
versatile workhorse which has been in service for 50 years.
February 2001:
- Accident investigators at the site of last month's
Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros crash near Denver, Colorado, USA, have reported that the rear-seat
occupant of the aircraft may have jettisoned the canopy, either accidentally or
intentionally.
- 7 February: An unmanned QF-4 Phantom
drone operated by the US Air Force crashed shortly after takeoff from Tyndall AFB,
Florida, USA. Since the aircraft was equipped with a self-destruct system, police were
forced to close a nearby highway for several hours while an explosives-disposal team
examined the site for unexploded charges in the aircraft.
- 8 February: US officials have asked China's permission to
examine the wreckage of two recently-discovered aircraft crash sites in the Lang Gong
region of Tibet. The Chinese Foreign Ministry notified the Pentagon of the discoveries
last fall. It is believed that one of the sites is that of a US Army Air Corps Curtiss C-46
Commando transport which disappeared in March 1944. The crew of
four has been listed as "missing" since then. Very little is known about the
second site, except that it is described as a "WWII-era American plane." It is
not known how the discoveries were made.
- 10 February: An Aero
Vodochody L-39C Albatros, N901NL, crashed near Lafayette, Louisiana, USA, killing pilot David Jeansonne and his
passenger, Jennifer Lynn Girouard. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft performing
low-level aerobatics prior to the crash. The aircraft was a spare aircraft for the
Northern Lights aerobatic team, and Mr. Jeansonne was a major sponsor of the aircraft,
although not a member of the flying team.
- 12 February: A BAC Jet Provost, G-BYED,
reportedly landed in the water and mud flats short of a runway at Eglinton, UK. The pilot
apparently walked (swam) away uninjured, but the aircraft was nearly covered by water when
the high tide came in.
- 16 February: The World Wildlife Fund has discovered the
wreckage of four unidentified WWII Japanese fighter aircraft in six feet of water off the
shore of an Indonesian island. The area was known as West Papua during WWII. All four
aircraft are reportedly of the same type, but no more information is known at this time.
- 21 February: The United States Supreme Court has refused to
hear the case of International Aircraft Recovery vs. U.S., in which a private collector
was trying to retain salvage rights for a US Navy Douglas Devastator at the bottom of the
ocean. (See July 2000 news item.)
- The remains of a WWII P-51 Mustang and
its pilot have been discovered near Maubeuge, France by workers who were draining a field.
Bullet holes were discovered in the aircraft's engine, and its believed the aircraft was
shot down in January 1945. Among the personal effect found in the wreckage were the
pilot's scarf and a set of metal dog-tags stamped with the name "William
Patton."
- 27 February: A Yakovlev
Yak-11, N18AW, was
damaged during takeoff from Eagle's Nest Airport, California, USA, when it departed the
paved surface, bounced into the air, and came to rest off the opposite side of the runway.
The landing gear was extensively damaged in the incident. It was allegedly the pilot's
first flight in the aircraft, which he had just recently purchased.
March 2001:
- The Royal Australian Air Force has recovered the remains of
four WWII crewmembers from the wreck of an RAAF Beaufort bomber which crashed near Kawa
Island in Papua New Guinea in November 1943. The crew has been reported as "Missing
In Action" since they disappeared during a torpedo attack on enemy shipping.
- 15 March: A Douglas DC-3,
N842MB, experienced an engine fire during cruise flight over Georgia, USA. The engine was
shut down and the crew prepared for an emergency landing at nearby Donalsonville Municipal
Airport, but after attempting to feather the propeller and discharge the fire
extinguisher, the engine separated from the aircraft and fell to the ground, landing in a
farmer's backyard. The aircraft landed successfully, and the two-man crew was not injured.
- 31 March: A rare Douglas A24B Dauntless, N93RW, lost power and belly-landed into a muddy field near Angleton, Texas, USA. The
pilot and passenger suffered only minor injuries, and the plane appeared to have suffered
relatively little damage. The aircraft was piloted by the Chief Pilot of the Lone Star
Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas, Ralph Royce.
April 2001:
- 5 April: New Zealand's only airworthy Hawker
Hunter apparently made a gear-up landing at Ardmore Airport, New Zealand. The
circumstances of the incident are not known, but the pilot is believed to have escaped
injury.
- 10 April: A Canadian Air Force Tutor
jet flown by the Snowbirds demonstration team had its right main landing gear collapse
during a formation landing at CFB Comox. The pilot was not injured, and the team is
expected to resume its schedule shortly, after the incident is investigated.
- 14 April: A Fairchild PT-19A, N58123,
crashed at Midland International Airport, Midland, Texas, USA. The pilot, Roy Green, was
killed. The passenger, Capt. Manfred Aust, a U.S. Air Force T-37 Instructor Pilot at
Sheppard AFB, TX, sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was operated by the Confederate
Air Force.
- The Confederate Air Force has reported that it has received
over 1000 suggestions for a new organization name (See November 2000 news item). In
October 2001, its members will vote from a list of four pre-approved names, and the winner
will be announced in December.
- A new organization, the National Historic Aircraft
Association, has been formed. It is dedicated to the salvage and preservation of historic
aircraft. Membership is free for active members. For more information, please phone, fax
or e-mail Mike Baltrotsky, located in Maryland, USA. Telephone: (301) 930-1300. Fax:
(240) 371-5877. Send your mailing address, and they will send out an information
package.
- A fishing boat off the coast of India near Quilon has
discovered the wreckage of a Vought F4U Corsair fighter. It is
believed the aircraft may have been dumped in the water from the HMS Illustrious by the
Royal Navy after the end of World War II. The Corsair was brought ashore and appears to be
in poor shape.
May 2001:
- 10 May: The Southern Minnesota Wing of the Confederate Air
Force (CAF) has flown its newly-restored P-51C, N61429, after a
comprehensive restoration.
- 12 May: A Hawker Sea Fury FB.11,
G-EEMV, flipped over on landing at Sywell Airport, north of London, UK, killing the pilot,
Paul Morgan. Mr. Morgan was a co-founder and managing director of Ilmor, a well-known
auto-racing engine company, as well as a prolific warbird operator.
- 12-13 May: A dozen North American B-25
Mitchell bombers gathered in Fresno, California, USA for a reunion of the men involved
in the 1942 "Doolittle Raid" on Tokyo. Eleven of the bombers got airborne
simultaneously in what is believed to have been the largest B-25 assembly since the
filming of the movie Catch 22.
- 14 May: A Vultee BT-13, N66791,
operated by the Confederate Air Force (CAF), crashed at Bates Field, near Odessa, Texas,
USA, killing the pilots, Dan Secker and Neal Clifton. The aircraft was being operated on a
familiarization flight at the time. The CAF's "High Sky" Wing, which operated
the BT-13, also operated the PT-19 which went down exactly one month ago (See April 2001
entry), and their remaining aircraft, an SNJ-4, has been grounded pending a maintenance
review of the unit.
June 2001:
- 2 June: A deHavilland D.H. 115 Vampire
T.11, G-DHAV (XH308), crashed at the Biggin Hill International Air Fair near Bromley,
UK, resulting in the death of both pilots. The Vampire, operated by deHavilland Aviation,
Ltd., was in formation with the only airworthy deHavilland Sea Vixen, when it appeared to
stall and corkscrew nearly vertically to the ground. The pilots have been identified as
Sir Kenneth Hayr and Jonathan Kerr.
- 2 June: Earlier the same day, a deHavilland
Venom, G-GONE, operated by the same company, was involved in an inadvertent belly
landing incident which temporarily closed the runway at Biggin Hill.
- 3 June: In a sad turn of events, a second fatal accident
occurred at the Biggin Hill Air Fair. A Bell P-63A Kingcobra,
operated by The Fighter Collection at Duxford, UK, crashed in a ball of flame in front of
spectators during a maneuver. The pilot was former Red Arrow member Guy Bancroft-Wilson.
Eyewitness reports appear to indicate that the aircraft was too low at the top of a loop.
- 4 June: A Spitfire PR.XI, G-PRXI
(VS365) crashed at Rouen, France during an air display, killing the pilot, Martin
Sargeant. BBC news said the aircraft reportedly experienced engine problems, after which
the pilot attempted to perform a forced landing, but sacrificed himself to avoid landing
in the crowd.
- 8 June: The Central Texas Wing of the Confederate Air Force
announced the successful flight of their rare Bell P-39 Airacobra,
which has been undergoing restoration since 1997.
- 10 June: Two Aero
Vodochody L-39 Albatros jets of
the aerobatic team "Team Rus" collided during an airshow at Levashovo, Russia.
One of the two pilots was killed.
- 10 June: A Yakovlev Yak-52 crashed into a field
near Ferndale, Washington, USA, killing the two pilots, Jerry "Mike" Warren and
Alexander Zuyev. Warren gained notoriety in 1998 when his Cessna 150 became entangled in
power lines near Seattle, leaving him hanging upside down for four hours until rescuers
could reach him. Zuyev was the Soviet fighter pilot who defected with his MiG-29 to Turkey
in 1989 after a dramatic shootout with a sentry. He later emigrated to the USA and wrote a
book about his experience entitled Fulcrum.
- 16 June: A Fouga CM-170 Magister,
N301FM, crashed prior to an airshow in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA, after a
losing a wing tip tank, which led to
structural failures of the tail and wing. The pilot, Roger Simpson, and his non-pilot passenger, Sara Hanson,
were killed. [Editor's Note: Roger was a friend of ours, and our
deepest condolences go out to Roger's family and friends.]
- 25 June: M.L. "Lefty" Gardner's famous White
Lightnin', a Lockheed P-38L (N25Y), made a forced landing in a
cotton field west of the Greenwood-LeFlore, Mississippi airport, USA. Lefty's son, Ladd,
was flying the distinctive twin-boom fighter when the left engine apparently suffered an
in-flight fire, which caused the cockpit to fill with smoke, Unable to see, Gardner
successfully belly-landed the plane in the field and walked away with no injuries. The
plane suffered moderate damage but is rumored to be repairable. The aircraft was not
insured. (Contributions toward the repair of this aircraft can be sent to: M.L.
"Lefty" Gardner, 413 Malabar Street, Austin, TX 78734 USA.)
- 28 June: Near Orlando, Florida, USA, a drought-ravaged pond
has exposed part of what is believed to be a P-40 Warhawk fighter
which was lost on a training mission early in WWII. The aircraft appears to have been
looted by souvenir-hunters. Upon its recovery from the water, the wreck will be moved to
the nearby Leesburg airport.
July 2001:
- 2 July: The US Federal Aviation Administration issued its
long-awaited Airworthiness Directive (AD), effective 16 August 2001, pertaining to wing
spars of the Beechcraft T-34 Mentor. The AD was developed in response to
a structural failure accident in April 1999. The full text of the AD can be found at AOPA Online.
- 6 July: A 1943 Aeronca L-3B (O-58B Defender)
crashed near San Andreas, California, USA. The pilot/owner, Carrol Poe, a WWII veteran,
was killed.
- 8 July: Noted pilot, warbird owner and restorer Carey Moore
was killed in the crash of his Hawker Sea Fury FB Mk.11, N56SF
(TF987, Ser.# 37733), at the Sarnia International Airshow, Ontario, Canada. Television
footage of the accident appears to indicate that the aircraft stalled in a low-altitude
turn. It landed in a nearby soybean field, and no spectators were injured. Moore was the
president of Moore Aviation Restoration of Breslau, Ontario.
- 9 July: A Douglas DC-3 / C-47 Dakota ("Tico
Belle") operated by the Valiant Air Command was heavily damaged in a crosswind
landing accident at the Titusville, Florida, USA airport. The VAC intends to restore the
aircraft to airworthy status. (DC-3 parts wanted! Anyone wishing to help restore this
aircraft, please contact Mr. Robert James, VAC Warbird Museum, 6600 TICO Road, Titusville,
FL 32780 USA, Phone 321-268-1941.)
- 9 July: In order to create an artificial reef for divers and
marine life, an F-4 Phantom fighter was intentionally sunk in a
lake in Sparks Marina Park, Sparks, Nevada, USA. The jet was airlifted into its final
resting place by a Chinook helicopter after being donated to the park by local resident
Kevin Schwartz.
- 15 July: The Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper has
reported that the hangars at Warminster, Pennsylvania which used to house the Brewster
Aeronautical Corporation (manufacturers of the Buffalo fighter
and Buccaneer bomber), will be destroyed this fall to make room for retirement housing.
- 24 July: The Tamiami, Florida-based Weeks Air Museum, has
closed due to poor attendance and other factors. Owner Kermit Weeks will reportedly move
the collection to the EAA's Sun 'n Fun Sport Aviation Museum in Lakeland, Florida.
August 2001:
- The Confederate Air Force has announced the four organization
names from which its members will soon chose to be the new name for the Midland,
Texas-based warbird organization. The contenders are:
-- Heritage Flying Museum
-- Ghost Squadron
-- Heritage Air Force
-- Commemorative Air Force
CAF members will cast their votes on 5 October 2001, and the new name will be
announced on 7 December 2001.
-
Britain's Imperial War Museum at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, has
been allocated £14 million for the construction of an aviation heritage center to be
called "The Air Space." The funds came from two different sources: the Heritage
Lottery Fund and BAE Systems. The project is scheduled for completion by 2005.
- 4 August: A team from the US Department of Defense
POW / Missing-Personnel Office has left the USA for Russia to recover the remains of the
crew of a World War II US Navy PV-1 Ventura bomber, the wreckage of
which was discovered on the Kamchatka peninsula in 1999. The aircraft disappeared during a
mission on 25 March 1944.
- 13 August: The founder of the Santa Teresa, New Mexico-based
War Eagle Museum, John MacGuire, has passed away from a heart attack. Mr. MacGuire, who
was 80, had amassed a large collection of vintage and warbird aircraft, many of them
airworthy. It is presumed the museum will continue to operate and the collection will
remain in place.
- 16 August: A Curtiss P-40K undergoing
restoration was lost in a hangar fire in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. The aircraft was owned
by Bill and Mary Jo Stebbins. Arson is suspected as the cause of the fire.
- 16 August: A group of researchers who have been slowly melting
the ice around the crash site of a WWII Fairey Battle bomber in Iceland have reported this
week that they are beginning to uncover significant items from the site. A propeller
blade, machine gun, and various personal items from the crew have been found. The bodies
of the crewmembers were recovered shortly after the crash in May 1941, but the airplane
was quickly buried under ice and snow, and remained so until 1999.
- 24 August: A North American
T-6 Texan
crashed in Raton, New Mexico, USA, during an aerobatic practice flight. Killed were pilot
Minor Smith and passenger Matthew Hightower.
- 25 August: The UK's Telegraph newspaper has reported
that a family out walking in an Aberdeenshire forest has discovered wreckage from an Avro
Manchester bomber which crashed in 1943. The bodies of the Polish crew, along with large
pieces of the wreckage, were recovered long ago, but the family has found debris and and
several personal effects in the area.
- 27 August: Warbird collector Carl Terrana, of Seattle,
Washington, USA, was killed in the crash of his replica Hawker Hurricane near Buckley,
Washington. Terrana, a well-known aviation figure in the Northwestern USA, was noted for
his generosity and friendliness.
- 27 August: Two Grumman S-2s, operated
under contract to the California Department of Forestry as firebombers, collided near
Hopland, California while fighting a forest fire, killing the two pilots, Lars Stratte and
Larry Groff. A man accused of starting the fire was arrested shortly after the crash and
was arraigned on two counts of murder, among other charges.
September
2001:
- 6 September: A North
American P-51D Mustang,
N551CB (Ser No. 45-11381), "Glamorous Glen III," owned by Gary
Honbarrier, lost engine power and crashed near Lake Norman, North Carolina, USA. The pilot
and rear seat pilot-rated passenger successfully bailed out. They are identified as Butch
Caudle and P-51 "Obsession" owner Jeff Michaels. Caudle suffered some
minor injuries. The aircraft, painted to resemble Brigadier General Chuck Yeager's
original WWII mount (and often flown by General Yeager in airshows) was destroyed.
- 9 September: US warbirds to be grounded and destroyed?
Last year's US House bill H.R. 4205 (See August and October 2000 news items) resurfaced in
a new, slightly different form -- one which still poses a significant threat to
US-operated warbirds. The new Senate bill, S.1416, Section 1062, calls for the
demilitarization of "significant military equipment formerly owned by the Department
of Defense" without regard to how long it has been since the item was owned by the
government, or the type of item involved -- be it a rifle or an airplane.
- 14 September: The National Air Races in Reno, Nevada, USA were
canceled after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded all VFR aircraft
operations following terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, DC.
- 20 September: Last week, Glacier Girl, the Lockheed P-38 Lightning which was recovered from deep inside a
Greenland glacier in 1992 and is being restored to airworthy condition by Roy Shoffner in
Middlesboro, Kentucky, USA, came to life when its engines were started for the first time
in nearly 60 years. The restoration team plans to taxi the airplane in early October, and
fly it sometime next year.
October 2001:
- Warbird ownership in the United States continues to be
threatened by vague wording in the Defense Authorization Bill of 2002. To add to the
confusion, the bill has changed its designation several times, making it hard to track.
November 2001:
- The National Warplane Museum in Horseheads, New York, USA, has
closed for an indefinite period of time due to financial losses and decreasing attendance.
The museum's Board of Directors will use the "down-time" to develop
debt-reduction and fund-raising plans.
- Actor/pilot John Travolta has donated his Canadair
CL-41 Tutor/Tebuan jet warbird to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, along with a
large quantity of spare parts.
- 21 November: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD 2001-23-10) which applies to, among other
Beech / Raytheon products, the popular T-34 model. The AD requires an
inspection of flap flex-shaft assemblies, and possible replacement of these shafts,
depending on date of manufacture.
- 27 November: The remains of a ten-member U.S. Army Air Corps B-24 Liberator crew which was lost on March 5, 1944 have been
identified and returned to their families. The bomber disappeared in a thunderstorm during
a mission over Papua New Guinea, and the wreck was located in 1989.
December 2001:
- 3 December: India's 62-year-old Chief of Staff, Air Marshall
AY Tipnis became the world's oldest active-duty MiG-21 pilot,
after he underwent a solo checkout in the aircraft just prior to his retirement. The
flight was made from the Handigarh Air Base.
- 7 December: The 11,000 members of the Confederate Air Force
voted to change the name of the organization to "Commemorative Air Force." The
change was the result of a vote taken last year, after it was decided that the original
name was no longer appropriate in describing the organization's stated goals. The new name
will take effect on 1 January 2002.
- 8 December: A 1956 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15,
registered N151MG, lost its canopy shortly after takeoff near Miami, Florida, USA. The
canopy hit a house in Kendall, Florida. No one was injured, and the aircraft returned for
a safe landing.
- 10 December: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
issued their final findings on the fatal crash of deHavilland
Vampire N15RD in Oregon, USA (see news item for 23 September 2000). The pilot
apparently allowed the airplane to stall during a climb after a low pass. The Vampire is
known for its tendency to snap-roll and spin if mishandled in certain flight regimes.
- 11 December:
Section 1062 of the U.S. Defense
Authorization Bill of 2002 was deleted, eliminating the immediate threat that all
U.S.-operated warbirds might be grounded and destroyed at the owners' expense.
- Gesoco Industries, U.S. distributors of the Vedenyev M-14P
radial engine found on Yak-52 aircraft, among others, has
announced that the engine will now be available with an electric starter. Previous
versions of the engine were fitted with air-starters.
Index
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| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
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[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2002:
- 5 January: Restoration of a Grumman TBM
Avenger has begun at the Central New Brunswick Woodmens Museum in Boiestown, New
Brunswick, Canada. The aircraft was acquired from Forest Protection Ltd., which recently
decommissioned the WWII torpedo bomber after it had served more than 40 years as a
civilian water bomber.
February 2002:
- 4 February: The wreckage of a North American O-47 trainer
and observation aircraft lost in June 1941 has been found in the jungles of Panama.
- 5 February: A surplus F/A-18A Hornet fighter project has been
offered for sale on the eBay auction site by Air Capitol Warbirds of Kansas, USA. It is
believed to be the first and only one of its type available to the general public. An
F-16A Fighting Falcon was made available by the same company in 2001.
- New Zealand's Navy, in an effort to
provide its forces with realistic "enemy" aircraft for training purposes, has
recruited civilian-owned jet warbirds for that purpose, including a
Fouga
Magister, Hawker Hunter and
Cessna A-37
Dragonfly. New Zealand's Air Force, which formerly provided these services, has had
its budget for such activities cut dramatically in recent years.
- The first replica Messerschmitt Me-262
jet has rolled out of its hangar in Washington state, USA after many years of
construction. More information is available at the
Stormbirds
website.
March 2002:
- Air Heritage Inc., of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, USA, has
announced that a new agreement has been reached regarding the ongoing restoration of Mr.
David Tallichet's Douglas A-20H Havoc. The restoration schedule will be "stepped
up," and the aircraft should be airworthy in one year. This will result in the
world's only airworthy A-20. For more information, see the organization's website at:
http://airheritage.org/.
- WWII aircraft parts have recently been uncovered during the
excavation of two taxiways at the Chino (California) Airport. Most of the parts are small,
such as engine components, fuel caps, knobs, starting cranks and armor plating, but
several larger items such as landing gear legs and pilot's seats have also been unearthed.
The Chino airport was the site of an aircraft decommissioning facility after WWII, and
this is not the first time aircraft parts have been discovered at the site. Local
government authorities will soon decide what to do with the items.
- 15 March: An Antonov AN-2
Colt biplane
crashed in a pond near Santa Clara, Cuba, killing 17. The cause of the accident is
unknown.
- 17 March: Embassy sources in Columbia have
reported that a
OV-10 Bronco, possibly owned by the U.S. government, has crashed while
spraying illegal drug plants. It was reported to be flying in formation with five other
airplanes when it hit a tree. The pilot, a non-U.S. citizen and the only occupant of the
plane, was killed.
- 21 March: Legislative Affairs staff members from the Aircraft
Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) met with California Representative Gary Miller to
discuss ways to prevent further "warbird-grounding" language from being included
in Defense future bills. Rep. Miller has assured AOPA that the issue has been forwarded
all the way up the chain to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who is apparently working
to correct it.
- 21 March: A Republic P-47N
Thunderbolt (N47TB, Serial No. 45-53436) operated by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF)
caught fire on takeoff at the Albuquerque International Airport (KABQ), New Mexico, USA.
The pilot, Doug Jeanes, suffered minor burns and is in stable condition at a nearby
hospital. The aircraft was making a maintenance test flight following overhaul of the
engine. The aircraft was part of the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas. Though
heavily damaged, the aircraft is believed to be repairable.
(Photo submitted by Mark D.)
-
28 March: The world's only remaining Boeing
307 Stratoliner ditched in the waters of Elliott Bay, next to Seattle, Washington, USA.
All four crewmembers were rescued unhurt. It is believed that the aircraft suffered fuel
starvation, leading to the failure of all four engines. The aircraft is believed to be
restorable. For photos, please see
Bob Harrington's photos.
-
A restoration crew at the Palm Springs Air
Museum in California has just completed a massive restoration of a
SBD-5
Dauntless dive bomber (Bu.No. 36176) which sat at the bottom of Lake Michigan for 55
years.
April 2002:
1 April: A T-6D Texan, N7471C
(s/n 42-85550), crashed in Gainesville, Georgia, USA, killing the two pilots.
It was reported that the aircraft's engine failed in the traffic pattern, and the plane
hit a tree as the pilots were attempting to make it to the runway. The pilots were
identified as Dan Rocco and Don Keller.
4 April: Pilot Richard Wirth died when the T-28 Trojan he was piloting crashed near the airport in Uvalde, Texas,
USA. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft performing low-level aerobatics just before
the crash.
9 April: A formation of warbirds was watched
by a global audience when the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) provided a Lancaster bomber and two Spitfire fighters to
fly over the funeral of Britain's Queen Mother.
15 April: A 1943 Fairchild
PT-26 Cornell (CF-CVT, Ser.No FV720), operated by the Canadian Warplane Heritage
museum, was heavily damaged after hitting trees during an apparent off-field landing at
Port Colborne, Ontario. The pilot walked away from the crash unhurt.
18 April: In Columbia, South Carolina, USA,
eleven B-25 Mitchell bombers performed a formation flyover at the
60th anniversary reunion of Doolittle's Raiders, the squadron of B-25s which took off from
an aircraft carrier on a daring one-way mission to bomb Tokyo in WWII. The commemorative
formation was the third-largest gathering of B-25s since the end of the war.
19 April: P-51 Mustang owner and NASCAR auto
racing magnate Jack Roush was involved in a light aircraft accident in Troy, Alabama, USA.
His left leg was broken and he suffered head injuries when his AirCam aircraft crashed
into a lake near a housing development.
20 April: A U.S. Navy QF-4
Phantom assigned to the Naval Air Weapons Test Squadron crashed during an airshow
flyby at Point Mugu, California, USA. After one or both engines were seen to violently
flame out, the aircraft departed controlled flight. One crewmember ejected at low
altitude, but neither pilot survived.
25 April: The last remaining airworthy Spitfire
Mk IXe (TE566/ZU-SPT) in South Africa crashed and was destroyed,
killing owner/pilot Michael Snoyman. He was reportedly flying the aircraft home to its
base at Wonderboom Airport near Pretoria, when the engine lost power in the traffic
pattern.
May 2002:
4 May: Both the pilot and passenger walked
away unhurt in the crash of a Boeing PT-17 Stearman which suffered
an engine failure after takeoff at the Georgetown, Texas, USA airport during an airshow.
5 May: A Hispano HA-200
Saeta jet crashed after takeoff from the Perry, Georgia, USA airport, killing the
pilot, Randy Allen Smith. Witnesses reported that the aircraft appeared to have engine
problems prior to the crash.
9 May: The Planes of Fame Museum in Chino,
California, USA is pleased to announce the successful first test-flight of its unique Spitfire Mk XIX (PS890). Pilot Steve Hinton reported that the airplane
was fast, climbed well, and felt "like a Spitfire."
9 May: Another "first flight" --
this time a Lockheed C-121A (L749) Constellation, N749NL. The
ex-US Air Force Connie is now operated by a Dutch group which plans to eventually ferry it
to Europe. The 20-minute post-restoration flight went well, according to group members.
10 May: A Boeing C-97G
Stratotfreighter (s/n 52-2718, "Angel of Deliverance,") operated by
the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation, touched down at Floyd Bennet Field, Brooklyn,
New York, USA where, for the next two years, it will be displayed and restored in
commemoration of the end of the Cold War.
17 May: One of the world's only
civilian-owned English Electric Canberras has landed in New
South Wales, Australia after a long series of ferry flights from Bournemouth, England
beginning a week earlier. The TT.18 Canberra (WJ680) will be flown and maintained by the
Temora Aviation Museum.
June 2002:
2 June: An Aero
Vodochody L-39 Albatros jet overran the runway at Duxford airfield, Cambridgeshire, UK and crashed
through a fence, coming to rest in the middle of the busy M11 motorway. At some point in
the chain of events, pilot Gary Clarke ejected from the the aircraft while out of the
seat's operating envelope and was killed. The back-seat passenger remained with the
airplane and walked away unhurt.
3 June: A Boeing A75N1
Stearman, N60812, was heavily damaged on landing after ground-looping into a row of
trees at the New Garden Airport, Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania, USA. The pilot was uninjured.
9 June: North American T-6
Texan N60690 (s/n 41-17321), suffered a similar fate after ground-looping off the
runway at Salem Airpark, Salem, Ohio, USA. The aircraft's left landing
gear collapsed. The pilot was not injured.
18 June: A Yakovlev
Yak-52, N644LL, crashed near Antioch, California, USA during an aerobatic practice session. The
pilot, who was not the owner of the airplane, was killed.
19 June: A Douglas C-47
Dakota, ZK-AWP, was damaged after swerving off a snow-covered runway in New Zealand.
20 June: Six spectators visiting a Swedish
air base north of Stockholm were injured by an extremely low-flying Saab Viggen jet
fighter. Media reports said that the aircraft passed directly over the group at an
altitude of 30 to 60 feet, burning several members of the group and throwing others to the
ground.
24 June: The U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) has issued a proposed Advisory Circular (43-L39) regarding maintenance
programs and engine overhauls of Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros jet warbirds.
Interested parties are encouraged to submit comments on the proposal before 23 August
2002.
July 2002:
12 July: A DeHavilland
DHC-2 (U-6/L-20) Beaver, N3129F, operated by Bigfoot Air Charter, crashed in the
mountains southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, USA, killing the pilot and three passengers who
were being transported to a fishing lake.
13 July: The US National Interagency Fire
Center (NIFC) grounded eight firefighting aircraft because of cracks discovered in their
wings. The aircraft types affected were Lockheed P2V Neptunes and SP2Hs.
18 July: A 1945 Consolidated
PB4Y-2 Privateer airtanker (Tanker 123) broke up in flight while fighting a forest
fire near Denver, Colorado, USA, killing both crewmembers. Owned by Hawkins and Powers
Aviation of Greybull, Wyoming, the aircraft was the second firebomber to suffer a
structural breakup in the USA in as many months. It had recently undergone an inspection
for wing cracks. Following the accident, all US-based fire-fighting aircraft were grounded
for 48 hours.
An Avro Lancaster, C-GVRA
(KB726) and a Douglas DC-3, C-GDAK, were damaged after the
Lancaster apparently taxied into the Dakota following a flight at the Hamilton
International Airport, Mt. Hope, Ontario, Canada. The aircraft are both operated by the
Canadian Warplane Heritage organization. It is believed that mechanical failure
contributed to the accident.
The Bombardier Aerospace corporation has
opened a Commercial Service Centre which will meet the needs of operators of
out-of-production aircraft, including the DHC-2 Beaver. The CSC's
Technical Operations Centre phone help line is 450-476-6727.
28 July: The Museum of Flying in Santa Monica, California,
USA temporarily closed its doors after rising insurance costs and other factors dictated
that it search for a new home. It is rumored to be looking at locations in more rural
environments.
29 July: A program manager at Boeing has
announced that the one-of-kind Boeing Stratoliner, which ditched near Everett, Washington,
USA (See 28 March 2002 item) will be restored to airworthy condition and will return to
the air sometime next year. The aircraft will eventually be displayed in the National Air
and Space Museum's Dulles Airport Annex.
August 2002:
1 August: Thanks to the hard work of many
individuals and organizations, the US Federal Aviation Administration issued a Special
Airworthiness Bulletin (SAIB) which granted a deadline extension for mandatory (and
expensive) wing-spar inspections on T-34 aircraft. More information is available at: http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/regulatory/regt34.html
6 August: A Yak-52
crashed near Aledo, Texas, USA, killing the pilot and passenger. Witnesses reported seeing
the aircraft performing aerobatics prior to the accident.
An underwater imaging company has announced
that a B-29 Superfortress (Possibly Serial No. 521847) which ditched
in Lake Mead, Nevada, USA in July 1948 has been located by using side-scan sonar gear. All
five crewmembers escaped safely from the bomber before it sank, and the airplane was
mostly forgotten over the last 53 years. The National Park Service has now claimed
ownership of the airplane, and is keeping its location secret. Sonar images of the
airplane can be seen at: http://indepthconsulting.com/Lake_Meads_Los.html.
This aircraft was believed to be involved in secret tests of "Sun Tracker"
equipment at the time of its crash.
18 August: A Grumman C-1A
Trader, N189G, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in a cornfield near
Roseville, Illinois, USA. The pilot and four passengers were uninjured. The pilot reported
that the right engine suffered a severe failure and that he was unable feather the right
propeller, resulting in an uncontrollable descent.
September 2002:
11 September: A
North American P-51
Mustang race plane, "Miss America," was seriously damaged during a
forced landing during the National Championship Air Races at Reno, Nevada, USA. While on a
qualifying lap, the aircraft's engine blew and pilot Brent Hisey landed it half-on and
half-off the runway, causing it to spin around and come to rest on its belly. Miss
America crewmembers say the aircraft is repairable.
13 September: The Lost Squadron Museum has
announced that the first (and possibly only) flight of Lockheed
P-38 Lightning Glacier Girl will take place on 26 October 2002. This aircraft
was recovered from deep within a field of ice in Greenland after being abandoned in the
1940s after a forced landing.
18 September: A 1956 Mikoyan-Gurevich
MiG-15 UTI jet, N151MG, crashed in rural North Carolina, USA, while enroute to Naval
Air Station Oceana for an airshow appearance. The owner/pilot, Dr. Tom Righetti, was
killed. Air Traffic Control personnel reported that before the crash, the pilot radioed
that he was in a storm and was returning to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
29 September: A 1942 North
American T-6D Texan, N29930, crashed near Circleville, Ohio, USA, killing
pilot/owner Bob Beckman, a member of the "Team Texan" formation flying squadron.
According to witnesses, the aircraft stalled and spun during a post-flyby pullup.
October 2002:
8 October: The U.S. Army announced that a
14-man team has recovered the remains of four American servicemen whose Curtiss
C-46 crashed in China in March 1944. The team spent two months excavating the site,
which was located on a cliff face at an elevation of 15,600 feet in the Tibetan Himalayas.
26 October: The restored Lockheed
P-38 Lightning named Glacier Girl (see September 2002 News item) has made its
first flight in over 50 years. Pilot Steve Hinton made several laps of the Middlesboro,
Kentucky (USA) airport under cloudy, rain-laden skies. He cycled the landing gear several
times and performed two photo passes for the crowd, reporting that the aircraft flew well,
if slightly right-wing "heavy." The flight was captured by The History
Channel and will be broadcast early in 2003.
November 2002:
4 November: Airshow performer Jimmy Rossi
was killed in the crash of his Canadair Sabre VI (F-86),
"CrapShooter," shortly after takeoff from the San Isidro Air Force Base,
Dominican Republic. Witnesses reported that the engine failed catastrophically, and the
airplane went down in a marsh off the departure end of the runway.
10 November: Pilot Joseph Tobul was killed
in the crash of his Vought F4U-4 Corsair, N713JT, during an airshow
at Owens Airfield, Columbia, South Carolina, USA, after an apparent engine failure. The
aircraft went down in a swampy area behind a housing subdivision.
11 November: A planeload of Cuban defectors
landed in Key West, Florida, USA aboard an AN-2 Colt biplane.
25 November: The first of five replica Messerschmitt Me-262 Stormbird jet fighters has flown at Paine Field,
Washington, USA. The aircraft was undergoing high-speed taxi tests when it reportedly got
airborne after a 1,500-foot roll, and flew for approximately 1,000 additional feet. For
more information, see http://www.stormbirds.com.
December 2002:
4 December: The U.S. Forest Service has
permanently grounded the remaining fleet of WWII-era Consolidated
PB4Y-2 Privateer and Vietnam-era C-130A firebombers in the USA, after a panel of
experts claimed the firefighting program is unsafe and the airplanes are worn out. In
Summer 2002, one of each of the aircraft types suffered fatal inflight breakups.
8 December: The Antonov
AN-2 Colt biplane which landed in Key West last month (see 11 November entry) has been
ordered by a Florida judge to be auctioned off. Proceeds from the sale will help to
compensate the wife of a former Cuban spy. Ana Martinez now lives in the USA, and recently
won a large judgment against the Cuban government. Cuba is demanding the return of the
airplane.
The Blayd Corporation in North Dakota, USA
has announced the completion of the first of several new A6M2 Zero
re-creations. The aircraft, like the ones which will follow, is an exact replica, built
using an original airframe as a pattern, and powered by a new engine.
18 December: Sierra Hotel Aero, a St. Paul, Minnesota,
USA-based company, purchased the type certificate, production jigs, and engineering data
for the North American Navion series of aircraft. The company plans
to provide maintenance and repair support for current operators of the type, and will
offer improvements and modifications for existing airplanes, including 320-hp engine
installations.
20 December: The first replica Messerschmitt Me 262 jet (see 25 November 2002 news item) has made
its first official test flight, reaching a height of 2000 feet. Test pilot Wolf
Czaia reported the jet's handling qualities as "excellent."
20 December: The Highland Lakes squadron of
the Commemorative Air Force has taken delivery of a DC-3 named Bluebonnet Belle,
which it will restore to its original C-47 Skytrain configuration.
The aircraft will be based at the Burnet Municipal Airport, Texas, USA.
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2003:
11 January: Two occupants of a Cessna 182
were killed when their plane collided with a 1944 Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat,
N4994V, in the traffic pattern at the Parker Airport, Arizona, USA. The Hellcat,
registered to the Planes of Fame Museum, sustained substantial damage to its left wing,
but the pilot managed to land safely.
17 January: A replica Messerschmitt
Me-262 (see 20 December and 25 November 2002) suffered a collapse of its left main
landing gear upon landing at Paine Field, Everett, Washington, USA. The pilot escaped
injury as the plane slid 300 feet off the main runway, struck a concrete block, and came
to rest in a drainage ditch. Damage to the airplane appears to be extensive.
February 2003:
5 February: Paul Poberezny, the famed founder
of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), retired his P-51D
Mustang named "Paul 1." The airplane will be permanently displayed in the
Eagle hangar of the organization's Air Adventure
Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA.
10 February: A Harvard Mk IV,
N45918, made a precautionary landing in Riverside, California, USA after the pilot
reported fumes in the cockpit. After landing, a bullet hole was discovered in the left
wing.
14 February: A CAC CA-13 Boomerang, VH-MHR,
successfully made its first post-restoration test flight, from Toowoomba Airport,
Queensland, Australia. Pilot Wayne Milburn and owner Matt Denning reported that it flew
well during its 15-minute flight.
20 February: Prominent warbird owner Jim
Shuttleworth, of Huntington, Indiana, USA, was killed in the crash of his TF-51D Mustang "Scat VII," N93TF, (s/n
44-72922) near Wabash, Indiana. Witnesses reported that the aircraft was performing
aerobatics prior to the accident.
March 2003:
10 March: The Flying Tigers Warbird
Restoration Museum in Kissimmee, Florida, USA has announced that it will hold its annual
Aviation Auction on 30 March. The event will feature WWII memorabilia, aircraft parts, old
manuals, vintage art, books, and other rare items. For more information, see their Web site.
17 March: A Curtiss P-40N
Warhawk, N1226N, owned by the Commemorative Air Force, made a forced landing short of
the runway at Casa Grande Airport, Arizona, USA after suffering an engine failure. Pilot
Ollie Crawford was uninjured. The aircraft came to rest on its belly and appears to be
repairable.
20 March: A Cuban DC-3
airliner, operated by a commuter airline called Aerotaxi, was hijacked by six men
wielding knives. The plane was flown to Key West, Florida, USA, and was intercepted along
the way by US Air Force F-15s and a US Customs Blackhawk helicopter. The hijackers were
arrested upon landing, and none of the 30+ passengers and crew were injured.
April 2003:
4 April: A Boeing PT-17
(A75N1) Stearman, N2535R, ran off the side of the runway and flipped on its
back, at the Lakeland, Florida, USA airport. The pilot was uninjured.
5 April: A late-evening hail storm at the
Addison, Texas, USA airport damaged the B-17 and B-24
bombers operated by the Collings Foundation. The fabric-covered flight controls on both
airplanes were destroyed, and their paint and sheet metal were damaged. Both aircraft are
expected to be fully repairable.
15 April: A Grumman HU-16
Albatross crashed into the jungle south of Cancun, Mexico, killing American
owner/pilot Rob Carlson and three passengers. Circumstances of the accident are not known.
25 April: The Jayhawk Wing of the
Commemorative Air Force, based in Wichita, Kansas, USA has announced the first flight of
their newly-restored 1943 Cessna UC-78 Bobcat, N44795. It is now in
the identical colors and configuration that it had in 1944, when it served at Douglas AAF,
Arizona.
28 April: A 1947 Aeronca L-3B
(O-58B), N46183, was forced into a grove of trees by a gust of wind, after takeoff
from the Battleboro, Vermont, USA airport. The sole occupant was uninjured.
May 2003:
5 May: Noted T-6 Texan owner and warbird
flight instructor Rick Lucente was killed in the crash of an Air Tractor AT-503 near
Pontiac, Illinois. [Editor's Note: Rick was a friend of ours, and a great guy.
The staff of Warbird Alley offers its sincere condolences to Rick's family and friends.]
10 May: A
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk,
N263WL, operated by Advanced Training Systems International (ATSI) and flown by ex-U.S.
Navy pilot Phillip "Steve" Kenny, suffered an engine failure near Salt Lake
City, Utah, USA. The pilot ejected but was fatally injured when his parachute apparently
did not deploy. The aircraft crashed into the lake. ATSI owns a dozen A-4s used for
government contract work.
12 May: An article in Canada's National
Post profiled a new aircraft collector named Ed Russell, an Ontario architect who
recently became wealthy as a result of a lawsuit. Russell apparently has been acquiring
and flying a rapidly-growing collection of warbirds, including a Spitfire
Mk.IX and a Harvard, with plans to purchase many more types. The
article said that associates close to Mr. Russell have noted his abundant enthusiasm, yet
many have expressed concern about his extremely limited flight experience.
16 May: A 1945 Goodyear
FG-1D Corsair, N451FG, registered to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum of Addison, Texas,
USA, lost engine power and made a gear-up forced landing in a field near Era, Texas. The
pilot was uninjured, and the aircraft suffered relatively minor damage.
22 May: A Bell UH-1 "Huey"
helicopter which was clearing the old Kahoolawe weapons range in Hawaii suffered a cable
snag on its tail rotor and crashed, killing the pilot, Gary Freeman. Gusty winds may have
been a factor in the accident.
22 May: A North American
SNJ-6, N5485V, was damaged after a loss of control on landing at the Double Eagle II
airport, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. The aircraft apparently veered off the runway,
causing the main landing gear legs to collapse. The pilot was uninjured.
24 May: The firm which owns and operates the
fleet of A-4 Skyhawks mentioned in the 10 May 2003 news item, has
purchased an additional 17 A-4s from New Zealand's air force, which retired them in 2001.
It is possible that some of the aircraft may initially go to Australia for some government
contract work, but the rest will apparently be shipped to ATSI's operating location in
Mesa, Arizona, USA to join their existing fleet of 12 Skyhawks.
24 May: A North American
T-28C Trojan, N537Z (BuNo 140537), crashed in the hills near Los Angeles, California,
killing the pilot and passenger. NTSB reports indicate a possible loss of control in IFR
(instrument) flight conditions as the cause, and witnesses reported seeing the aircraft
exiting the bottom of the clouds in a steep dive before it hit the ground.
30 May: The EAA has reported that five former
gang members in Riverside, California, USA are taking part in the restoration of a Douglas DC-3, as part of a youth program administered by Poly Fiber,
Inc. and the Thomas W. Walthen Foundation. The airplane is owned by the Commemorative Air
Force. The students are learning various facets of aircraft restoration, in addition to
interpersonal communication, leadership development, and many other life skills -- and are
apparently doing very well.
30 May: An Aero
Vodochody L-39 Albatros jet, N139RH, crashed during an airshow rehearsal at the New Jerusalem Airport
near Modesto, California. The pilot, Andrea Ellen Rice, was killed when the aircraft
impacted the ground after performing several aileron rolls. The aircraft was one of three
operated by the Airshows America team.
June 2003:
7 June: A North American
P-51D Mustang, N6306T (s/n 44-74878), made a gear-up landing at the Quad Cities
Air Show in Davenport, Iowa, USA. The aircraft skidded off the side of the runway, and
owner/pilot Tom Wood of Indianapolis, Indiana, was uninjured. The aircraft appeared to
have suffered only minor damage.
Through the diligent efforts of EAA, AOPA and
other groups, the United States Senate and House of Representatives re-wrote legislation which had
threatened the continued existence of warbird aircraft (and virtually all ex-military
equipment) by requiring them to be destroyed at the owner's expense. The bills, this year
carrying the designations S.747 and H.R. 1588, were part
of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2004.
30 June: An Aero
Vodochody L-39C Albatros jet, N8125R, crashed at the Gadsden Municipal Airport, Alabama, USA.
Witnesses reported that the aircraft's engine failed on takeoff after ingesting debris,
possibly from an unlocked nose baggage compartment. The airplane stalled and the pilot,
Elmo Hahn, ejected from the airplane at low altitude. Because of the low altitude, he
struck the ground before his parachute could fully deploy. He was taken to a local
hospital, where he died a short time later.
July 2003:
9 July: Mojave, California-based BAE
Systems has won a U.S. Air Force contract to convert 24 F-4
Phantoms into QF-4 aerial target drones. Deliveries will begin in the late summer of
2004.
10 July: The last airworthy Heinkel He-111 / CASA 2.111 bomber, N72615, owned and operated by
the Commemorative Air Force in Mesa, Arizona, USA, crashed and burned near Cheyenne
Municipal Airport, Wyoming. Pilots Neil Stamp and Charles Stephen Bates were killed.
Witnesses reported hearing and seeing problems with at least one of the aircraft's engines
prior to impact.
12 July: A rare Fairey
Firefly (WB 271), operated by the Royal Navy Historic Flight, crashed during the Flying
Legends air display at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, UK. Both crewmembers perished. They
have been identified as Lt. Commander Bill Murton (pilot) and Neil Rix. This particular
aircraft was completely restored in 2001.
14 July: A Fairchild PT-26
/ M62-A3 Cornell, N103JC, made a forced landing on Saltaire Beach on Fire Island, New York, USA,
due to an apparent mechanical problem. Neither the pilot, passenger, nor bystanders were
injured.
16 July: A Lockheed L-188 Electra operated as
a water bomber by Airspray, Ltd, of Edmonton, Canada, crashed during a firefighting
mission near Cranbrook, British Columbia. Both pilots were killed.
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
has announced that a Texas jury has found the pilot of the Vought F4U
Corsair which crashed at the AirVenture air show in July 1999 to be 50% responsible for the accident, which appears
to clear the way for him to collect $1.25 million in damages.
16 July: A Mikoyan
MiG-15 bis, N15PE, aborted its takeoff from the Little Rock National Airport,
Arkansas, USA, after losing engine power. The aircraft crashed through the perimeter
fence, across a road, and into some brush, but the pilot, Tobe Gooden, was uninjured.
18 July: Repair of the Boeing 307 Stratoliner
which ditched in Elliot Bay, Washington, USA last year has been completed, and the
aircraft took to the air on its first post-restoration test flight. It will be displayed
at the EAA's AirVenture show later this month.
19 July: A Boeing PT-17
Stearman, N411BT, suffered an engine failure and landed in the middle of a busy street
in Hendersonville, North Carolina, USA. The owner/pilot and his passenger were unhurt, but
at least six people on the ground were injured and the plane was heavily damaged.
20 July: Glacier Girl, the P-38 Lightning rescued from the ice in Greenland in 1992 and restored
by Roy Shoffner, was awarded the Rolls-Royce Aviation Heritage Trophy and the National
Aviation Hall of Fame's People's Choice Award at the National Aviation Heritage
invitational award ceremony, in Dayton, Ohio, USA. Other winners included Ken Wagnon's P-51D Mustang "Cripes A' Mighty," which won the Henry
"Hap" Arnold Trophy for the Warbird category.
21 July: A report in the Scotsman
newspaper claims that fully-fueled and armed WWII German bombers are buried in underground
bunkers beneath Berlin's Schoenfeld Airport. Some bunkers, first discovered in 1993, were
deemed to be empty, but Stasi archival records have revealed new information about
additional, undiscovered storage areas under the runways.
22 July: A 1957 Hawker
Hunter T.7 two-seat jet fighter, N614XL (ex-XL614), crashed shortly after takeoff from
the Scranton-Wilkes Barre International Airport (Pennsylvania, USA) during a flight to
deliver it to its new owner in Canada. The pilot, noted F-104 owner
and airshow performer Tom Delashaw, was killed. The cause of the accident is unknown.
22 July: A Fairchild C-123K
operated on behalf of Starchaser Industries participated in the testing of an
experimental, manned rocket capsule by dropping it (and its pilot) from 10,000 feet over
Kingman, Arizona, USA. The British space tourism company is participating in the X-Prize contest.
30 July: Sweden's Ministry of Defense has
announced that they will recover the wreckage of a Douglas DC-3
which was shot down in 1952 over the Baltic Sea by a Soviet MiG-15.
The DC-3 was on a secret mission to track Soviet radar installations, and the incident had
been covered up until 1991.
August 2003:
2 August: An Aero Vodochody
L-39 Albatros jet went down in a field near Duxford Airfield, Cambridgeshire, UK.
The circumstances of the accident are unknown, but the pilot reportedly escaped injury.
4 August: A North American
T-6 Texan, N3518G, collided with the back end of a Beechcraft T-34
Mentor, N54RF, at Wittman Field, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on the last day of the EAA
AirVenture fly-in, severely damaging the T-34. Neither pilot was injured.
6 August: A North American
T-6D, N9272K, was damaged during a gear-up forced landing following an inflight engine
failure near Brookings, South Dakota, USA. The pilot was unhurt.
15 August: A Yakovlev
Yak-9U,
N6373Y, was damaged at the Salisbury-Wicomico Regional Airport, Maryland, USA after
owner/pilot Sean Carroll narrowly avoided a collision with another aircraft while
performing a "touch-and-go."
17 August: A Boeing PT-17
Stearman, N38998, crashed near Macon, North Carolina, USA. Pilot Joe Vance was killed
and his passenger was seriously injured after the aircraft hit trees just short of a
pasture after an apparent engine malfunction. The aircraft was fitted with several
external cameras, and the flight was intended to be an operational test of the equipment.
18 August: The world's only airworthy Bristol Blenheim bomber made an apparent gear-up landing at
Duxford Airfield, Cambridgeshire, UK. Neither of the aircraft's crewmembers were injured,
and the aircraft reportedly suffered only minor damage.
20 August: A Boeing A-75
Stearman, N806RB, suffered an engine failure and was damaged during a forced landing
in a cornfield near the LaCrosse Municipal Airport, Wisconsin, USA. The pilot was not
injured.
24 August: An Aero Vodochody
L-39 ZO Albatros jet, N298RD, crashed near Baltimore, Maryland, USA, after takeoff
from Martin State Airport. Owner/pilot Robert Martin, the sole occupant of the aircraft,
was killed. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft flying low and erratically before it
clipped the top of a house and hit the ground.
September 2003:
The wreckage of an Avro
Anson from the Indonesian Air Force which disappeared in December, 1947 has been
discovered in a swamp in Indonesia. The plane is believed to have been shot down by Dutch P-51s during the country's war for independence, and was piloted by the
founder of the Indonesian Air Force. A salvage operation is planned.
The remains of another vintage aircraft, this
time an RAF deHavilland Vampire jet, has been discovered in a
jungle. Vampire FB.9 WG871 was found deep in a forest in Malaysia by native people. The
aircraft, which flew from Tengah, Singapore with No. 60 Squadron, disappeared during a
night flight in March of 1952. The British High Commission is reportedly making plans to
recover the aircraft and/or search for the pilot's remains.
11 September: A Messerschmitt
Bf-108 Taifun, N2231, owned by the Commemorative Air Force, suffered an engine
malfunction and landed with its landing gear partially extended at White Sands Airport,
Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA. The aircraft suffered only minor damage.
21 September: A Nanchang
CJ-6, N9278F, landed gear-up at the Janesville Airport, Wisconsin, USA. The pilot
reported that he mistakenly retracted the landing gear instead of the flaps on final
approach. The aircraft suffered minor damage.
24 September: The pilot of a newly-completed
restoration of a Vought F4U Corsair, N45NL, was forced to make a
gear-up landing at New Smyrna Beach, Florida, USA, after the right main landing gear
refused to extend. Pilot Dale Snodgrass was not injured. The aircraft, owned by the
Collings Foundation, sustained damage to the propeller and belly, but appears to be easily
repairable.
25 September: A Grumman
HU-16 Albatross, N70258, crashed after suffering an engine failure near the St. Lucie
Airport, Florida, USA. The pilot and one passenger were seriously injured; one passenger
was killed. The aircraft plowed through a commercial honey farm, and rescue efforts were
hampered by the presence of tens of thousands of angry bees.
October 2003:
2 October: Famed test pilot Chuck Yeager suffered minor injuries after the North American T-6 Texan
he was flying (N2831D, Ser. No. 53-4577, owned by Ed and Connie Bowlin) veered off the
runway during a landing at Heaven's Landing Airport, Clayton, Georgia, USA. The aircraft's
wing was damaged and its main landing gear was torn from the airplane in the
accident. The passenger, Yeager's wife, was not injured.
[Accident
report>>]
3 October:
A Lockheed
P2V Neptune firebomber, N299MA, operated by the U.S. Forestry Service, crashed in the
mountains northeast of Redlands, California, USA, with the loss of both crewmembers
aboard.
10 October: A Max Holste
M.H.1521 Broussard, N239HL, crashed on takeoff from the airport at El Cajon,
California, USA. No injuries were reported. No further information is available.
13 October: An Aero
Vodochody L-39 Albatros, N139RG, operated by Red Star Jets blew its left main tire on landing at
Lexington, Kentucky, USA, The aircraft ran off the runway and struck a sign. The pilot was
not injured.
The US National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB) has issued a letter to operators of Yak-52 aircraft to be
on the alert for foreign objects which might impair the movement of the elevator bellcrank
behind the rear seat. A recent rash of accidents has been attributed to this factor. The
letter urges Yak-52 owners to install Plexiglas skin panels so they can inspect the
mechanism before flight.
A rare North American P-51H
Mustang, one of only five "H"-models in the world, is being restored at the
Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum in Rantoul, Illinois, USA. The museum is actively
recruiting volunteers who are interested in joining the restoration team, either through
direct work on the airplane; donations of parts, manuals, or advice, or monetary
donations.
18 October: A 1944 Grumman
FM-2 Wildcat, N681S, operated by the Commemorative Air Force, crashed in a field near
Ellington Field airport, Houston, Texas, USA after an airshow there. The pilot, Bill
Johnson, was killed and the aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft had been involved in an
air-to-air photo mission and was on final approach to land when it went down. The cause of
the accident is under investigation.
18 October: A deHavilland
DH-82 Tiger Moth biplane, ZK-DHA, crashed near Taumarunui Airfield, New Zealand,
shortly after takeoff. The pilot, notable aviation personality Nola Mary Pickard, and
husband Michael Stanley Pickard, were killed. The aircraft was observed to enter a turn,
then a spin, before hitting the ground.
24 October: A Czechoslovakian Let NP Kinovice Z-37A, N137MS (believed to be the only one on the US
civil register), crashed while attempting to return to the airport at Oak Hill, Florida,
USA. Both the pilot and passenger were injured, but further information is not available.
28 October: A North American
T-28B Trojan, N28AF (s/n 138321), crashed into a largely-wooded
area due to a catastrophic engine failure near Yreka,
California, USA. Well-known warbird pilot John Herlihy was killed, and
the other occupant was seriously injured.
31 October: The US-based Commemorative Air
Force (CAF) has voluntarily grounded its entire fleet of over 150 vintage aircraft until
24 November while it analyzes several fatal accidents which occurred this year.
November 2003:
Tom Reilly's Flying Tigers Warbird Air Museum, near Orlando,
Florida, USA has announced that it will soon be hosting its last Warbird Restoration
class. This course, offered several times each year, offered both an overview of the
skills and techniques used to restore vintage aircraft, and a chance to ride in a B-25 Mitchell bomber. The museum cites its increasing restoration
workload as the reason for discontinuing the classes.
2 November: Pilot/owner Dan Lavigna was killed
in the crash of his 1953 Canadair T-33, N99192, near Santa
Clarita, California, USA. The aircraft went down under unknown circumstances in a mobile
home park, destroying three homes and injuring one person on the ground.
[Editor's
Note: Dan was a friend of ours, and our condolences go out to his family and
friends.]
7 November: A Fouga CM-170
Magister, N573FM (Serial No. 573), registered to the Pavair Corporation, landed
gear-up at Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. The sole occupant was not injured.
9 November: During an airshow in Stuart,
Florida, USA, a 1956 Canadair Sabre Mk VI (F-86), N186FS, was
damaged when a pyrotechnics charge was prematurely detonated as the aircraft flew
overhead. After an inflight damage assessment made by another aircraft, the Sabre
owner/pilot, Ed Shipley, landed safely at an airport nearby. Witnesses reported seeing
parts of the nosegear doors departing from the aircraft after the blast.
The National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) has announced that they have developed a system which might
contribute to the resumption of space shuttle missions, by using two WB-57 planes carrying
sophisticated cameras. The WB-57 aircraft, which are derived from, and closely related to
the Canberra bomber, have been used for years by NASA, and
would make ideal observation posts from which to watch for pieces falling from the shuttle
during launch.
19 November: A Beechcraft
T-34A Mentor, N44KK, suffered an apparent structural failure and crashed while
maneuvering near Conroe, Texas, USA. Both crewmembers (Don Wylie and William Eisenhauer)
were killed. The aircraft was operated by Texas Air Aces, an air-combat and upset-training
company. It is not known what type of maneuver was being performed at the time of the
accident. A witnesses reported seeing one of the wings separating from the aircraft.
20 November: The seven-man crew of a U.S. Navy
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura bomber which was lost in March of 1944 has
been buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington DC, USA. The bomber disappeared
during a WWII bombing mission from Attu Island, Alaska, and its wreckage was discovered on
Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, first in 1962 and again in 2000. The crew's remains were
identified earlier in 2003.
December 2003:
16 December: Continental Airlines donated
their immaculate Douglas DC-3, NC25673, painted in 1954-vintage
livery, to the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas, USA.
31 December: The U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) has ordered a "special inspection" of all Beechcraft
T-34 Mentor wing spars within 120 days, following the 19 November accident in Texas in
which the right wing separated from one of the airplanes during air-combat maneuver
training.
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2004:
9 January: A twin-engine Piper Apache suffered
an engine failure on takeoff from Hicks Airport in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. Before crashing
into a hangar, the airplane clipped the tails of two parked North
American T-28 Trojan trainers on the ramp, substantially damaging both warbirds. The
T-28s are operated by Trojan Phlyers, Inc.
10 January: The T-34 Association has asked the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow at least one year for any required T-34 spar inspections to be complied with. In December, the FAA had
demanded a 120-day compliance. (See News item above.)
12 January: A new "reality TV"
series debuted in Britain, entitled "Spitfire Ace." In the series, four young
pilots attempt to learn to fly the famous Supermarine Spitfire
fighter.
February 2004:
Three rare warbirds are up for sale by the
Whale World Museum in
Western Australia. The aircraft, a PBY Catalina, Vultee Vengeance
and Vought Kingfisher, are partly restored, but the museum does not have the
resources to complete the projects.
A new aircraft, the Wildfire Unlimited Air Racer, is being built
to compete head-to-head against the traditional WWII-era fighter aircraft which have
dominated the field at such events as the Reno Air Races for many decades. Powered by an
R-2800 radial engine, it slightly resembles a
Grumman Bearcat.
A policy change appears
to be underway at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding the operation
of some warbird aircraft types. Among other actions, the FAA seeks to restrict
"flights for hire" of two-place aircraft which were originally single-place
aircraft, such as the P-51 and P-38, since they "no longer represent [the aircraft]
operated during World War II." They also seek to restrict "local educational or
nostalgia flights" of turbojet-powered aircraft, since these aircraft types are
"easily-available in the current international market," and they are therefore
not "unique." Further, the restriction appears to affect all
warbird aircraft manufactured after December 31, 1947. These actions came
to light when the Administration recently notified the Commemorative Air
Force (CAF) that they could only operate their experimental-category P-51,
P-38 and T-33 aircraft "for the purpose of carrying persons for
compensation" though 30 November 2004.
10 February: A Vietnam-war vintage 1965 Bell
UH-1 "Huey" helicopter began a month-long journey from the Bell factory in
Hurst, Texas, USA enroute to the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.,
where it will go on display as part of a new exhibit. During its trip, it will visit more
than 20 locations across the country.
15 February: An F/A-18 Hornet project appeared
on the eBay auction site. The aircraft was advertised as being an ex-Blue Angel airplane,
but it is not known how it came to be on the open market without being
"de-militarized." (Editor's Note: In July 2000, an F/A-18 -- believed to be the
same one -- was offered for sale by a warbird dealer along with a General Dynamics F-16
project.) The bidding for the Hornet project, which began at around one million dollars,
escalated to an unrealistic 99 million dollars before the auction was terminated by eBay.
20 February: A Mikoyan-Gurevich
MiG-21 fighter operated by the Indian Air Force crashed into a residential area in
India, killing four and injuring 14. The crash, the latest in a long string of incidents
in the past few years, renewed public discussion about the maintenance reliability of the
1960's-era fighters, which make up almost half of the country's fighter inventory.
March 2004:
2 March: An McDonnell-Douglas
F-4 Phantom fighter crashed in Turkey after an apparent midair collision with another
F-4. At least one crewmember parachuted to safety, but the fate of the other three is
unknown.
4 March: The Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) has revised an earlier Airworthiness Directive (AD) which applied to wing spars on Beech / Raytheon T-34 aircraft. Specifically, the Alternative Methods of
Compliance (AMOCs) which had been approved previously have been rescinded. The
Administration took these measures partly in response to a November 2003 accident in which
a T-34A in Texas lost its wing due to apparent overstress. Aircraft which have not
complied with the required inspections by March 15, 2004 will be grounded.
8 March: Rolls-Royce
announced that the National Aviation Heritage Invitational - Eastern Regional competition
will be held at the Dayton Air Races and Air Show, Dayton, OH on July 15 - 18, 2004, and
the Western Regional will take place on September 16 - 19, 2004, in conjunction with the
Reno Air Races, Reno, NV. Aircraft operators, restorers and owners of fully restored
vintage aircraft in original flying condition can enter. Entry applications, details on
eligibility and judging criteria are available at http://www.heritagetrophy.org.
19 March: A Fouga CM-170
Magister, registered ZK-FGA, and operated by a syndicate at the Ardmore Airport in New
Zealand, crashed into the sea during an aerobatic practice flight south of Auckland. Pilot
Chris Timms, a former Olympic gold-medal winning yachtsman, and Kerry Campbell, the chief
executive of the Ardmore Airport, were killed when the aircraft dove into the Firth of
Thames. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft in a spin prior to hitting the water.
A group in Gila Bend, Arizona, USA is pursuing
plans to create a "Classic Jet Airbase" there, with regular fly-ins and airshows
helping to attract not only jet owners and operators, but spectators from nearby Phoenix
and around the world.
Forest
Protection Limited, operators of a fleet of TBM Avengers which
were converted to firebombers in the 1970s, has decided to sell three more of the vintage
aircraft, along with maintenance and flight-training packages. The aircraft are registered
C-GFPS, C-GFPM, and C-GFPL.
Threat to
Warbird Rides: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering
revising regulations which govern the operation of vintage, antique and warbird aircraft
used to give rides. The proposals would effectively eliminate the ability to give rides in
the USA. Several large aviation organizations are battling the proposal, and your help is
needed. You can learn more about the FAA's proposal and find out how to comment by going
to either the PlaneRide.info site, or the National Air Tours site.
25 March: A former Polish Air Force MiG-17 (Lim-6) disappeared from radar and crashed near Truth or
Consequences, New Mexico, USA, killing the owner/pilot, George Cambron. The aircraft
departed from Roswell, New Mexico, headed for Phoenix, Arizona. After checking in with the
Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center, the pilot radioed that he was having fuel
transfer problems, then the aircraft disappeared. State Police and Civil Air Patrol teams
located the crash site after a two-day search.
26 March: A Florida-based company, Warbird Adventures, Inc., has added a fourth T-6 Texan (N454WA) to its fleet of trainers, which makes it the largest
T-6 flight training operation in the USA.
27 March: The U.S. Navy has filed a lawsuit
against a Minnesota warbird restorer who salvaged the wreckage of a rare, Brewster-built F3A-1 Corsair from a North Carolina swamp in 1990. The aircraft, which
went down in 1944, was stripped of armament and instruments by the Navy shortly after the
crash, then abandoned. The Navy now claims ownership of the airplane. The Brewster version
of the Corsair is extremely rare, and it is believed that its historical value is the
reason for the Navy's legal action. Restorer Lex Cralley has vowed to vigorously defend
his ownership of the airplane.
April 2004:
The Swiss-based Super Constellation Flyers Association has
announced that their Lockheed Constellation, long under
restoration in the United States, will soon be ferried to Europe, where it will be flown
on the airshow circuit for the public to enjoy.
5 April: The directors of the All Red Star
gathering of ex-Eastern Bloc aircraft have announced that this year's event will be held
on 12-16 May 2004 at Castle Airport, California, USA. Flight training and ground training
sessions will take place, and there will be plenty of socializing and good food. For more
information, see the All Red Star web site.
7 April: The wreckage of a lost P-38 Lightning found off the coast of France has been positively
identified as that of the airplane last flown in 1944 by famed writer and aviator Antoine
de Saint-Exupery, author of such classics as "The Little Prince" and "Wind,
Sand and Stars." The identification was made from a serial number found on a
piece of the wreckage. Saint-Exupery disappeared during a wartime reconnaissance mission.
10 April: A 1945 Grumman
FM-2 Wildcat, N5HP, registered to Howard Pardue of Breckenridge, Texas, veered off the
runway and flipped over at the Burnet, Texas airport. The owner/pilot escaped serious
injury in the accident. [See photo below.]
Photo submitted by Virgil Belk
10 April: A 1958 Pilatus P-3,
N860MK (s/n 498-47), crashed under unknown circumstances near Edgewater, Florida.
Pilot/owner Michael Keemar and passenger Lawrence Grinter were killed.
18 April: The US Federal Aviation
Administration has announced that public meetings will be held in Washington DC on 11 May
2004, and in Las Vegas on 21 May 2004, in order to hear from those who might be affected
by a proposed charity/sightseeing rule. The troublesome Notice of Proposed Rule Making
(NPRM), if passed into law, would effectively shut down hundreds of smaller sightseeing
operations, many utilizing vintage, classic and warbird aircraft types. [More information]
May 2004:
1 May: A 1953 LIM-2 (Polish-built Mig-15 UTI), N669MG, veered off the end of the runway at the Reading
Airport, Reading, Pennsylvania, USA. The owner/pilot was not injured, and damage to the
airplane was reported as "minor" or "none."
5 May: The EAA's well-known 1944 Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress "Aluminum Overcast" (N5017N)
suffered a slow-speed landing gear collapse during its landing roll at Van Nuys,
California. Damage to the aircraft is fairly extensive, but it is thought to be completely
repairable.
5 May: The first two aircraft have been moved
into the new display hall at the Newark Air Museum, Nottinghamshire, UK. A Jet Provost T3A and a Lockheed T-33A were rolled
into the large facility, marking the beginning of a process which will culminate in more
than a dozen aircraft eventually being on display.
7 May: A North American
OV-10A Bronco, N429DF, owned and operated by the U.S. Forest Service, made a forced
landing in a wheat field near the Hemet-Ryan Airport, Hemet, California, after losing
engine power during a maintenance ferry-flight. The pilot suffered minor injuries.
24 May: The U.S. Navy has dropped its
lawsuit against warbird restorer Lex Cralley, who retrieved a Brewster
F3A-1 Corsair from a North Carolina swamp [See 27 March news item]. North Carolina
Congressman Walter Jones is credited with using his political clout to get the Navy to
transfer the aircraft's title to Cralley, and to drop the lawsuit.
29 May: A North American
P-51C Mustang, N61429, (s/n 42-103645), lost engine power and crashed while
participating in an airshow at Red Wing Regional Airport, Wisconsin. The rare
"C"-model Mustang, named "Tuskegee Airmen," was operated by the
Minnesota Wing of the Commemorative Air Force as a tribute to the WWII Army Air Corps
group of the same name. The pilot, Donald "Pappy" Hinz, was taken to a local
hospital in serious condition, but passed away from his injuries on 30 May.
31 May: The pilot and passenger of a Boeing B75N1 Stearman, N48579 (s/n 75-6929), were killed when
the airplane went down near Mesa, Arizona. The aircraft was apparently scheduled to take
part in a Memorial Day formation fly-by near the time of the accident.
June 2004:
3 June: A 1954 North
American T-28B Trojan, N261FM (s/n 137655), suffered an apparent engine failure
and crashed after takeoff from Tampa North Aero Park, Florida, USA, killing the sole
pilot.
4 June: The pilot of a 1956 North
American T-28C Trojan, N404DK, escaped injury after performing a forced landing after
losing engine power on takeoff from Manitowoc County Airport, Wisconsin, USA, during an
airshow there.
12 June: A 1963 Hispano
HA-200 "Casa" Saeta jet, N611HA, crashed after takeoff at the Pueblo
Memorial Airport, Colorado, USA, killing co-owner/pilot Tim Nelson, who had recently
completed training in the airplane and was planning to fly it in airshows beginning this
summer.
13 June: An Aero
Vodochody L-39 Albatros, N3083Y, registered to Joel Pickett of Huntsville, Alabama, USA, suffered a
landing gear collapse after an apparent loss of control during takeoff at Griffiths
Airpark, Rome, New York, USA. The pilot was not injured when the aircraft slid off the
left side of the runway.
16 June: A 1944 North
American SNJ-5, C-GKGE, registered to North American Aviation, Inc. of Penticton,
British Columbia, Canada, crashed near Oroville, Washington, USA. The sole occupant was
killed.
20 June: A 1958 North
American T-28C Trojan, N28BZ (s/n 140637), made a forced landing in a field near
Deland, Florida, USA due to engine problems. The pilot was unhurt, and damage to the
aircraft is unknown.
22 June: A newly-restored Focke-Wulf
190-A8 was test-flown in Germany, the first such restoration of a Fw-190. The airplane
was restored by Flug Werk GmbH of Germany, and the test flight was conducted by
pilot Horst Philipp, who reported that the airplane flew well.
26 June: A Lisunov Li-2 (a Russian copy of the
Douglas DC-3/C-47) crashed near Moscow, Russia, after hitting a
house. The plane, which was enroute to a parachute competition, was scheduled to appear at
the EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, later in the month. Three of the five
people on board were killed.
29 June: White One, the replica Messerschmitt Me-262 jet which suffered a landing gear collapse in
January 2003, has made a successful third test flight in Washington state, USA, after a
long repair process.
July 2004:
4 July: A pair of fishermen using an
underwater camera in a lake near Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, discovered the wreck of a Cessna L-19 Birddog which crashed in October 1958. The body of the
pilot was recovered two weeks after the accident, but the plane was never seen again until
today. The plane is reported to be in amazingly good shape.
|
Underwater video footage showing part of the
vertical stabilizer of the missing L-19. Courtesy WCCO-TV. |
5 July: The Associated Press has reported that
the wreckage of a Douglas C-47 which was shot down in China in 1952,
and possibly the remains of its crew, have been recovered. The aircraft, operated by Civil
Air Transport, went down near the town of Antu after being hit by anti-aircraft artillery.
Two CIA operatives onboard survived, and were held captive for more than twenty years.
11 July: A North American
T-28 Trojan, N5832X, ran off the end of the runway at Apple Valley Airport,
California, after encountering windshear during landing. The pilot was not injured, but
the aircraft's wing and left landing gear were damaged.
17 July: Upon landing at the Caddo Mills
airport, Texas, USA, the brakes on a Cessna L-19 Birddog (N5255G)
failed, and the aircraft ran into another airplane parked near the runway. The pilot was
not injured.
August 2004:
13 August: A Florida-based warbird flight
operation, Warbird Adventures, suffered a setback as a tornado spawned by Hurricane
Charley collapsed a hangar and severely damaged two of their North
American SNJ trainers and two helicopters.
13 August: In related news, a Douglas DC-3 undergoing restoration at Orlando Executive Airport,
Florida, was picked up by the hurricane and blown into a number of hangars at the airport,
destroying it and the structures.
17 August: A 16-member recovery team returned
the remains of a U.S. Navy Lockheed P-2V Neptune patrol aircraft
which crashed on a glacier in Greenland in 1962.
20 August: What is believed to be the world's
last remaining Brewster Buffalo fighter has arrived in
Pensacola, Florida, USA, and is being prepared for display in the National Museum of Naval
Aviation. The aircraft has had a long, convoluted history since its
recovery from a Russian Lake in 1998.
28 August: A 1941 Boeing
PT-13 Stearman, N86600, crashed into Nepco Lake, near Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, USA
after hitting a suspended power line. The aircraft came to rest inverted in the water. The
pilot/owner was able to swim free, but the passenger was killed.
September 2004:
2 September: The U.S. Air Force Museum in
Dayton, Ohio, USA took delivery of a freshly-restored Mitsubishi A6M2
Zero fighter.
Aircraft restorer Mike Davey unveiled the
restored cockpit of a Spitfire fighter which was recovered from a
bog in Acklington, Northumberland, UK. four years ago. The cockpit section will be
displayed at historic Hooton Park airfield,
the same airfield where the plane was based until it crashed in 1942 during a formation
training mission.
5 September: A Fairchild
PT-19 Cornell trainer went down at Corsicana, Texas, USA, after losing engine power
after takeoff. Pilot Cliff McCluney and passenger Robert Burleson were killed.
10 September: A new bill (H.R.
5035) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives which, if passed, would have
severely restricted all types of General Aviation in the United States. Thanks to an
overwhelmingly negative response from the aviation community and other politicians, the
sponsor withdrew the bill on 15 September.
17
September: A Folland Gnat jet operated by Kennett
Aviation in the UK made an off-airport forced landing in a potato field
near its base at North Weald. The pilot was not injured and the airplane
appeared to be in good condition.
19 September: A 1989 Yakovlev
Yak-52, N6YK, ran off the runway while taxiing at Barwick Lafayette
Airport, Georgia, USA, and flipped over. No injuries were reported to the two occupants of
the airplane.
19 September: A 1941 Ryan ST3KR (PT-22) Recruit, N57015, made a forced landing in a pond at
a golf course near Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA. The aircraft was heavily damaged, but the
pilot was not injured.
22 September: Two occupants of
a 1941 Boeing PT-17 (A75N1) Stearman, N57003 (s/n 75-2223),
escaped injury after the plane crashed into a house near an airport in Bayport, New York,
USA.
24 September: A 1955 deHavilland Chipmunk 22A, N665WB, landed hard and cartwheeled into
the grass next to the runway at Chesterfield Airport, Richmond, Virginia, USA. The pilot
was not injured.
October 2004:
3 October:
A Lockheed
C-60 Lodestar, N6371C, Commemorative Air Force (CAF) operated lost directional control
and impacted the ground immediately after take-off at Midland, Texas, USA. The airplane
caught fire but it was immediately contained the Fire Department. Four of the five
occupants were uninjured and one was treated for minor abrasions at the scene. The tail
section and engines of the airplane sustained major damage.
8 October: A restored Messerschmitt
Bf 109 has flown at the Albstadt-Degerfeld airfield in Germany. The
plane was created from a Hispano H.A. 1112 along with many newly-manufactured parts. Test
pilot Walter Eichhorn made several "flybys" and pronounced the airplane as an
excellent flyer.
9 October: A Boeing PT-17 Stearman, N49738, crashed on departure in Jaffery, New
Hampshire, USA. The aircraft came to rest upside down in a field.
10 October: The Yankee Air
Museum at Willow Run Airport, Michigan, USA, suffered a catastrophic fire during the night
which destroyed the historic hangar that housed the museum, as well as the museum's
collection of artifacts, photos, books, and some aircraft which were under restoration.
Museum personnel were able to save the collection's airworthy B-17, B-25 and C-47 by rolling them out of the hangar,
and the outside static-display aircraft were untouched. The museum has established a
restoration fund; information is available at their website.
12 October: A DeHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth, N819DH, suffered a landing gear
collapse during a landing at Cross City, Florida, USA.
19 October: An Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros, N39TJ, went missing in the mountains near
Hyak, Washington, USA, after the pilot told Air Traffic Control that he was "out of
control." A search for the aircraft lasted for ten days and covered
2,400 square miles before being called off. Owner Rocky Stewart and passenger Scott Smith
are presumed dead.
A replica of a Nakajima Ki-43
"Oscar" fighter, the first of four exact replicas planned to be built by the
Texas Aircraft Factory in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, suffered the collapse of its landing
gear during a high-speed taxi test, and was substantially damaged. The aircraft is owned
by the Champlin Fighter Museum.
23 October: A North
American T-6 Texan, N92871, crashed under unknown circumstances in Gilbert, South
Carolina, USA, killing both occupants.
25 October: A 1985 Aerostar Yak-52, registered as N6203Y, was damaged in San Juan, Puerto Rico
after landing with its left main landing gear retracted.
25 October: Another threat to the warbird community in the USA: Language
contained in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2005 would ban any U.S. citizen
from engaging in any activity "that disturbs, removes or injures any sunken military
craft," including airplanes. This could halt efforts to remove old aircraft wrecks
and restore them to airworthy condition. EAA and other aviation organizations are fighting
the bill.
29 October: A North
American T-6C Texan, N7061C, registered to Aircenter, Inc., of Chattanooga, Tennessee,
USA, ground-looped after landing at Crestview, Florida. The landing gear collapsed, but
the pilot was not injured.
November 2004:
5 November: A Nanchang CJ-6, N82792, experienced a power loss and landed on a road
near the airport in Quincy, Illinois, USA. After restarting the engine, the pilot
reportedly taxied the airplane back to the airport.
7 November: A North
American SNJ-5, N6436D, crashed under unknown circumstances near Nantucket,
Massachusetts, USA, with one person on board. It is not known if the pilot sustained any
injuries.
11 November: The Commemorative Air Force has
created a P-51 Mustang flight simulator at the Mall of America in
St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. The simulator, located in a flight simulation arcade in the
mall, will help the Red Tail Project fund the repair of a rare "Tuskeegee
Airmen" P-51C, which was damaged in an emergency landing in May 2004.
14 November: A 1942 Douglas A-24B
Banshee / SBD-5 Dauntless, N82GA (s/n
42-54532),
operated by the Commemorative Air Force's Dixie Wing, experienced
a loss of engine power and a successful forced landing at Lee Airport,
near Deland, Florida, USA.
23 November: A deHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth, N5994M, suffered a landing gear
collapse and nosed over at Hawthorne Airport, California, USA. The pilot was not injured.
December 2004:
3 December: A 1988 Yakovlev Yak-52, N852GC, suffered a landing gear collapse
during a landing rollout at Carbondale, Illinois, USA. The pilot and passenger were not
injured.
5 December: A Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 UM, N1165 (s/n 0165), registered to
"MiGs of Delaware, LLC" veered off the runway after landing at Wilmington,
Delaware, USA. No injures were reported.
7 December: A Beechcraft T-34 Mentor, N141SW, operated by aerial adventure company Texas
Air Aces, crashed near Lake Conroe, Texas, USA, killing pilot Richard Gillenwaters
and a passenger. Witnesses reported seeing a wing separate from the plane. The accident is
the second T-34 structural-failure accident suffered by the company in thirteen months.
8 December: A group in
Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA has announced a "Corsairs
Over Connecticut" event to be held June 3-5, 2005. The day will honor WWII
veterans, and will include a large gathering of Corsairs, historically-accurate factory
displays, flyovers and even a narrated "test flight." The event takes place on
the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII.
8 December: The thirteenth
restored Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress bomber to fly in the world
took flight again at Warbird Adventures, Inc., Kissimmee, Florida, USA, after a 14-year
restoration. The aircraft, called Liberty Belle, is Don Brooks' tribute to all
the men who flew in World War II and was inspired by his father's contributions in the 8th
Air Force during the war. Another test flight is scheduled later in the month. [More information]
11 December: The U.S. Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an emergency Airworthiness
Directive for the Beech/Raytheon T-34 series aircraft, following
an accident on 7 December (see above). The AD grounds the American T-34 community for the
second time in just over a year.
14 December: The FAA is
seeking public assistance in finding a
long-term airworthiness solution for the Beechcraft/Raytheon T-34. More
information is available.
15 December: The Collings Foundation has
announced that their Consolidated B-24 Liberator, currently named
"The Dragon and His Tail," will be repainted with a new identity,
"Witchcraft," an aircraft flown in World War II by the US Army Air Corps' 467th
Bomb Group, 790th Bomb Squadron.
Index
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2005 |
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2008
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[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2005:
2 January: Kelly Freas,
a prolific aircraft nose-art illustrator in the Pacific Theater in World War II,
has died at the age of 82 in Los Angeles, California.
February 2005:
2 February: The EAA has
announced that this summer's AirVenture fly-in at Oshkosh, Wisconsin,
USA, which coincides with the 60th anniversary of end of World War II,
will feature appearances by a B-29 and a
B-24 (LB-30), both operated by the Commemorative
Air Force.
11 February: An
important milestone flight of a replica
Messerschmitt Me-262 fighter was accomplished in Everett,
Washington, USA, as the aircraft, called "White One," successfully
retracted and extended its landing gear for the first time since its
previous test trials in 2003, when the landing gear collapsed on
landing.
March 2005:
3 March: A Cessna T-41B
Mescalero,
N14449, registered to and operated by the Tennessee Department of
Forestry, suffered an engine failure and made a forced landing near
Sparta, Tennessee, USA. The aircraft nosed over due to soft soil and
came to rest inverted. The pilot was seriously injured.
7 March: A 1974
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros, N8098T, overran the
runway during landing and was substantially damaged at the Shreveport
Downtown Airport, Louisiana, USA. The pilot/owner and passenger were not
seriously injured. The pilot reported poor braking action on the wet
runway.
11 March: Presumptive
warbird restorer Lex Cralley, who rescued a Brewster
Corsair from a North Carolina swamp (See 27 March 2004 news item),
has been notified that his ownership of the airplane will come with some
stringent restrictions -- among others, that he may not fly the plane
for seven years, and that he must carry a $2 million liability policy
which names the Navy as an insured party. Cralley, along with Department
of Justice officials, are working to sort out the matter.
11 March:
Representatives from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)
and other organizations are in discussions with the FAA about the
Beech/Raytheon T-34 airworthiness issue, as well
as the future of other aging aircraft which are flown in the high-"G"
environment. The FAA considers the T-34 to be just one of several
high-interest aircraft which may experience a growing rate of
structural-fatigue accidents.
26 March: The pilot of a
North American T-6C Texan, N7055H (s/n
88-12150), taxied into and damaged a Cessna 172 which was holding short
of the runway at Chino, California, USA.
April 2005:
A new aerial event,
the Tunica Air Races, will be held June 2-5, 2005, in Tunica,
Mississippi, USA. Event organizers expect to host Unlimited Class, T-6
Class, and Formula One Class races, as well as flybys and aerobatic
demonstrations from various warbirds and airshow performers. For more
information see the event's web site at
http://tunicaairraces.com/
-
14 April: A
North American AT-6C Texan,
N7690U, suffered the collapse of its left landing gear while turning
off the runway at Lakeland, Florida, USA. The aircraft's propeller,
engine, and left wing were damaged, but neither occupant suffered
injuries.
18 April: A
Bell P-39Q Airacobra, N6968, operated by the
Commemorative Air Force (CAF) departed the runway and rolled into a
fence upon landing at Fredericksburg, Texas, USA, resulting in minor
damage to the propeller and the leading edge of one wing.
20 April: A 1966
Lockheed P-3 Orion airtanker crashed near Chico, California, killing
the crew of three. The aircraft, which was owned and operated by the
Aero Union Company, was on a forest fire training mission.
30 April: The sole
Fouga CM-170 Magister flying in Denmark, OY-FGA,
was severely damaged by fire. Owner/pilot Niels Egelund an a passenger
escaped injury after the cockpit filled with smoke during liftoff,
apparently due to a missing fuel cap.
May 2005:
5 May: The UK's only
airworthy B-17 Flying Fortress, Sally B,
has been effectively grounded by European regulations that require
her operators to insure the aircraft at the same level as a
commercial airliner, resulting in an absurd 500% increase in insurance cost. A
charitable trust has been established which hopes to get an
exemption to the regulations in time for Sally B to perform
her traditional Memorial Day flyover of the American Military
cemetery at Madingley. UK residents are encouraged to
contact their MPs in
an effort to get the law changed. For more information, see the
Sally B website.
7 May: One volunteer
was killed and another critically injured when the landing gear of
the wingless Douglas C-47 / DC-3 they were working on gave way and the
aircraft fell on them. The incident took place at the Valiant Air
Command's Warbird museum in Titusville, Florida, USA. 76-year old
U.S. Navy veteran Michael McDonough was killed, and an un-named 15-year old
volunteer was hospitalized.
9 May: A
North American SNJ-6, N453WA, operated by
Warbird Adventures of Kissimmee, Florida, USA crashed in a
thickly-wooded, remote area near Haines City, Florida, killing
Warbird Adventures pilot
Jonathon Hedgecock and pilot trainee Jim Kern.
10 May: The left
main landing gear of a Yakovlev Yak-52, N567CD,
collapsed upon landing in New Bern, North Carolina, USA, resulting
in minor damage to the airplane. The pilot
was not injured.
15 May: A 1976
BAC 167 Strikemaster Mk.83, N399WH, crashed
through a fence during takeoff in Boca Raton, Florida, USA. The two
people on board suffered minor injuries.
17 May: Air Assets
International has announced that they have signed an agreement to
have two Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters
restored. The restorations will be undertaken by the same company
that is presently building several flyable Me-262 replicas near
Seattle, Washington, USA, and it believed the two Bf 109s will be
restored to flyable condition.
19 May: Excavation
of a road intersection in London is scheduled for 30 May in an
effort to uncover the remnants of a a historic
Hawker Hurricane fighter that crashed on 15 September 1940, during the
Battle of Britain. After running out of ammunition, the Hurricane's
pilot, Sgt. Ray Holmes, intentionally rammed his airplane into a
German Dornier bomber. His actions are believed to have saved
Buckingham Palace, the bomber's target. The excavation of the
Hurricane's crash site, to be broadcast live on the UK's Channel
Five, is the result of the work of Chris Bennett and Steve Vizard,
aviation archaeologists who researched the crash of the Hurricane,
and contacted the pilot, now 89.
20 May: UK aircraft
restorer and pilot Clive Denney, who is spearheading an effort to
raise funds to fly a Spitfire and a
Hurricane from the UK to the island of
Malta, has announced that the fundraising is halfway to its £100,000 goal. The
flights, scheduled for September 2005, will commemorate the two
airplane type's significant combat involvement there during World
War II. [More information].
31 May: In a move
reminiscent of the actions taken after a series of
Beechcraft T-34 accidents, the U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration is now considering adopting 200-hour inspections of
lower wing attach angles on North American T-6
Texan aircraft, following several inflight wing separations on
the famous WWII-era trainer. T-6 owners, operators and type-clubs
are being asked to comment on maintenance experience with the T-6.
If you have information to contribute, please
contact the EAA Warbirds of America immediately. The deadline is 4 June
2005.
June 2005:
2 June: A
WWII-veteran Douglas C-47, N5831B (s/n
42-100882), arrived in Liverpool, England after being ferried from
Marana, Arizona, USA by its new owner, Paddy Green. During one stop
in Great Falls, Montana, it was briefly flown by Bill Allin, the
pilot who flew the airplane in the D-Day invasion of Normandy. The
plane will now be re-painted in the wartime colors and markings of
its original squadron.
8 June: The U.S.
Federal Aviation Administration has issued an Emergency
Airworthiness Directive (AD) for all
T-6 / SNJ /
Harvard type aircraft after a fatal accident on 9 May in which a
wing separated from the airplane inflight.
AD# 2005-12-51 requires immediate and repetitive inspections of
the inboard and outboard, upper and lower wing attach angles of both
wings, and, if cracks are found, replacement of the cracked angle
with a new one. All owners/operators are urged to read and study the
AD, and ensure they understand the required actions.
9 June: The EAA has
announced that this summer's
AirVenture convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA will be
attended by no fewer than five B-17 Flying
Fortresses, several B-25 Mitchells, a
B-24 Liberator and the world's only flyable
B-29 Superfortress, making the huge fly-in one
of the decade's best chances to see such a large collection of WWII
bombers in flight together.
13 June: A
Douglas DC-3, N3906J, operated as a cargo
aircraft, crashed on a street in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA,
after suffering an engine failure after takeoff. The three occupants
escaped serious injury, but the aircraft was destroyed.
13 June: A
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt that crashed in
1945 has been recovered from a lake in Traunkirchen, Austria. The
recovery project, carried out largely in secret, resulted in a
largely intact, apparently-restorable airplane.
16 June: A 1943
Fairchild PT-26 Cornell, N26GA, operated by
the Dixie Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, crashed after takeoff
from Peach State Airport, Williamson, Georgia, USA. Both the pilot
and the pilot-rated passenger were killed. Witnesses reported that
the aircraft struck a tree.
21 June: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, N962KY, lost power and crashed at
Columbus, Nebraska, USA. The pilot was not injured.
22 June: A
North American T-6 Texan, N39403, operated by
the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, suffered a landing gear collapse at its
home base at Addison, Texas. Damage to the aircraft, which won "Best
T-6" at this year's EAA Sun-N-Fun fly-in, was minor.
24 June: The
wreckage of an Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros jet, N39TJ,
which disappeared last October over the mountains east of Seattle,
Washington, USA, has been located by hikers in a remote, dense
forest near the town of
Kittitas. Remains of the pilot and passenger were found, along with
personal effects.
24 June: A replica
Mitsubishi A6M Zero (Harvard IV N15797) registered to the
Commemorative Air Force, collided with a
North
American T-28B Trojan (N9060F), registered to "Trojan Phylers"
of Fort Worth, Texas, while exiting the runway at Abilene, Texas,
USA. Both aircraft sustained substantial damage.
July 2005:
9 July: A replica
Yakovlev Yak-3 (a 1996 Yak-3UR), N134US, crashed at
Heber City, Utah, USA. Both the pilot and passenger suffered
injuries; further details of the accident are not known at this
time.
9 July: A 1944
North American P-51D Mustang, N10607 (s/n 44-7446), registered to Advanced Air, Inc., lost power and
crashed in a field off the end of the runway at Tarkio, Missouri, USA. The
pilot was not injured, but the aircraft suffered substantial
damage.
10 July:
In a series of intricate moves,
four more aircraft at the UK's
Newark Air Museum
were moved inside Display Hangar 2, which was funded with a grant
of £453,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The museum's Wessex,
Canberra, Jetstream and
Gannet were carefully maneuvered into the
western end of the hangar. Two further aircraft, a
Meteor NF12 and a
Saab Draken, will soon be moved into the eastern end of the
new hangar.
23 July: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, N2331C, crashed during an airshow in
Claremore, Oklahoma, USA. The owner/pilot, Rodger Modglin, was
killed.
26 July: A
North American P-51D Mustang, ("Donna-Mite"), N6327T (s/n 44-74417A), was destroyed, and owner Richard James was killed
when the aircraft crashed near Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, USA. The
aircraft was participating in warbird flybys at nearby Oshkosh
Airport
when it disappeared from a formation of P-51s that was preparing
for another pass over the EAA's AirVenture fly-in.
28 July: The pilot of a
Cessna UC-78 Bobcat, N266C, departing Fond
Du Lac airport, Wisconsin, USA lost control and veered off the
left side of the runway. The left landing gear collapsed, but the
plane was not seriously damaged.
August 2005
3 August: A 1942 or 1945
Consolidated Vultee BT-13A Valiant, N49646,
crashed and burned shortly after takeoff from Lyme, New Hampshire,
USA. The two people on board were fatally injured.
13 August: A
Lockheed C-60A Lodestar, N30N, assigned
to the Old Dominion Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force lost
its brakes and overran the runway at Hampton Roads Executive
Airport, Virginia, USA. The aircraft was damaged, but there were
no injuries to the eight people on board.
13 August: A submerged
Cessna L-19 Bird Dog that crashed into a lake
near Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA in 1958 (see July 2004 item) was
recovered by volunteers from EAA Chapter 1172. The chapter will
now restore the airplane.
15 August: The second
Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighter replica
to come out of the Everett, Washington, USA workshops of the
Me-262 Project has made its first test flight. The aircraft,
known as "Tango-Tango," made a successful flight at the hands of
pilot Wolfgang Czaia. It will eventually be delivered to a new
owner in Germany.
19 August: The administration
building and an adjacent building at the Russian Air Force Museum
at Monino Airfield broke out in flames and were heavily damaged.
Several historic exhibits were destroyed.
22 August: A
Grumman S-2 Tracker, operated by a French firefighting agency,
crashed near Valgorge, France, killing the pilot and trainee.
24 August: A
Canadair CT-114 Tutor jet flown by the RCAF Snowbirds crashed
in a field in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada during a practice
session. Pilot Andrew MacKay ejected safely after the engine
failed while the airplane was inverted.
31 August: The wreckage of a
Grumman TBF-1 Avenger torpedo bomber was
discovered in Clear Lake in northern California. The plane crashed
on 4 December 1944 during a training mission, killing both
crewmembers. The body of radioman David Herget was recovered in
1945, but the pilot, Robert Pinz, was never located. A local
potato farmer, John Prosser, and his neighbor, Jerry Maxwell,
undertook the search in an effort to bring some closure to the
brother of the pilot, 96-year old Morton Pinz. No sign of Robert
Pinz's body has yet been discovered.
September 2005:
7 September: A
Boeing A75N1 Stearman, N52551 (s/n
75-1707), lost power and made a forced landing in a bean field
after takeoff from Galesburg, Illinois, USA during the National
Stearman Fly-In. The aircraft flipped over, but neither occupant
was seriously injured.
8 September: At least two
vintage aircraft operated by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF)
have reportedly been seen flying relief missions into the
hurricane-ravaged areas of Louisiana, USA. A
Douglas A-26B Invader and a
Douglas C-47
Skytrain have been seen at the airport in Slidell unloading
fuel and perishable items.
19 September: A
1944 North American SNJ-5, N212TC, registered to C-4 Aviation,
Inc. made a forced landing in a field near Torrington, Wyoming,
USA after the engine seized. The pilot was not injured. This
plane, better known as "Mystical Power" (Race #21), has won the
Reno Air Races several times.
North American SNJ-5 N212TC "Mystical Power"
21 September: A team of over a
dozen workers raised a rare North American B-25C
Mitchell from 150 deep Lake Murray in South Carolina. The
bomber crashed on April 4, 1943 during a training mission, and the
crew escaped safely, but the exact location of the plane was not
established until 1990. The plane will eventually be restored and
displayed at the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham, Alabama.
22 September: A 1976
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros, N614RM,
landing at Suffolk, Virginia, USA, suffered an apparent brake
failure on landing. It crashed through a fence off the departure
end of the runway and went into a field. The pilot was uninjured.
24 September: A
Yakovlev Yak-3M, N20669, suffered a broken
landing gear and made a dramatic go-around after landing at
Hampton Roads Executive Airport, Virginia, USA. After an in-flight
assessment made by the aircraft's owner, who was flying an
L-39
Albatros jet, pilot Jack Shultz made a textbook gear-up landing at
nearby Norfolk International Airport (see photo below).
Photo by Pamela Smith.
Thanks to Ed Dillingham. |
October 2005:
2 October:
Roy Shoffner, the man whose dream was responsible for the recovery
and restoration of the P-38 Lightning named
"Glacier Girl," has died at the age of 77. Shoffner was the
driving force behind what became one of the most challenging and
nearly-unbelievable warbird recoveries in history. [More
Glacier Girl information].
8 October: Art Vance, a
well-known race pilot and president of the Unlimited Air Racing
Association, was killed in the crash of a 1944
Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat, N4994V, after takeoff from the
Gatlinburg Airport in Tennessee, USA. Vance reportedly attempted
to make an emergency landing on a highway after engine trouble,
possibly caused by hitting a power line.
The Hellcat had been based at Chino, California's Planes of
Fame Museum.
12 October: Crews at the U.S. Air
Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio, USA began a long restoration of the
famous B-17 bomber named Memphis Belle.
Until recently, the airplane had been on outdoor display in
Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis Belle gained fame as the first
25-mission bomber to be recalled to the USA for a goodwill tour,
and was the subject of several movies and documentaries.
15 October: A
North American T-6D
Texan, N494S (s/n 42-44681) crashed near Mocksville, North
Carolina, USA due to an apparent engine failure. One person on board was killed, and one was
seriously injured.
15 October: A 1942
Boeing B75N1 Stearman, N5158N, suffered an
engine failure and made a forced landing in a field. During the
landing, the aircraft clipped a power pole and became inverted.
The pilot was not injured.
17 October: A 1963 North American
T-39A Sabreliner, N39FS, (s/n 62-4480) slid off the end of the runway
and suffered minor damage at the Mojave Airport, California, USA.
Neither crewmember was injured. The aircraft is part of a Research
and Development fleet registered to BAE Systems, a Defense
contractor.
22 October: A
North American P-51 Mustang allegedly made a low, high-speed pass over a
college football game in Missoula, Montana. Authorities are
attempting to learn the identity of the airplane and its pilot.
26 October: An
Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros, N989BH, departed the edge of the
runway after landing at Fort Myers, Florida, USA. The pilot, who
was not injured, reported that the brakes "locked." The aircraft
had only minor damage.
27 October: Several aviation
organizations in the United States have submitted objections to
the latest Federal Aviation Administration regulatory revision
(Draft Order 8700.1, Chapter 49), which involves airshows. Under
the FAA's proposal, aircraft would only be allowed to make passes
in one direction. Also, credentialed photographers would only be
able to shoot from outside the air show's aerobatic box,
greatly decreasing the type and scope of photos they could get.
Other changes would establish Temporary Flight Restrictions around
certain airshow locations, and require FAA Inspectors to approve
changes to airshow performer lineups.
November 2005:
16 November: A
Ryan ST3KR / PT-20/22
crashed near Lincoln, California, USA, substantially damaging
the aircraft and injuring the pilot.
20 November: The U.S. Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (NPRM) which could affect certain T-34s and
Navions
with certain propeller and engine combinations (specifically,
McCauley props and Continental engines). For more information,
see the
text of the NPRM at AOPA's website.
20 November: A 1949
North American T-28 Trojan, N7054L, landed
gear-up at Santa Rosa, California, USA. Neither the pilot nor
passenger were injured, and the aircraft sustained only minor
damage.
21 November: Hawkins and Powers
Aviation of Greybull, Wyoming, operators of one of the United
States' largest fleets of vintage aircraft, is liquidating and
closing up shop. More than sixty aircraft are up for sale,
including Boeing KC-97s,
Consolidated PB-4Ys,
Fairchild C-119s, a Fairchild C-82, a
Douglas A-26 and many more.
December
2005:
1 December:
British vintage aircraft collector, former Red Arrows
leader, air display pilot, and
founder of Duxford's
Old Flying Machine
Company, Ray Hanna, passed away in his sleep in Switzerland
at age 77. [Warbird Alley wishes to convey our condolences to
Ray's family, friends and associates. He was a great man and a
great pilot. --Ed.]
Ray Hanna
7 December: A
North American P-51D Mustang, N251BP (s/n 44-84753) "The
Vorpel Sword," registered to Bernie Jackson, landed hard and
ran off the runway at Minden, Nevada, USA. The aircraft was
substantially damaged but the pilot was not injured.
9 December: The UK's Civil
Aviation Authority (CAA) granted approval to Hawker Hunter
Aviation to operate their BAe Buccaneer
(GHHAA / XX885) on the UK's civil register. This will be the
first Buccaneer to be privately operated in the UK. It should
make its first flight in the spring of 2006.
15 December:
A de Havilland DH82A
Tiger Moth, OO-EVT (s/n 84875) has been brought to the
Brussels Royal Army Museum in Belgium, where it will be placed
on public display. The aircraft was with the Sabena Old Timers
association for many years, and has been carefully restored in
its original Royal Air Force colors.
Tiger Moth OO-EVT
arrives at its new home.
26 December: A 1940
Boeing PT-17 (A75N1) Stearman, N67195
(s/n 75-1755), crashed into a field and was destroyed
near Hicks Field, Fort Worth, Texas, USA. One person on board was
killed, and another was seriously injured.
28 December:
A replica Messerschmitt Me 262 fighter
jet, the second one built by Everett, Washington-based Legend
Flyers, has reached Germany after long a long delay caused
by the U.S. State Department. The deal was scrutinized for 60
days because officials viewed the replica aircraft and its fake,
replica guns as a weapon of war. The aircraft will be
reassembled in Germany by the Messerschmitt Foundation and flown
again.
Index
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| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
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[Back to Warbird News Page]
January
2006:
25 January: An
Aero Vodochody L-39MS Albatros jet,
N104XX, crashed near a residential trailer park in Ketchikan,
Alaska, USA. The pilot, Stephen Freeman, was killed after
attempting a low-level ejection while preparing to land. He was
found 100 yards from the crash site. The aircraft
was reported to have had recent maintenance problems and was
allegedly the subject of a repossession at the time of the
accident. Several people on the ground were injured, but none
seriously.
February
2006:
1 February: The Federal
Aviation Administration has accused Eugene Mallette of being the
pilot of the "Mystery Mustang" that performed a high-speed pass
over a college football game in Missoula, Montana, USA, as well
as at least one other event in the last year. The
North American P-51 was seen flying very low and very
fast over St. Cloud, Minnesota three months before.
6 February: An
Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros lost one of
its two canopies after takeoff from Millville, New Jersey, USA.
The pilot returned safely, and the canopy frame was found in a
local resident's backyard.
14 February: The Desert Rat,
a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress under
restoration in a rural barn in Marengo, Illinois, turned 65
years old. Owner Mike Kellner and his crew of volunteers hope to
one day fly the aircraft again, after what must be one of the
most ambitious B-17 restorations ever undertaken.
16 February: A fire at the
Aviation Warehouse in El Mirage, California destroyed a
third of the business's rare aviation technical and flight
manuals, some dating from before WWII. A nearby building
containing war memorabilia was un-damaged, as was the company's
huge outdoor cache of aircraft and aircraft parts, which are
often used in movie productions.
23 February: The family of Ohio
pilot Jerry Shiffer, who died in an aircraft accident in
November 2005, has decided to continue the restoration of a
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber that
Shiffer began shortly before his death. The project will be
directed by aircraft restoration expert Tom Reilly.
26 February: An
Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros, N39DF ("Wild
Child") crashed near
Mojave, California, USA. The aircraft's two occupants, Skip
Robertson and Terry Fregly,
were killed. The aircraft was on a
low-altitude aerial
filming mission involving two other aircraft when it struck a
hill.
March
2006:
2 March: A
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, N390TH ("LibertyBelle"),
suffered a blown tailwheel tire while taxiing at Fulton County
Airport, Georgia, USA. The crew steered the bomber off the
runway and into the grass to prevent blocking the runway. They
were able to change the tire in less than one hour. [Editor's
Note: This non-event captured the imagination and irresponsible
attention of many press outlets around the U.S.A. and elsewhere.
We mention this piece of "news" here only to provide the real
story for those who want to research the matter from an
authoritative source.]
3 March: A 1944
Douglas DC-3/C-47, N777YA, registered to
Bush Air Cargo, Inc., clipped several trees and was damaged upon
landing in Beluga, Alaska, USA.
4 March: Airshow
pilot Dale Snodgrass was not injured after a gear-up landing in
a North American F-86 Sabre, NX86AM, at
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Arizona, USA. The aircraft
was part of a multi-plane flyby practice session for the U.S.
Air Force's "Heritage Flight" program when the incident
occurred. The F-86, operated by the "Planes of Fame" Museum, was
not believed to be seriously damaged.
5 March: The
Supermarine Spitfire marked its 70th anniversary. In
Southampton, England, five Spitfires flew in a "V" formation, 70
years to the minute after the first flight.
6 March: The U.S. National Park Service
has announced that it may lift its tight restrictions on access
to the
wreckage of the "Lake Mead B-29" which
crashed and sank on 21 July 1948 during an atmospheric research
mission east of Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. The wreck's location was
kept secret for decades to discourage recreational divers, due
to the nature and depth of the site. Aviation archeologists are
concerned that the historic aircraft will be pillaged and
further destroyed if the public is allowed access. [More
"Lake Mead B-29" information here.]
7 March: The EAA's
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Aluminum
Overcast" made its first post-repair test flight at Oshkosh,
Wisconsin, USA. In May 2004, the aircraft was damaged after the
main landing gear retracted upon landing at Van Nuys Airport,
California. Aluminum Overcast will begin a busy flying season at the end of March. [More
information.]
8 March: A 1942
Boeing D75N1 Stearman, N59496, ended up
on its back at Santa Teresa, New Mexico, USA, after going off
the runway during landing. Neither occupant was seriously
injured.
10 March: The owner of Southern
California's Heritage Aero and Preservation Aviation
was fined $6 million by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) for cleanup fees relating to the company's inventory of
government surplus aircraft instruments, some of which contained
trace amounts of radium. [Radium was often used on instrument
faces during the 1940s and 1950s to make instruments readable in
the dark. --Ed.]
19 March: A
Nanchang CJ-6A, N431DM, suffered a collapse of its right
main landing gear while taxiing at Paine Field, Everett,
Washington, USA.
28 March:
Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat N3210D, on flying status at the
Olympic Flight Museum, Washington, USA, has been sold by its
owner to the Pacific Air Museum at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It was
one of approximately 18 airworthy Wildcats, but its "airworthy"
status will most likely be negated by its transition to a static
museum display piece.
31 March:
The type
certificates for the
deHavilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk, the
DHC-2 Beaver and several
other aircraft, including the Otter and Caribou, have been
purchased by Viking Air of Sidney, British Columbia.
April 2006:
8 April: The owner/pilot of a
Canadair Sabre Mk.V (F-86), N86FS, was unable
to extend the right main landing gear of his aircraft
following an airshow in Montgomery, Alabama, USA. Pilot Wyatt
Fuller made an successful emergency landing at Maxwell AFB on
the two remaining gear, and the aircraft suffered only minor
damage.
12 April: A
Cessna O-1A (L-19) Bird Dog, N3FS (s/n
51-12683),
operated by the U.S. Forest Service, ground-looped and slid
off the runway at Kenansville, North Carolina, USA. Damage to
the aircraft is unknown.
17 April: The Federal Bureau
of Investigation (FBI) will be returning at least six of the
eight L-39 Albatross jets they seized
from Security Aviation in Alaska, following a January raid on
the company's facilities. Prosecutors had apparently claimed
that the aircraft were capable of carrying live rocket pods
when, in fact, they could not.
18 April: The Australian
Federal Police (AFP) seized more than $8 million in assets,
including numerous warbirds and other aircraft, from a
Brisbane businessman. The seizure resulted from a tax
investigation.
23 April: A private restorer
has been granted salvage rights to the mostly-intact wreckage
of a Canadair Sabre Mk.VI (F-86) jet
that rests at the bottom of a shallow lake near Goose Bay,
Canada. The aircraft, serial number 23400, was being ferried
to Europe in March 1956 when an engine failure brought it down
on the ice.
23 April: "Fifi," the world's
only remaining airworthy Boeing B-29
Superfortress, has returned to the air after several years
of extensive maintenance.
25 April: A
recently-completed Messerschmitt Me-262
jet fighter replica, D-IMTT ("Tango Tango"), has made its
first flight in its "home country" of Germany. Tango Tango is
the second of five Me-262 replicas to be restored in the
United States.
May 2006:
3 May: The
Mid Atlantic Air Museum (MAAM) in Reading, Pennsylvania, USA
has announced that their Northrop P-61 "Black Widow" project
has reached a significant milestone, as the aircraft is now
standing on its own landing gear. The museum hopes to make
the ultra-rare aircraft airworthy in the next few years. [More
information].
4 May: The U.S. Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) has published an Alternative
Method of Compliance (AMOC) for Beechcraft
T-34 wing spars which will allow the aircraft to
continue flying under its present restrictions until 2010. [More
information].
4 May: The pilot of a
Douglas DC-3 / C-47 that successfully
crash-landed on a residential street last year in Fort
Lauderdale, Florida now faces federal charges that he
illegally flew cargo to the Bahamas on numerous occasions.
4 May: The Commemorative
Air Force's Boeing B-29 Superfortress,
"Fifi," after flying for six to eight hours after an
extensive refurbishment, has reportedly suffered some
mechanical setbacks that might ground the bomber for the
remainder of the flying season. At least two and possibly
all of the aircraft's four engines are showing signs of unexpected
and premature wear.
11 May: Reuters reports
that a Chinese businessman, Zhang Cheng, won an eBay auction
for a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 jet fighter, and paid a
$2,000 deposit on the aircraft. Now, he's angry and wants a
refund because legal experts have informed him that the
aircraft, located in Idaho, USA, would be "almost impossible
to ship back" to China. Interestingly, the terms of the
auction specified that the aircraft could only be shipped to
the USA or Canada.
17 May:
North American P-51D Mustang, G-HAEC ("Big Beautiful
Doll"), which was being flown from its home in England to
the International Air Show in Berlin, lost its canopy over
Muenster, Germany. No one was hurt, but the falling canopy
damaged the roof of a home and a destroyed a small food
stand. The pilot continued 250 miles to his destination
without further incident.
20 May: A 1941
Boeing A75 Stearman, N58072, lost
engine power after takeoff and hit a fence at Jennings,
Louisiana, USA. Neither person on board was injured.
20 May: Another
Boeing A75 Stearman, N60562, lost
power and went off the side of the runway in Lake Wales,
Florida, USA. No injuries were reported.
26 May: A U.S. Federal
trial involving Alaska-based Security Aviation has found the
company's owners "not guilty" of possession and transport of
illegal rocket launchers. The government had said the
company's AeroVodochody L-39 Albatros jets
could have been armed, but defense lawyers argued that the
pods were just for show. A further charge of conspiracy
(involving the hazy concept of "militarizing") is still
under investigation.
26 May: The nose landing
gear of a 1970 WSK-PZL TS-11 Iskra
jet, N315JB, collapsed after the aircraft landed at Burke
Lakefront Airport, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. The pilot was not
injured, and damage to the aircraft was minor.
June 2006:
1 June: American
Legend Aircraft has announced that they will offer their
Legend Cub aircraft in a paint scheme reminiscent of
historic Piper L-4 Grasshopper liaison aircraft
used by the Army Air Corps in World War II. The new aircraft
will be called the Legend Combat.
1 June: The owners of a
rocket-car made from the fuselage of a
North American F-104 Starfighter displayed the vehicle
in Palmdale, California. They hope to drive the car, the
North American Eagle, to a new land speed record in July
of 2007. The F-104, which was once flown by such test pilots
as Scott Crossfield and Chuck Yeager, was purchased from a
scrap dealer in Maine.
5 June: A
North American SNJ-6, N45CK, hit a set of 100-foot high
power lines approximately 40 miles east of Jerome, Idaho,
USA. Neither occupant was injured, but the aircraft was
substantially damaged.
15 June: In Ravenswood,
West Virginia, USA, a Boeing B75 Stearman
biplane, N67454, veered off a runway and into a ravine on
landing after the pilot experienced a leg cramp. Damage to
the airplane was reported as minor.
-
17 June: A 1944
Supermarine
Spitfire Mk IX, N308WK, veered off the runway after
landing in Aspen Colorado, USA. The aircraft suffered only
minor damage, and the pilot was not injured.
-
28 June: Britain's first
jet bomber, the English Electric
Canberra, has been retired after 55 years of service
with the Royal Air Force (RAF).
July 2006:
-
2 July: A
Nanchang CJ-6, N8120H, lost power and landed short of
the runway at Brewster, Washington, USA. The pilot was not
injured.
-
16 July: Former Swiss Air
Force Hawker F Mk.58A Hunter,
N58MX, lost
engine power and crashed into a densely-populated
residential area off the end of the runway at Hillsboro,
Oregon, USA. The owner/pilot, aviation attorney Bob Guilford of Los Angeles,
California, was
killed. The aircraft exploded, destroying at least one home
and heavily damaging several others. No one on the ground
was injured. [Editor's note:
Bob was a wonderful man and a huge advocate for aviation of all kinds. He will be missed. Our condolences to
his family and friends.]
-
19 July: A
Douglas DC-3, N782T, operated by Tol
Air, lost an engine after takeoff and ditched in the ocean
in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. The four people on board
were rescued.
-
22 July: A
Ryan ST3K (PT-22), N221SH, suffered
an engine failure near Brussels, Illinois, USA and landed in
a field, where it flipped over and was substantially
damaged. The pilot was not injured.
-
22 July: The pilot and
passenger of a Yakovlev
Yak-52 were killed as they returned to land at
Bornemouth Airport, Dorset, UK.
-
22 July: A
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17, N17YB, ran
off the end of the runway during landing at Muskegon,
Michigan, USA, after an airshow exhibition. The aircraft was
not damaged.
-
24 July: Owner/pilot Wyatt
Fuller was killed in his Canadair CL-13
(F-86) Sabre Mk.5, N86FS, after the aircraft suffered an
apparent engine failure and ran off the end of the runway at
his home base of Hickory, North Carolina, USA.
-
26 July: The rudder of a
North American SNJ-5,
N98FP, was substantially
damaged after being struck by the wingtip of a
Beechcraft C-45 while the latter was
taxiing at the EAA AirVenture event at Oshkosh, Wisconsin,
USA.
-
30 July: One
occupant of a Van's RV-6 homebuilt aircraft was killed in a tragic ground collision at EAA
AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, as a 1944
Grumman TBM Avenger,
N420GP,
operated by the Tri-State Warbird Museum in Ohio, collided
with the rear of the RV-6, which had apparently stopped on the taxiway ahead of
the vintage torpedo-bomber.
-
30 July: A 1940
North American SNJ-2,
N62382, ground-looped on landing in Farmingdale, New York,
USA. No injuries were reported.
-
31 July: A
Scottish Aviation
Bulldog Model 1, N9179C, landed hard and was damaged in
Mobridge, South Dakota, USA.
August 2006:
-
2 August: A
Beech T-34A Mentor,
N342MN, lost power and skidded off the runway at Bainbridge,
Georgia, USA. The passenger suffered minor injuries.
-
4 August: A 1958
North American AT-6A Texan, N512SE,
ground-looped during its landing roll in Spokane,
Washington, USA. No injuries or serious damage were
reported.
-
7 August: A 1979
Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin, N229DD,
landed and blew at least two tires at Creve Coeur, Missouri,
USA. The sole occupant was not injured.
-
13 August: The pilot of a
Boeing A75N Stearman, N469RH, lost
control on landing, departed the runway, and flipped over in
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
-
25 August:
Boeing E75 Stearman N58980 made a
forced landing in a field near Morgan Hill, California, USA.
The pilot suffered minor injuries but the passenger was
unhurt.
-
28 August: The
Collings
Foundation and
Air
Assets announced this week that they will soon be
offering orientation flights and flight instruction in the
legendary Messerschmitt
Me-262 jet fighter. These opportunities will be
available to donors, beginning at the $25,000 level. More
information is available at the sponsor organization's
websites.
September 2006:
-
3 September: A
North American T-6 Texan,
N976WM, crashed under unknown circumstances in Dekalb,
Illinois, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
6 September: A
North American / Rockwell
OV-10 Bronco, N419DF, operated by the California Department of
Forestry (CDF) crashed near Springville, California, USA
while on a fire-fighting "spotter" mission. Both the pilot
and the firefighter passenger were killed. The crash sparked
a three-acre wildfire which was extinguished by the fire
crews who were battling the main fire.
-
6 September: A 1953
Canadair CT-33A (T-33)
Silver Star, G-TBRD, owned by the Golden Apple Trust and
operated by The Aircraft Restoration Company, crashed
shortly after takeoff at Duxford, UK. The airplane was
almost completely destroyed, but miraculously, both
occupants walked away from the crash.
-
9 September: A
North American T-6G Texan,
N8540U, landed gear-up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. Neither the
pilot nor the passenger was injured.
-
22 September: An
Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin
crashed into the water off of Cape Town, South Africa, while
practicing for a weekend airshow there. The pilot, Martin
Van Straten, was killed.
-
30 September: A 1944
North American TB-25J
Mitchell,
345TH ("Show Me"), operated by the Commemorative Air Force, struck a parked truck while taxiing at Alton,
Illinois, USA.
October 2006:
-
3 October: A man who
purchased a rare
Commonwealth Wirraway on eBay claims the seller failed to deliver the
aircraft because he'd already sold it to another, local
buyer for a higher amount. The matter has ended up in an
Australian court.
-
4 October: The only
airworthy UK-based North
American Yale, G-BYNF, made its first post-restoration
flight at Duxford, UK.
-
5 October: The
Commemorative Air Force (CAF) has contracted with a San
Diego, California company to test and monitor some of their
vintage aircraft for carbon monoxide (CO) contamination.
Thus far, one aircraft has been slightly modified in order
to lower cockpit CO readings to a safe level.
-
5 October: A
BAC-167 Strikemaster
jet, VH-AKY, crashed near Bathurst, NSW, Australia, after an
apparent in-flight breakup, killing the pilot and passenger.
The aircraft was being operated by a company named Jet
Fighter Flights, which provides "adventure flights."
-
9 October: Texas
industrialist and inventor
Joe Jamieson has made a generous donation of $2 million to the
Commemorative Air Force's B-29 "Fifi" group to help them get the famous and rare
bomber back in the air. Fifi was grounded earlier this year
after metal shavings began appearing in her engine oil.
Another $1 million will have to raised in order for Fifi
to receive four new engines.
-
18 October: A Piper
Cheyenne crashed near Prescott, Arizona, USA, while flying
in formation with a
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (N21UT) owned by the
Experimental Rocket Racing Association. The MiG pilot
initially reported that there may have been a collision between the
two aircraft, but no damage to the MiG was found after
landing. All five people aboard the Cheyenne were killed.
-
19 October: An
Antonov AN-2 Colt
biplane operated by Uzbekistan Airways crashed in poor
weather near Tashkent, Uzbekistan, resulting in the loss of
all 13 passengers and two crewmembers. The passengers were
military personnel on a training flight.
-
21 October: A 1956
North American T-28C
Trojan, N470 (s/n 130523), crashed near Packton,
Louisiana, under unknown circumstances, during a flight from
Illinois to Louisiana. The pilot was killed.
-
21 October: A
Boeing AN75 (PT-17)
Stearman, N4410, suffered engine problems and
force-landed in a field near Palm Springs, California. The
pilot was not injured.
November 2006:
-
1 November: A consortium of
Norwegian groups has raised a rare
Focke-Wulf Fw 190
fighter from a fjord near Bergen, Norway. The aircraft,
based during WWII at the nearby German airfield at Herdla,
crash-landed in nearly 200 feet of water on 15 December
1943. The pilot survived the crash and was rescued.
-
5 November: A 1958
North American T-6G Texan,
N2831D, lost a wheel during landing in Griffin, Georgia,
USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
13 November: A
Douglas DC-3 / C-47 Dakota,
N64766, suffered the collapse of its right main landing gear
upon landing in Houma, Louisiana, USA.
-
23 November: The pilot of a
1973 Nanchang CJ-6,
N8181C, made a successful forced landing after the engine
failed near Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona, USA.
December 2006:
-
2 December:
Polish historians have announced the recovery of the remains
of a Halifax bomber and more of its seven-man British and
Canadian crew. The aircraft crashed on 4 August 1944 in
Dabrowa Tarnowska, Poland, and the crew was buried in
Krakow.
-
3 December: The B-29/B-24
Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) has announced
that they have begun restoring their
LB-30 / B-24 "Diamond 'Lil"
to a B-24A configuration. Organization members discovered
that the aircraft was originally intended to be a B-24A, but
was converted to an LB-30 early in its life. The project is
due to be completed by 12 May 2007.
-
6 December: Billionaire
Paul Allen's ephemeral collection of aircraft, which
features many rare WWII specimens in flying condition, will
be moving from Arlington, Washington, USA to to Paine Field
(KPAE) in Snohomish, Washington. The Flyng Heritage
Collection's new facility will open to the public in the
summer of 2007, after an extensive remodeling of their new
hangar.
-
6 December: Sweden's
Defense Attaché in London signed over the logbooks of a Saab
Viggen fighter to the Newark Air Museum in the United
Kingdom. The aircraft, on long-term loan, flew into RAF
Cranwell last winter, and was trucked to the museum for
reassembly.
-
7 December: A
North American AT-6C Texan,
N9525C (s/n
88-12407)
struck a cardboard-and-wood target while simulating a bombing run in
Mojave, California, USA. The pilot, a member of the Condor
Squadron of Van Nuys, California, was not injured. The
airplane suffered relatively minor damage, and landed safely.
-
7 December: The new Pacific
Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii celebrated its
grand opening. Featured in the museum are vintage aircraft
that fought in the Pacific theater, including a rare
Zero fighter and an
F4F Wildcat.
-
21 December: A 1967
Cavalier T Mk.2 (North
American F-51) Mustang,
N251RM (s/n 67-22579),
force-landed in the grassy median strip on a highway in
Rexburg, Idaho, USA, after the engine failed during a test
flight. The aircraft was
substantially damaged, but owner/pilot John Bagley was not injured.
Index
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[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2007:
-
6 January: A
1941 Ryan ST3KR, N56434, force-landed in a field near
Worthington Springs, Florida, USA, after a loss of engine
power. Neither the pilot nor the passenger were injured, but
the aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
18 January: A
1945 Douglas C-54G
Skymaster, N82FA (s/n 45-0507), owned and operated by
Roger Brooks, experienced an engine fire and force-landed on
the frozen tundra, five miles west of Nenana, Alaska, USA.
Neither crewmember was injured.
-
24 January: A
Yakovlev Yak-52,
N4437F, suffered the collapse of its left main landing gear during its
landing roll in Santa Rosa, California, USA. Neither
occupant was injured. (See photo below.)
(Photo courtesy
J. Langlois)
February 2007:
-
3 February:
During a formation flight, a 1942
Boeing PT-17 Stearman, N49270, collided with a 1940 Waco UPF-7 biplane, N30140,
over the Pacific Ocean near Palos Verdes, California, USA.
The Stearman's propeller apparently struck the tail of the
Waco. The Stearman pilot successfully returned to his home
base, Torrance Airport. The pilot of the Waco landed in
shallow water near shore, where the plane flipped over.
Neither pilot was seriously hurt.
-
4 February: An
alliance has been formed between the
British
Columbia Aviation Council (Canada) and the
Maryland Aviation Museum (USA), to acquire and preserve
the last two Martin Mars flying boats. The aircraft had been
active for the past 40 years as water bombers in Canada, and
were retired last year. Initial plans are for one aircraft
to be displayed in Port Alberni, Vancouver, B.C., and the
other to be displayed in Middle River, Maryland.
March 2007:
-
16 March:
The owner/pilot of an Aero
Vodochody L-39 Albatros was killed in the crash of his
airplane at the TICO warbird airshow in Titusville, Florida,
USA. Elion Krugman-Kadi was
performing a loop when he entered scattered clouds and
apparently lost sight of the ground and pulled out too low.
-
26 March: This
week, search crews will visit several sites identified by
sonar that might be the resting place of a
Douglas DC-4 missing over Lake Michigan, USA since 1950.
Teams of searchers, one financed by author Clive Cussler,
have been combing the depths of the lake on and off since
2004.
-
29 March: The
pilot of a Boeing PT-13 Stearman that
hit a power line over a Wisconsin lake in 2004, and whose
passenger died in the subsequent crash, has been charged
with "homicide by negligent use of a motor vehicle." The
pilot has pleaded not guilty.
-
30 March: A
Yakovlev Yak-52,
N808TD, made a gear-up landing at Courtland, Alabama, USA.
Neither occupant was injured.
April 2007:
-
3 April: A
Boeing E75N Stearman,
N3840K, was substantially damaged in a landing accident in
Fostoria, Ohio, USA. Neither occupant was seriously injured.
-
7 April: The
pilot of a Scottish
Aviation Bulldog, N706X, was killed, and a passenger
injured, when their aircraft crashed near South Lake Tahoe,
Nevada, USA. The passenger walked to safety after spending
the night at the remote crash site.
-
14 April: BAE
Systems in Mojave, California has received a contract from
the US Air Force to convert almost two dozen
McDonnell-Douglas F-4
Phantom fighters into unmanned QF-4 drones. BAE has been
providing QF-4s to the military since 1992.
-
14 April: One of
the few civilian operators of the
Lockheed F-104
Starfighter, Starfighters, Inc. of Clearwater, Florida,
USA will be hosted by the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) beginning next week. The F-104 will
participate in flights intended to help analyze various
launch trajectories that might be accomplished from NASAs
three-mile long Shuttle Landing Facility. Flight profiles
will include supersonic noise-footprint assessments.
-
15 April: A team
of searchers found debris from the 1947 crash of a
North American B-25
Mitchell bomber near Longview, Washington, USA. The
crash was made semi-famous after several newspaper articles
and books reported that the bomber was carrying fragments of
"flying disk debris." [
Crash report ]
-
17 April: A
North American T-28 Trojan,
N464SB, suffered an engine failure after takeoff from Red
Lodge, Montana, USA. The pilot, well-known warbird financer
Wally Zook, made a successful forced landing in a field.
-
24 April:
Another North American
T-28 Trojan, N328RB, experienced an engine failure and
made a forced landing, this time on a beach in Oxnard,
California, USA. Neither the pilot nor passenger was
injured. The aircraft was reportedly in formation with
another T-28 when its engine abruptly began spewing flames.
-
26 April: An
appellate court in Illinois, USA has reinstated a
wrongful-death lawsuit brought against the Lima Lima Flight
Team, Inc, a popular T-34
formation demonstration team. In 1999, team member Keith
Evans was killed in a mid-air collision, and a subsequent
lawsuit against the team and another pilot was dismissed.
This new suit alleges the team was negligent in failing to
implement certain formation procedures that might have
prevented the accident.
May 2007:
-
1 May: A
Nanchang CJ-6A,
N552CY, declared an emergency and force-landed in a field
near Phoenix, Arizona, USA. The sole occupant was not
injured.
-
1 May:
Restoration has begun in Hampden, Maine, USA on a 1943
Piper L-4 reportedly
flown by General George Patton in 1944. The owner of the
aircraft, which is named "Liberty Girl," crashed the
airplane in Japan in 2005 during an around-the-world
attempt.
-
3 May: A
Grumman US-2B Tracker,
N5234A (BuNo 136404), operated by the Old Dominion Squadron
of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), crashed on approach to
Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North
Carolina, USA. Miraculously, all five occupants survived the
crash. The aircraft was destroyed, partially by the crash
itself, and also by a forest fire
triggered by a downed powerline at the crash site.
-
7 May: The
Collings Foundation West is pleased to announce the
successful first test flight of its
McDonnell-Douglas TA-4J
Skyhawk, N524CF (BuNo 153524). The flight was conducted
from the aircraft's home base of Ellington Field, Houston,
Texas, USA.
-
10 May: A
pseudo-replica of a Japanese Zero (actually
CCF Harvard Mk. IV
N7757) suffered
the collapse of its landing gear during a landing rollout in
Peachtree City, Georgia, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
23 May: A 1942
Boeing A75N1 (PT-17)
Stearman, N55718, crashed into the water near Mt.
Pleasant, South Carolina, USA. Both occupants were killed.
June 2007:
-
3 June:
The restored P-38 Lightning named "Glacier Girl" will
complete the WWII mission that ended with its landing on a
Greenland ice field along with five other P-38s and two
B-17s in 1942. Pilot Steve Hinton and "Glacier Girl" will depart
America on 22 June and fly to England. A newly-restored
P-51 (N251RJ), flown
by Ed Shipley, will accompany him, and the adventure will be
broadcast to the public using special satellite
communications gear. The Mustang, owned by Duxford-based
The Fighter Collection, will remain in the UK, while the
Lightning will return to the USA.
-
14 June: The
1945 crash site of a
Lockheed P-38 Lightning that crashed in the Oregon
desert has been declared a Federal historical site,
protecting it from further defacement and "parts-poaching."
The pilot, 2Lt Max Clark, was killed on 11 February 1945
while on a gunnery training flight about 25 miles southeast
of Christmas Valley, Oregon.
-
17 June: A 1945
North American AT-6F Texan,
N75AG, struck powerlines but managed to land safely at
Columbia, California, USA.
-
22 June: The
"Glacier Girl" P-38 and its accompanying P-51 Mustang escort
arrived at Presque Isle, Maine, in preparation for their
departure across the Atlantic Ocean. (See 3 June entry
above.) For more information, and to track the flight
real-time, see the "Operation Bolero II" links at
AirshowBuzz.com.
-
28 June:
Operation Bolero II has been postponed. (See entries above).
Glacier Girl, after being grounded at Goose Bay for engine
troubles, will not make the trip to the UK, but will instead
be repaired in time to attend the EAA AirVenture event in late
July.
July 2007:
-
2 July: A
Nanchang CJ-6, N10EB,
suffered the collapse of its landing gear after landing at
Brigham City, Utah, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
3 July:
Construction workers near Watsonville, California, USA have
discovered what appear to be buried airplane parts, circa
WWII. Crews unearthed a chunk of riveted metal, a burned
parachute, and some bullet casings while digging a trench
near the site of a long-defunct airport.
-
14 July: A 1941
Boeing A75N-1 (PT-17)
Stearman, N7034Y, ran off the end of the runway and
plowed into a cornfield while landing at Oelwein, Iowa, USA.
The aircraft was substantially damaged, but the pilot was
not injured.
-
15 July: Pilot
John McKittrick was killed in the crash of a
North American P-51D
Mustang, N51TK ("Lou IV") at Camarillo Airport,
California, USA. Witnesses reported seeing the plane bounce
into the air and subsequently roll over during a
touch-and-go. The accident occurred during the pilot's first
solo flight in the Mustang.
-
19 July: A 1952
Beech C-45H (Model
18), N9562Z, owned by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF),
crashed in rural Boulder County, Colorado, USA, after
clipping some trees and hitting a pole, after
losing power in both engines during a training mission. Both occupants
escaped with only moderate injuries. The aircraft was mostly
destroyed by a post-crash fire. [Preliminary
NTSB report] [Final
NTSB Report]
-
22 July: A
North American T-6G Texan,
N22NA, suffered engine problems enroute to the EAA
AirVenture event and made a successful forced-landing on a
highway in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, USA. The pilot, airshow
performer Bill Leff, was scheduled to perform at the event.
Neither Leff, nor his son, who was a passenger, were hurt.
The aircraft's right wing was slightly damaged by a road
sign.
-
26 July: The
tailwheel assembly of a
Cessna O-1/L-19 Birddog, N919BD, broke during a landing
in Chino, California, USA. The sole occupant was not injured
and the plane suffered only minor damage.
-
27 July: Noted
warbird rebuilder Gerry Beck was killed when two
North American P-51
Mustangs (actually one D-model and Beck's replica
A-model) collided while landing at the AirVenture event in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA. The two aircraft had just completed
a race demonstration and were touching down when they
collided. Beck's hand-built P-51A, "Precious Metal"
(NX8082U) ended up on its back, while the P-51D, "Stang"
(N151RJ), flown by Casey Odegaard, came to rest on its nose.
Odegaard escaped with minor injuries.
-
29 July: A
Grumman J2F-4 Duck,
N63850,
owned by Chuck and Beverly Greenhill, won the National
Aviation Hall of Fame's People's Choice Award at EAA
AirVenture, besting four other immaculate aircraft, each of
which had to win previous high-level aircraft competitions
just to be contenders in this competition.
-
31 July: A
DeHavilland DHC-1
Chipmunk, N2EA, lost engine power and struck powerlines
while attempting a forced landing near Olympia, Washington,
USA. The aircraft came to rest on a road. The pilot and
passenger suffered only cuts and scrapes.
August 2007:
-
2 August: The
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has confirmed
initial suspicions that the two
P-51 Mustangs involved in the
runway collision at the AirVenture Oshkosh event (see 27
July 2007 entry) were not in formation. Rather, they were making
separate approaches, and were apparently not aware of each
other's presence until the collision occurred.
-
3 August: Vin
Thomas, who sold his 1946
Commonwealth Wirraway
on eBay and then backed out of the sale because he had sold
the aircraft to another person for a higher amount (see 3
October 2006 entry) has been ordered by an Australian court
to hand over the aircraft to the original eBay buyer, Peter
Smythe.
-
12 August: A
1955 North American T-28B Trojan, operated by the Indiana
Aviation Museum, over-ran the runway and went into a creek
during landing at Joliet, Illinois. Neither the pilot nor
passenger were injured. The airplane is reported to be
repairable.
-
16 August: The
UK's Civil Aviation Authority has released at Notice to
Airmen (NOTAM) that hints of the possibility of a test
flight of Avro Vulcan
XH558 at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome sometime in late August or
early September. XH558 will be the first Vulcan to fly since
1992, when it was
displayed by the RAF Vulcan Display Flight.
-
20 August: The
buried aircraft parts found near Watsonville, California
(See 3 July 2007 entry) have been revealed to be the crash site
of a Douglas SBD-5
Dauntless which crashed in January 1944 during a night
training mission from its base at Crow's Landing Naval Air
Facility. Remains of the crew have been located along with
several personal artifacts.
-
31 August: Six
women who labored building bombers during WWII got a chance
to fly in a B-17 Flying
Fortress and a B-24
Liberator bomber, as a tribute to their war efforts. The
aircraft, operated by the
Collings Foundation, appeared at the
American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport in
Farmingdale, New York, USA.
September 2007:
-
1 September: A
Boeing A75N1 (PT-17)
Stearman, N65PG, flipped over after veering left during
takeoff at Edmond, Oklahoma, USA. The pilot was not hurt.
-
2 September: A
pair of North American
SNJ-2s, registered N62382 and N52033, collided on the
ground while taxiing at Farmingdale, New York, USA. The
aircraft were operated by the SkyTypers aerial demonstration
team.
-
3 September: A
Yakovlev Yak-52,
N212YA, crashed after takeoff from the Lake-In-The-Hills
airport in Crystal Lake, Illinois, USA, after an apparent
loss of engine power. Pilots David Burdine and Steven
Hildebrand were killed. Burdine was known in the airshow
community for his excellent
MiG-17 flying display.
-
3 September: A
Meyers OTW-145,
N34321, suffered an engine failure and force-landed in a
field near Annville, Pennsylvania, USA. Neither occupant
reported injuries.
-
7 September: Jan
Wildbergh, the #6 pilot for the Geico SkyTypers aerial
demonstration team, was killed in the crash of his
North American SNJ-2,
N52033, during an airshow practice session at NAS Oceana,
Virginia, USA. The accident occurred as the team was
pitching out to land. The accident aircraft appeared to
continue straight ahead instead of "breaking" to the
downwind leg; it then impacted the ground.
-
Both Wings
magazine and Airpower
magazine, which have been published since 1971, have ceased
operations. The publisher cites small subscriber lists and
increasing financial pressure as the reason for the demise
of the magazines. (More
information here). Back issues and CD-ROMs of the
magazines are available.
-
10 September:
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other
groups have expressed concern about keeping the approval and
documentation processes viable for older aircraft. A new
website,
ClassicAircraft.com, has been created in order to
facilitate "grass-roots" discussions on how to support aging
aircraft in the USA.
-
13 September: A
1943 deHavilland DH-82
Tiger Moth suffered an engine failure and landed on a
busy, traffic-filled road in Johannesburg, South Africa. Two
people were killed: a passenger in the airplane and the
driver of a bus. At least 23 people on the bus were injured.
The pilot was also injured, not only by the crash, but
allegedly by bystanders who kicked him while he was still
strapped in the cockpit.
-
13 September:
Air race pilot Brad Morehouse was killed in the crash of
his Aero Vodochody L-39
Albatros, N139DK (Race #4), during the second heat of the jet
class races at the National Championship Air Races at Reno,
Nevada, USA. It appeared the aircraft may have been caught in the wake of a preceding
aircraft.
-
14 September: A
deHavilland DH-82 Tiger
Moth (G-ANDE), operated by Delta Aviation, made an emergency landing in a hayfield
near Crowhurst, Surrey, UK, after experiencing engine
troubles. One of the two occupants suffered a broken leg.
-
15 September:
Display pilot Brian Brown was killed when his
Hawker Hurricane XII,
BD707 (G-HURR), crashed near Shoreham Airport in West
Sussex, UK while participating in a mock aerial battle
involving Spitfires, Hurricanes and Messerschmitts at
the Shoreham Airshow.
-
17 September:
Owners and operators of vintage or rare aircraft in the USA
are urged to comment on an FAA draft order which might
result in changes to how "abandoned" and "orphaned" type
certificates are handled by the agency. More information is
available
here. (This is a MS Word™
document.)
-
19 September:
Warbird industry groups, after months of hard work, have
announced that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has agreed to issue waivers to the
300- and 600-nautical mile operating radii previously issued
to piston and jet warbird owners. (Note: The change is not
"automatic"; owners must file paperwork to get the
limitation removed. For more information, please visit the
Warbirds of America site.)
-
22 September: A
1943 North American
SNJ-5, N11HP, went off the side of the
runway and ground-looped at Bloomington, Illinois, USA. The
pilot was not injured.
-
22 September:
Josephine "Fifi" O'Connor Agather, the namesake of the
world's last remaining airworthy
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
(the Commemorative Air Force's "Fifi"), has passed away. She
was 88.
-
23 September: A
1944 Boeing E75 Stearman,
N2533, flipped over on landing at Culpepper, Virginia, USA.
No injured were reported.
-
26 September:
After a piston blew on its #2 engine, the Commemorative Air
Force's North American
PBJ-1J (B-25J) Mitchell, "Devil Dog," has been grounded
while funds are raised for repairs. [Media coverage
here.] The CAF squadron that operates the airplane will
hold a fund-raiser
hangar dance on 20 October 2007.
-
28 September:
Nearly 100 North American
P-51 Mustangs, as well as many other WWII-era warbirds,
congregated in Columbus, Ohio, USA, along with numerous
WWII pilots and crew members. The
Gathering
of Mustangs and Legends event is believed to have been the
largest get-together of the type since the war.
October 2007:
-
18 October: The
Vulcan to the Sky Trust is pleased to announce the first
flight of their famous
Avro Vulcan bomber, XH558 (G-VLCN), after 14 years of
restoration, intensive fund-raising, and hard effort by many
people. XH558, piloted by Al McDicken and Dave Thomas, flew
a 40-minute test flight from Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire.
It is the world's only flying Vulcan. The
Vulcan Operating Company (TVOC) team will complete a
thorough analysis of the airplane, then begin displaying her
distinctive looks (and sound) throughout Europe in 2008.
Congratulations to the entire TVOC team, trustees, and
contributors! [More information
here,
and BBC news video of the event
here.]
-
18 October: A
1949 North American T-6G
Texan, N9067Z (s/n 49-3001), pitched forward during
landing at Longview, Texas, USA, and damaged the propeller.
The pilot was not injured.
-
20 October: A
1942 Ryan ST3K,
N780SR, force-landed in a hay field near Unadilla, Georgia,
USA after its propeller came apart. Neither the pilot nor
passenger were injured.
-
23 October:
Pilot Doug Jenkins managed to skillfully put his 1943
Taylorcraft L-2
"Grasshopper" down in a mall parking lot in Naples,
Florida, USA, after suffering engine problems. The airplane
and two cars were damaged in the incident, but neither
Jenkins nor his passenger were injured.
-
31 October:
David Tallichet, a WWII B-17 combat veteran and one of the
world's most prolific warbird collectors, passed away at the
age of 84 in Orange, California, USA. Tallichet was known as
one of the fathers of the warbird movement, thanks to his
foresight and tenacity in recovering, acquiring and/or
protecting military aircraft all over the world. He once
owned approximately 120 vintage aircraft, although about
half of his collection had gradually been sold over the past
few years.
November 2007:
-
5 November: The
wreckage of a Lockheed
P-38 Lightning has been found on a beach near Harlech,
Wales, where it has lain for over 60 years. Recent low
tides and surf action have uncovered part of the wreck.
Authorities have not yet made a decision about if (or how)
the aircraft will be recovered.
-
10 November: A
British Aerospace FA/2 Sea Harrier,
N94422 (XZ439),
has become the first Harrier to fly in the civilian warbird
community. Owner Art Nalls successfully flew the aircraft
twice from the St. Mary's County Airport, Maryland, USA. During the second flight the aircraft suffered a
hydraulic failure, and during landing at the Patuxent River
Naval Air Station, an outrigger collapsed and the plane settled onto its side.
Damage was minor and the plane is expected
to fly
again soon. Nalls plans to eventually display the aircraft
at airshows in the USA. [More
information]
December 2007:
-
2 December: The
Bournemouth Aviation Museum in Christchurch, Dorset, UK
has announced it will be forced to close on 16 December due
to airport re-development plans. The BAM is noted for its
flying displays of airworthy aircraft, as well as a wide and
unusual selection of aircraft. A
grassroots effort is underway to either allow the museum
to remain in its present facility or locate a new one.
-
5 December: A
legendary U.S. airshow team, the Red Baron Pizza Squadron, has
been retired by its sponsoring company. The formation
aerobatic team, which gave over 2,000 performances over the
past 28 years, flew
Boeing P-17 Stearman biplanes. [Press
release]
-
6 December:
Prolific vintage aircraft collector, restorer, and noted
warbird pilot Colin Pay died in an aircraft crash at Lake
Liddell, NSW, Australia. The aircraft was reported to be an
Air Tractor, used in agricultural / fire bomber roles.
-
21 December: A
turboprop Douglas/Basler
DC-3 owned by Ken Borek Air Ltd., crashed on takeoff
near Mt. Patterson, Antarctica. All 10 people on board
survived. The passengers included six members of the Polar
Earth Observatory Network (POLENET), an organization that
deploys GPS and seismic sensors across Antarctica.
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2008:
-
21
January: The Texas-based Cavanaugh Flight Museum has
announced that it will sponsor the Commemorative Air Force's
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
named "Fifi." The $1.2 million sponsorship will make it
possible for the famous aircraft to receive new engines and
remain airworthy.
-
23 January: The
pilot of a Boeing PT-13
Stearman that was involved in a fatal crash in August
2004 (see news item) has plead "no contest" to negligent
operation of a vehicle. He faces up to nine months in jail.
February 2008:
-
15
February: The 2008 Arizona Skyfest airshow has
been canceled due to liability concerns arising
from the threat of a lawsuit following the
October 2006 crash of a Piper Cheyenne that was
flying in formation with a
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter. Among the
four individuals lost in the Piper were the
executive director and the operations director
of the event. The families of several of the
crash victims are the plaintiffs in the suit.
The Prescott Air Fair Association, which runs
the event, was named in the suit as being partly
to blame for the crash. Also named as a
defendant was the pilot of the MiG-21.
-
16
February: The owner of a famous
Piper L-4
Grasshopper, G-KIRK, named "Liberty Girl,"
ditched the airplane in the ocean off Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands,
after the plane suffered an engine failure.
Owner/pilot Maurice Kirk was rescued from the
floating wreckage of the airplane by a US Coast
Guard helicopter. Liberty Girl was damaged in
Japan in 2005 during an around-the-world flight
attempt.
-
22
February: Lex Cralley, the owner of a
Brewster F3A-1
Corsair recovered from a swamp in North
Carolina, has placed the aircraft up for sale or
trade.
March 2008:
-
2
March: A North
American T-28A Fennec/Trojan, N8523A (s/n 51-3530), suffered an engine failure and
made a successful forced landing in a field near
Gainesville, Texas, USA. The pilot was not
injured, but the nose gear and left main landing
gear collapsed in soft soil, causing substantial
damage to the aircraft.
-
20
March: The crew of a
Douglas
DC-3/C-47, N138SF, reported a blown tire on
landing, then the aircraft ground-looped into the
grass next to the runway in San Juan, Puerto
Rico. No injuries or serious damage were
reported.
-
21
March: Digital content laws in the United States
and elsewhere are causing trouble for aviation
artists and illustrators whose work allegedly
infringes on copyright and trademark law. An
example recently came to light when 3D
illustrator John MacNeill's digital model of a
Consolidated
B-24 Liberator was removed from an online
database by a legal order from the Lockheed
Martin corporation. [More information
here.]
-
22
March: Paul Allen's
Messerschmitt Bf-109E has flown at Everett,
Washington, USA after its restoration. The pilot for
the test flight was Steve Hinton. The aircraft
will be a flying member of Allen's Flying
Heritage Collection.
-
25
March: A
Yakovlev Yak-18T, N221YK, suffered a
collapse of its left main landing gear while
taxiing onto the runway for takeoff at
Sacramento, California, USA.
April 2008:
-
5
April: A North
American / CAC CA-18 Mk.21 Mustang, VH-BOB
(s/n A68-104), was forced to make an emergency
gear-up landing in the grass at Point Cook,
Victoria, Australia. Damage was minimal and
neither occupant was injured. [Video>>]
-
7
April: A
PZL/WSK TS-11 Iskra jet, N501SH, made a
successful gear-up forced landing on a road
after losing its engine near Okeechobee,
Florida, USA. No injuries were reported.
-
8
April: A rare flyover by vintage warbirds is
scheduled for April 10, 2008 over Washington DC,
in commemoration of the thousands of U.S. airmen
who lost their lives in combat. Boeing, the
sponsor of the event, has announced that the
flyby of the Pentagon will include a
B-17,
P-51,
P-40 and a
Spitfire.
The event is being organized and run by the
American Air Museum (AAM) based at Duxford,
England.
-
9
April: A tornado touched down at the Stevens
County Airport in Breckenridge, Texas, USA,
doing heavy damage to numerous aircraft and
hangars, including some at the facility of noted
warbird restorer Nelson Ezell. At least three
warbirds, an
Aeronca L-3,
Lockheed P-38
Lightning, and
Grumman F4F
Wildcat, were damaged to varying degrees.
[Aerial news videos
here.]
-
11
April: A North
American T-28C Trojan, N9022N, suffered a
total loss of engine power in cruise flight near
Kingman, Arizona, USA. The aircraft was
substantially damaged in the intentional gear-up
landing that followed. The pilot was not
injured, but the passenger was slightly injured.
-
14
April: A
Boeing E75N Stearman, N3840K, crashed and
was substantially damaged under unknown
circumstances near Youngstown, Ohio, USA.
Neither occupant was seriously injured. This
same aircraft was substantially damaged almost
exactly one year ago during a landing accident.
-
A
1945 Goodyear
FG-1 Corsair, N96RL (c/n 3769), operated by
the Fighter Factory of Virginia Beach, Virginia,
USA, ground-looped on landing, collapsing the landing
gear. Damage was considered "minor."
-
22
April: A 1948
Hawker Sea
Fury T.Mk20, N51SF (c/n ES3613), operated by
the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, suffered the
collapse of its landing gear during landing at
Addison, Texas, USA. Neither occupant was
injured.
-
26
April: During an airshow at the Lone Star Flight
Museum in Galveston, Texas, USA, a
Supermarine
Spitfire LFXVIe (N97RW / TE392) taxied into
the tail of the museum's recently restored
Hawker
Hurricane (N96RW / CCF-96), heavily damaging
both aircraft. Neither pilot was injured.
May 2008:
-
2
May: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, N62813, crashed shortly
after takeoff from a private airport near
Vancouver, Washington. Both the pilot and
passenger were killed.
-
5
May: Owner/pilot John Zayac survived the crash
of his North
American SNJ-5, N12KY (Race #12, "Thumper")
after a rough forced landing in a remote area of
Eagle County, Colorado, USA, about 85 miles west
of Denver. (See photo below). Zayac is the
president of the T-6 Racing Association and was
flying his airplane to Reno to sell it at the
time of the accident. The same aircraft and
pilot were involved in a successful off-airport
landing in 2000.
Photo courtesy of Eagle
County Sheriff's Department
-
9 May: A
Boeing Model 75 Stearman, N57950,
ground-looped, departed the runway surface, and flipped over after
landing at McKinney, Texas, USA. The sole occupant was not injured.
-
10 May: An
Antonov An-2 Colt biplane crashed
and burned in southeast Romania. One of the pilots was killed, and the
other was injured.
-
17 May: A
deHavilland DH-112 Venom jet,
N21MJ, suffered an engine failure in the traffic pattern at Platte
Valley Airport, Hudson, Colorado, USA, and force-landed in a nearby
field. The plane caught fire and was substantially damaged, but the
pilot escaped unhurt.
-
24 May: A 1949
North American T-28 Trojan, N228AF
(c/n 49-1547), landed gear-up at Rogersville, Tennessee, USA. Neither
occupant was injured.
-
24 May: A 1944
Stinson L-5E/Consolidated OY-1,
N8071, ground-looped and was damaged at Belleville, Michigan, USA.
-
25 May: A
Boeing A75N1 Stearman, N46996,
lost power and crashed into the trees after takeoff from a grass strip
near Romney, West Virginia, USA. The pilot and passenger suffered only
minor injuries.
-
26 May: A
Messerschmitt Bf-109G-10, "Black
2," operated by the EADS Historic Flight, suffered the collapse of its
right main gear and ground-looped during the ILA Berlin Air Show,
Germany. The airframe was relatively undamaged, but since the propeller
struck the ground, the engine's condition is unknown. [Video
here]
-
29 May: A rare
Grumman J2F-6 Duck amphibian crashed on landing in Anchorage,
Alaska, USA. Damage was reported as minor.
-
31 May: A 1948
Pilatus P-2, G-BLKZ, made a forced
landing in a field near Grantham, Lincolnshire, UK, after an engine
failure. The pilot suffered minor injuries and was hospitalized, and the
passenger was unhurt. The airplane's landing gear collapsed during the
incident, but even more damage was allegedly done later by a vandal, who
apparently smashed the plane's instruments and canopy, and set fire to
the aircraft's wings.
June 2008:
-
2 June: The newly-restored
"Flying Bulls" Lockheed P-38L
Lightning, N25Y (s/n 44-53254), has made its first
post-restoration flight, at the hands of pilot Steve Hinton. The
aircraft was formerly Lefty Gardner's "White Lightnin'." [Photos
here]
-
6 June: Microsoft's
co-founder Paul Allen's
Flying Heritage
Collection opened to the public at Paine Field in Everett,
Washington, USA. The collection features numerous rare and historic
military aircraft, most airworthy, restored to the highest standards.
-
12 June: A 1970
BAC Jet Provost Mk. 5, N199ER
(XW322),
crashed while landing at Bay City, Texas, USA. The aircraft was
destroyed, but neither occupant was apparently injured. This particular
aircraft was one of two personal trainer aircraft assigned to HRH Prince
Charles during his Royal Navy pilot training in 1971.
-
21 June:
North American P-51D Mustang G-MRLL
(s/n 44-13521) owned by Maurice Hammond, made its first engine-run in 64
years after a lengthy 5-year restoration in the U.K. [Photos
here.]
-
22 June: A 1971
Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin, N29DJ,
(c/n 892806), crashed in the forest shortly after takeoff from
Millville, New Jersey, USA. Owner/pilot William Crean and passenger
Frederick Gault were both killed.
-
26 June: A
Boeing D75N1 Stearman, N19BB,
ground-looped and came to rest inverted on the grass after landing at
Driggs, Idaho, USA. Neither occupant was injured.
July 2008:
-
6 July: A 2002
Yakovlev Yak-52TW, N777YK, landed gear-up at Middleton, Wisconsin,
USA.
Damage was classified as "minor."
-
8 July:
North American P-51 Mustang G-BIXL
("Miss Helen") (s/n 44-72216), suffered a loss of engine power on final
at Duxford, UK, resulting a hard landing and damage to the landing gear.
-
12 July: A 1942
Boeing B75N1 Stearman, N0166M,
nosed-over and came to rest inverted after landing at Culpeper,
Virginia, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
14 July: A 1942
Curtiss P-40N Warhawk, N49FG,
suffered the collapse of its landing gear during landing at Starkville,
Mississippi, USA. No injuries were reported.
-
22 July: The European Union
grounded the last three passenger-carrying
Douglas DC-3 Dakotas in the UK due
to safety regulations. These regulations require, among other things,
oxygen systems, escape slides, and weather radar -- three systems the
vintage Dakota neither carried nor needed for the types of sightseeing
flights it carried out. [Editor's note: The EU's march toward
bureaucratic totalitarianism appears to be going well. European fans of
vintage aircraft should enjoy whatever shows and sights they can take
in, as these opportunities might not last.]
August 2008:
-
4 August: A
North American P-51D Mustang,
N551W ("The Millie G"), was damaged in a takeoff accident at Tulsa,
Oklahoma, USA. The plane ended up on its belly against an airport
perimeter fence. The pilot was not injured.
-
5 August: A 1952
deHavilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk,
N41832,
suffered an engine failure and crashed after takeoff near Erie, Colorado, USA. The
pilot/owner and had minor injuries, and his passenger (his teenage grandson)
was seriously injured. The aircraft was mostly destroyed.
-
8 August: The
North American T-2 Buckeye flew its
final student training sortie in service with the U.S. Navy, at NAS
Pensacola, Florida. The venerable jet trainer entered service in 1959.
Photo courtesy Pensacola News Journal
-
20 August: A 1948
Hawker Sea Fury T-Mk.20, N51SF, operated by the Texas-based Cavanaugh Flight Museum,
suffered an engine failure while on approach and landed short of the
runway at Reno-Stead Airport, Reno, Nevada. The aircraft, which was to
compete in next month's National Championship Air Races, was
substantially damaged, but the pilot was unhurt.
Sea Fury N51SF on its way to Nelson Ezell's restoration
facility after its off-airport landing at Reno.
Photo taken in Limon, Colorado,
September 6, 2008, by Bob Williams.
-
22 August:
The U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) has issued a draft advisory circular (AC) that
"provides guidance for substantiating
parts or materials substitutions to maintain the safety of old or out of
production general aviation (GA) airplanes."
This guidance will help operators of vintage aircraft maintain their
planes and keep them in safe condition as they age. The text of the AC
is available
here.
-
30 August: A
deHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth,
N80660, crashed on takeoff at Sevierville, Tennessee, USA. The pilot was
not injured.
-
30 August: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, N524CK, crashed
into the St. Lucie River near Stuart, Florida, USA. Neither occupant was injured.
[Video
of recovery efforts.]
-
31 August: A 1935
deHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth,
N522R,
suffered an engine failure while in the traffic pattern and came to rest
50 feet up in a tree near the Skylark Airpark, East Windsor,
Connecticut, USA. The two occupants were unhurt, but it took three hours
for rescue crews to reach them and lower them to the ground using ropes
and pulleys.
September 2008:
-
1 September: A
Lockheed SP-2H (P2V) Neptune
airtanker, N4235T, crashed after takeoff from the Reno-Stead Airport, Reno, Nevada,
USA. All three persons on board were killed. The aircraft was enroute to
battle a wildfire in nearby Inyoe County, California. It was operated by
Neptune Aviation of Missoula, Montana.
-
1 September: A
Yakovlev Yak-52 crashed into the
sea off Stradbroke Island, Australia while performing aerobatics. Both
the pilot and passenger were killed.
-
5 September: The
Commemorative Air Force (CAF) has gone back to court over a dispute with
the U.S. Air Force Museum (USAFM) over the ownership of a rare
North
American F-82B Twin Mustang. The CAF contends that the aircraft was
donated outright by the Air Force in 1968. A ruling in July favored the USAFM, but the CAF has appealed, citing multiple documents that contain
the word "donation."
-
16 September: The Lone Star
Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas, USA has issued a series of press
releases detailing the damage sustained by the museum during this
weekend's passage of Hurricane Ike. About a dozen of the flyable
aircraft were previously flown out of harm's way. [Click through for a
heartbreaking
photo
gallery of the damage to the museum and its exhibits.]
-
19 September: A 1965
Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin,
N129DH, lost its canopy while on the takeoff roll in Virginia Beach,
Virginia, USA. No one was injured.
-
28 September: A 1941
North American Harvard Mk.IIA,
N9272C, departed the edge of the runway during a touch-and-go in Dayton,
Ohio, USA, resulting in the collapse of the left landing gear. The pilot
suffered only minor injuries.
October 2008:
-
9 October: A
Canadair CT-114 Tutor jet operated by the
Canadian Forces Snowbirds team crashed in Moose Jaw,
Saskatchewan, Canada, during a rehearsal / photo flight,
killing both the pilot and a photographer.
-
9 October: The U.S.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has proposed sweeping new
regulations that would require operators of all aircraft over 12,500
pounds maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) to enact strict security background
checks and/or screening of crewmembers and passengers, much like that
required by commercial airlines. The implications of such measures on
warbird operations are obvious, and several organizations are studying
the matter.
-
11 October: Art Nalls and
his privately-owned
BAe Sea
Harrier, N94422 (XZ439), made their airshow debut at the Culpeper Air
Fest in Virginia, USA. Nalls' Harrier is the first one to fly in private
hands, and its airworthiness is a significant accomplishment considering
the complexity and expense of this type.
-
11 October: A 1958
Focke-Wulf P.149D, N149PE,
suffered the collapse of its nose landing gear during landing in San
Diego, California, USA.
-
31 October: A 1952
North American/CCF Harvard Mk. IV,
N2047, operated by the Commemorative Air Force and modified as a replica
of a Japanese "Kate" dive-bomber, landed at San Marcos, Texas, USA, with its
landing gear only partially extended. Thanks to some expert handling by
the pilot, damage was minimal as the left gear collapsed upon touchdown.
November 2008:
-
The Commemorative Air
Force's (CAF) Gulf Coast Wing in Houston, Texas, USA has been notified
that the lease on their hangar containing their
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortess, "Texas
Raiders," will expire at the end of this month, and the plane must me
removed. Since it is under restoration and cannot be moved, it may have
to be dismantled and shipped to the CAF's home base in Midland, Texas,
unless a new home can be found.
-
13 November: A
North American FJ-4B Fury, N400FS,
landed gear-up during an airshow at the Pensacola Naval Air Station,
Florida, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
16 November: The Hagerstown
Aviation Museum in Maryland has taken delivery of one of the last
airworthy Fairchild C-119 Flying
Boxcars in existence. N8093 was flown to the museum from Graybull,
Wyoming, where it had been a fire suppression bomber with Hawkins and
Powers Aviation since the 1980s. The C-119 joins a C-82 Packet already
on display at the former home of the Fairchild Aircraft Company.
December 2008:
-
6 December: One of the
Commemorative Air Force's first aircraft, a
Curtiss P-40N Warhawk, N1226N (s/n
42-105867) has made its first post-restoration flight, with sponsor Ray
Kinney at the controls.
-
After over seven years in
flyable storage in Ohakea, New Zealand's fleet of
Aermacchi MB-339CB
strike trainers may be brought back into service. The new defense
minister announced that the government would be considering the action
shortly. The sale of seventeen Douglas
A-4 Skyhawks to an American contractor is still held up by
bureaucracy at the U.S. State Department.
-
24 December: Marvin L.
"Lefty" Gardner, WWII pilot, famous
P-38 airshow performer, crop-duster, and one of the founding members of the
Confederate Air Force, passed away at the age of 87. [Blue
skies, Lefty... --Ed.]
-
26 December: The world's
only remaining restored
Handley Page Hampden bomber was badly damaged by
heavy snowfall at the Canadian Museum of Flight. The left wing structure
failed under the load of the snow, and separated from the airplane. The
wing then fell onto a display case containing one of the plane's
original engines.
-
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2009:
-
3 January: A
Nanchang CJ-6, N99YK, crashed into a field
during a landing approach at the Propwash Airport in Denton County,
Texas, USA. Both the pilot and passenger were killed. [Accident
synopsis]
-
5 January: The Commemorative
Air Force (CAF) has announced that their Director of Maintenance and
Quality Assurance, Gary Austin, will be leaving the organization to
pursue "non-aviation related" activities. Austin, who has worked
tirelessly on many major efforts including the CAF's
B-29 and
B-24, is noted for leading some of
the vast improvements in the way the CAF maintains its fleet of vintage
airplanes.
-
5 January: A Russian polar
explorer and three crewmembers survived the crash of a Basler BT-67 (a
turbo-conversion DC-3/C-47) in
Antarctica. The Russian-owned plane was carrying vehicle parts for a
British expedition when it apparently crashed into the ice. All
four survivors were evacuated on a second airplane.
-
11 January: A 1945
Nord 1101 Noralpha
(a license-built Messerschmitt 208), N208ME, lost engine power and landed
short of the runway in Sparta, Illinois, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
12 January: A 1948
Ryan Navion A, N4387K,
force-landed in a field near the Latrobe, Pennsylvania, USA airport. The
pilot was not injured.
-
The
Yankee Air
Museum in Willow Run, Michigan, USA, may soon have to move from its
current hangar facilities, apparently because the airport needs to close
the building to save money. The museum had taken up residence in its
current home after a fire in 2004 which destroyed its former hangar.
-
15 January: A two-seat
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX,
ZK-WDQ
(MH367) owned and flown
by Doug Brooker, suffered the collapse of its landing gear upon landing
at Masterton Aerodrome, New Zealand, just before a weekend airshow in
which it was to play a large role. [See photo below]. Details of the accident are not
known, but most the aircraft appears to be relatively undamaged. The
aircraft had recently been restored in Florida.
Photo courtesy
Wairarapa Times-Age
-
16
January: A North American T-6/SNJ-5,
N7861B, ground-looped on landing at Merritt Island, Florida, USA. Damage
to the airplane was substantial, but the pilot was not injured.
-
17
January: The
Heritage Flight
Museum of Bellingham, Washington, USA reopened in its new location
at the Bellingham International Airport. Showcasing nearly a dozen
flyable vintage aircraft, the museum was founded in 1996 by Apollo 8
astronaut Bill Anders and his family.
-
24 January: A rare
Avro Vulcan bomber on display
at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, USA is threatened with
destruction unless the base's 8th Air Force Museum passes an
accreditation inspection by the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
[More information
here.]
-
27 January: The
Hangar 11
Collection at North Weald, UK, is pleased to announced that their
Hawker Hurricane X, G-HHII
("BE505") has made its first post-restoration flight.
-
28 January: A
SIAI Marchetti
SF-260C, N688C, crashed shortly after takeoff from the Santa Monica
airport in California, killing both the pilot and passenger. Witnesses
reported seeing the aircraft attempt to make an aggressive turn back to
the runway after losing the engine.
-
31 January: The Lone Star
Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas, USA, heavily damaged during Hurricane
Ike in September 2008, has reopened.
-
31 January: All four people
involved survived after a North
American T-6G Texan, N51KT (s/n 49-3266) was involved in a midair
collision with a helicopter at an airport northwest of Houston, Texas,
USA. The T-6 landed safely after losing its left wingtip and part of the
wing, and the helicopter fell about 40 feet to the ground.
February 2009:
-
1 February: A
Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin lost
its brakes and departed the end of the runway at North Shore Airfield,
Dairy Flat, New Zealand. The plane crossed a road and came to rest
against a fence, but the pilot was not injured.
-
4 February: A
Douglas DC-3 / C-47, N834TP,
operated by the National Test Pilot School, veered off the side of the
runway and nosed over at Mojave, California, USA. The plane was
substantially damaged, but neither pilot was injured.
-
7 February: A 1944
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress,
N93012 ("Nine O' Nine"), operated by the Collings Foundation, struck
approach lights during landing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. The
aircraft apparently suffered no damage.
-
A 1943
Fairchild PT-26A Cornell, N49071,
lost engine power and force-landed off the airport at San Juan Island,
Washington, USA. The aircraft was substantially damaged, but the two
occupants were not injured.
-
18 February: A
Douglas AC-47T / BT-67 "Fantasma"
("Phantom") on a training
mission with the Columbian Air Force crashed in the village of El Purnio,
Columbia (100 miles northwest of Bogota) shortly after taking off from its home base. 5 people were
killed. First reports say that the aircraft involved was designated
FAC 1659, an aircraft that had been involved in another fatal
accident in September 2000.
-
18 February: A second
AC-47T / BT-67, registered
PNC-0211, was damaged in Columbia, this
time at the Medellin Airport. The press reported that a "tear-gas
grenade" exploded inside the aft cabin -- however, since photos
show that the fuselage was cut in half, it is likely a more powerful
explosive was also involved.
March 2009:
-
7 March: The left wing of a
Grumman TBM-3 Avenger, N188TD (BuNo 53522), caught fire shortly after takeoff from Millville, New
Jersey, USA. Pilot Terry Rush managed to return quickly to the airport,
land, and run away from the burning airplane. He suffered second- and
third-degree burns, but his injuries are not believed to be
life-threatening. The aircraft, which was destroyed, was owned by Tom Duffy, who also owns a
Corsair, B-25, and other aircraft.
-
11 March: The National
Museum of the Air Force declined a settlement proposal made by the
Commemorative Air Force (CAF) regarding the stewardship of a rare
North
American F-82 Twin Mustang. The aircraft, which was restored by the CAF
during the past ten years with the intention to eventually fly it, was
immediately dismantled and returned to the Air Force. The CAF intends to
appeal the ruling.
-
11 March: A newly-restored,
authentic-restored
Fieseler Fi 156
Storch, G-STCH, has made its first post-restoration flight. Owned by
Peter Holloway, the aircraft will be based at Old Warden, UK along with his
other vintage aircraft.
-
12 March: The Illinois-based
Warbird Heritage Foundation announced the addition of a
Douglas AD-1 Skyraider, N2AD (BuNo 09257), to its collection.
-
The wreckage of what might
be a long-lost
Argentinean Air Force
Avro Lancaster, missing since the
1950s, has been found in a remote fjord in Tierra del Fuego, Chile. [More
information].
-
20 March: The Canadian
Warplane Heritage Museum has announced that their
Avro Lancaster bomber has been
grounded due to corrosion issues. They have launched a
fund-raising appeal to get the plane back into the air.
-
28 March: A
Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat, N7825C,
operated by the Commemorative Air Force's SoCal Wing, suffered a
progressive loss of power and made a successful forced landing at
Burbank, California, USA. Pilot Steve Barber is reported to have done a
magnificent job getting the plane on the ground.
-
28 March: The left main
landing gear of 1944 North American
T-6D Texan N554Q collapsed upon landing in Destin, Florida, USA. The
pilot was not injured.
-
29 March: A 1975
Siai-Marchetti SM-1019B, N273LH, struck a tree after takeoff in Dade
City, Florida, USA. The aircraft was substantially damaged, but the
pilot escaped injury.
-
30 March: ABC News aired an
investigative report on potential safety issues with a 1957
Grumman HU-16E Albatross operated
by energy drink maker Red Bull. The report alleges that the aircraft is
used to fly media and celebrities at public sporting events and
airshows, and that its airframe might be beyond its designed "fatigue
life."
April 2009:
-
3 April: An
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros blew
a tire and went off the side of the runway during landing at Houma,
Louisiana, USA. Neither occupant was injured.
-
5 April: A
Curtiss P-40N Warhawk, N740RB (s/n
44-7368) crashed into the water near Fire Island, New
York, USA, while preparing for an air display. The aircraft's owner and pilot, Robert Baranaskas,
was killed.
-
14 April: A
North American SNJ-4, N269WB,
ground-looped on landing and ended up on its nose in a line of nearby
trees in Bessemer, Alabama, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
18 April:
North American
NA-64 Yale N64FL (s/n
64-2207) completed its first flight since 1945, following a 8-year
restoration in Slaton, Texas. The flight was completed with only a few
minor issues being noted, and a second flight was made the same day.
[Thanks to Malcom Laing]
-
21 April: A 1944
Grumman FM-2 Wildcat, N909WJ,
struck a wingtip during landing at Lakeland, Florida, USA, resulting in
minor damage.
-
24 April: After resting at
the bottom of Lake Michigan for over 64 years, a
Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber
was successfully recovered. The aircraft, which was ditched in 1944
during naval carrier training operations, will be restored and displayed
at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana. [More
news and videos.]
-
24 April: Legend Flyers, LLC
in Everett, Washington, USA rolled out a replica
Messerschmitt Me-262 that, like
previous flying examples, was painstakingly assembled using original
German drawings and specifications (see below). This museum-display
aircraft, which took five years to create, will not be made airworthy.
Its new home will be announced shortly.
-
24 April: A 1979
Siai
Marchetti SM-1019 utility aircraft, N391RV, came to rest on its nose
during a landing in gusty wind conditions at Novato, California, USA.
The pilot and passenger were not injured.
-
25 April: A
Lockheed P2V Neptune firebomber,
N442NA
(Tanker 42,
s/n
150283), enroute from its base in Montana to a wildfire in New Mexico slammed
into a mountain near Stockton, Utah, USA, killing all three crewmembers
aboard. The aircraft was being operated by Neptune Aviation, of
Missoula, Montana.
-
26 April: The crew of a 1942
Douglas DC-3 / C-47 Dakota,
N136FS, reported a fire in the cockpit while taxiing at San Juan, Puerto
Rico. All four occupants successfully evacuated the aircraft before it
was destroyed by fire.
-
26 April: A 1940
DeHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth,
N82EK, made a forced landing on a beach at Smith Point, Islip, New York,
USA. The pilot was not injured, and the aircraft was undamaged.
-
30 April: An
Antonov AN-2 Colt biplane,
registered RF-00842, crashed on approach to Nemyugyunskogo, Yakutia,
Russia in heavy snow. Witnesses reported the aircraft made three
attempts to land and hit powerlines on the third attempt. All three
people on board were killed.
May 2009:
-
17 May: A 1941
Boeing
E75 / PT-17 Stearman, N4787V, was substantially damaged during
landing in Cottonwood, Arizona.
-
18 May: A 1942
Boeing A75N1 / PT-17 Stearman,
N450JN, departed the runway on landing at Joshua Tree, California, USA.
The aircraft pitched onto its nose, caught fire, and burned. The pilot
was unhurt, but the aircraft was destroyed.
-
19 May: The Evergreen Air
and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, USA has secured ownership of a
rare Lockheed EC-121T (s/n
52-3417) that for years had been used as a training airframe at a
technical college in Helena, Montana. The museum plans to have the
aircraft restored in Arizona, then fly it to Oregon for permanent
display.
-
22 May: A 1974
BAC Jet
Provost Mk.5A, N78SH (XW336), force-landed in a field near Cheyenne,
Wyoming, USA. Neither occupant was injured.
-
23 May: A 1972
Nanchang CJ-6, N81817, was
involved in a formation mid-air collision with a RV-8 homebuilt aircraft
in Decatur, Alabama, USA after the CJ-6 had participated in a flyby. The CJ-6 pilot
safely returned for a landing. The pilot of the RV-8 was
killed.
-
23 May: A
North American T-6G Texan, N25KP,
suffered the collapse of its main landing gear and slid off the runway
during landing in Belmar, New Jersey, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
29 May: The US Transportation
Security Administration (TSA) released a modified version of its
security directive (SD-8G), the previous version of which would have severely curtailed the
ability of aircrew to access certain airports. [More
information here].
-
29 May: The Arizona Wing of
the Commemorative Air Force is pleased to announce the successful first
flight of their North American B-25N
Mitchell, N125AZ (s/n 43-35927), called "Maid in the Shade," in
Mesa, Arizona, USA. Crewmembers Tim Jackson, Russ Gilmore, and Spike
McLane reported that the aircraft performed very well. The aircraft last
flew in 1981, and during its restoration it was returned to authentic
wartime configuration.
B-25 N125AZ. Photo courtesy Francois Bergeon.
June 2009:
-
4 June: A rare
1939 Messerschmitt Bf-109E-4,
CF-EML, operated by the Russell Aviation Group, made an emergency landing
in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, after hitting a flagpole near the end
of the runway after takeoff. One of the aircraft's wings sustained
damage, but pilot
John Romain
landed safely. The pole was allegedly one of
several erected shortly before the incident by a disgruntled man who
owns property adjacent to the airport.
-
4-6 June: The
National
Biplane Association held their final Biplane Expo in Bartlesville,
Oklahoma, USA. The event had been held every year for 23 years.
-
6 June: A
1947
deHavilland DH-115 Vampire Mk.3,
N6878D, owned by Wings of Flight, Inc., lost engine power
after takeoff at Rochester, New York, USA, and made a forced
landing short of the runway. Pilot
Peter Treichler
was injured, but is
expected to make a full recovery. This particular aircraft was once
owned by actor John Travolta, and it is generally considered to be the
oldest jet aircraft still flying.
-
6 June: A 1944
Lockheed P-38 Lightning, N79123
(s/n 44-27231, "Ruff Stuff") experienced an apparent "runaway
propeller" during takeoff at an airshow in Fairmont, Nebraska, USA.
Pilot Rob Ator did a great job aborting the takeoff, but a tire blew in
the process. The aircraft was not damaged.
-
8 June: A 1996
Yakovlev Yak-11, N7YK, veered
off the runway and struck a concrete barrier during a landing in
Culpepper, Virginia, USA. The pilot was not injured, but the aircraft
was substantially damaged.
-
8 June: A 1948
Meyers OTW-145, N34335,
came to rest in a ditch upon landing in Haskell, Texas, USA, after the
right brake locked. Neither
occupant was seriously injured.
-
9 June: The Canadian
Warplane Heritage's rare Westland
Lysander, C-GCWL, made its first post-restoration flight, with Rob
Erdos at the controls. The flight was reported to be a complete success.
-
17 June: A 1979
Dornier Alpha Jet, N707XA, landed gear-up at Arlington, Washington,
USA. The aircraft was only slightly damaged.
-
17 June: The U.S. Air
Force's venerable Cessna T-37 "Tweet"
flew its final student training flight at Sheppard Air Force Base,
Texas. Over 78,000 pilots were trained in the T-37 during its 50+ years
of service. [Including this editor, who has fond memories of the
"6500-lb. Dog Whistle"... Ed.]
-
19 June: A
Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber
has been recovered from the bottom of Lake Michigan, where it had rested
since 1944. Former McDonald's CEO Fred Turner financed the recovery, and
the aircraft will be restored in Pensacola, Florida, before being
permanently displayed in a museum in Hawaii. [More
details here.]
-
19 June: A
North American T-6A Texan, N9793Z,
incurred damage in Olympia, Washington, USA as the result of a bounced
landing, during which the right wing contacted the ground.
-
23 June: The Florida-based
Valiant Air Command's Douglas C-47A
Skytrain, N3239T ("Tico Belle"), made its first flight after an
eight-year long restoration following a landing accident in 2001.
-
24 June: A 1973
Nanchang China CJ-6, N6339V,
suffered the collapse of its landing gear after landing in Aurora,
Oregon, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
26 June: The
American Airpower Museum in Farmingdale, New York USA, might lose
its historic hangar home at Republic Airport due to a federal airport
improvement project. [Details
here.]
-
29 June: A 1941
Boeing A75N Stearman, N38978,
flipped over while landing at Quinton, Virginia, USA. The pilot was not
injured.
July 2009:
-
4 July: A
North American T-28 Trojan
suffered an engine failure shortly after a formation takeoff from Midlothian, Texas,
USA
and made a force landing in a field. Owner/pilot John Sledge was injured
but is good condition. The aircraft was badly damaged and is believed to
be a "write-off."
-
4 July: Two people were
killed in the fiery crash of a 1968
Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin jet, N97869, in Tehachapi, California,
USA. Local airport manager Dave Zweigle and former Air Force test pilot
(and retired airline pilot) Bob Chamberlain were lost after performing a
formation lag roll at low altitude. [NTSB
report].
-
8 July: David Lindsay,
founder of the Cavalier Aircraft Corporation in Sarasota, Florida, has
passed away at the age of 86. He was considered one of the world's
leading experts on the refurbishment and re-design of the P-51 Mustang.
Many of his
Cavalier Mustang conversions are still flying today.
-
9 July: A 1944
North American SNJ-5/T-6 Texan,
N212TC ("Mystical Power"), crashed while performing aerobatics near
Kiowa, Colorado, USA. Well-known air-race and airshow pilot Gary Miller
was killed.
-
9 July: A 1955
Percival P56 Provost T.1, G-AWVF
/ XF877, crashed near Bishop Norton, Lincolnshire, UK, killing pilot
John Fairey.
-
11 July: The Collings
Foundation will soon be taking delivery of a two-seat
Saab Viggen SK
37E jet fighter, believed to be one of only two flyable examples in
the civilian world.
-
15
July: A Canadair CT-133 Silver Star
Mk. 3(T-33)
jet, N3648 (s/n
133648), enroute from CFB Trenton, Ontario, Canada, to its new home in
the USA,
went off the end of the runway during its takeoff roll, coming to rest
in a ditch near the perimeter fence. The pilot was taken to a local hospital
with unknown injuries. [News
link] This particular aircraft was the final CT-133 produced by Canadair, as was
used as an ejection seat test-bed during its military service.
-
16 July: The Royal Australia
Air Force Museum and the Temora Aviation Museum in Australia are pleased
to announce the first flight of their recently restored
CA-27 Sabre (A94-983). [Photos and
video
here].
-
17 July: The Commemorative
Air Force's "Red-Tail Mustang," (a rare C-Model
North American P-51 Mustang), N61429 (s/n 42-103645), has made
its first engine run following a five-year restoration.
-
18 July: A 1944
North American SNJ-6 Texan,
N1044C, made a forced
landing in a field near Castle Rock, Colorado, USA after reporting an
engine problem. Neither person on board was injured.
-
18 July: A 1944
Beechcraft TC-45J/SNB-5
Expeditor/Kansan,
N6688, crashed near Verdel,
Nebraska under unknown circumstances. The pilot was killed.
-
22 July: A
North American T-6G Texan, N555Q, ground-looped on landing in Ely,
Nevada, USA, and was substantially damaged.
-
22 July: The "Red-Tail"
P-51C Mustang [see 17 July news
above] has made its first post-restoration flight in Wahpeton, North
Dakota, USA.
-
23 July:
Pride Aircraft, of
Rockford, Illinois, USA,
announced that they are offering for sale an airworthy pair of the first (and only)
privately-owned
Sukhoi SU-27 Flanker fighter jets.
-
30 July: A 1943
North American AT-6D Texan, N7517,
departed the runway on landing roll in Redmond, Oregon, USA. No damage
was reported.
August 2009:
-
4 August: A 1943
Boeing A75 Stearman, N5195N,
crashed south of Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, under unknown circumstances.
One of the two people on board was killed.
-
8 August: A 1943
Fairchild PT-19A Cornell, N54804,
crashed on takeoff from a private airport near Colorado Springs,
Colorado, USA. The pilot was seriously injured.
-
10 August: A 1942
Boeing A75 Stearman, N75263,
flipped over on takeoff in Salina, Kansas, USA, and was substantially
damaged. The pilot was not injured.
-
16 August: A 1942
Curtiss P-40N Kittyhawk, VH-MIK
(s/n 42-104977), suffered the collapse of its landing gear during
landing at Mareeba, North Queensland, Australia. The aircraft slid on
its belly for nearly 1000 feet before coming to rest. The owner/pilot
and his passenger were not injured.
-
22 August: A
North American T-6G Texan, N5599L
(s/n 51-14333) ground-looped during landing in Ocala, Florida. The sole
pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft suffered significant damage to its
propeller and left wing.
-
26 August: Midwest Texans,
a restoration facility in Huntington, Indiana, USA, known for their
near-perfect, white-glove restorations of
North American T-6 Texans, has
announced that it has ceased operations. An auction of its remaining
assets will be announced shortly.
-
28 August: A 1942
deHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth,
CF-DHQ, operated by the Vintage Wings of Canada organization, crashed at
Gatineau Airport, near Ottawa, Quebec, Canada, seriously injuring pilot
Howard Cook. The aircraft reportedly lost power after takeoff.
September 2009:
-
1 September: A 1980
Israeli
Aircraft Industries Kfir-C2, N404AX, operated by Airborne Tactical
Advantage Company (ATAC), veered off the runway and into the grass
during operations at Newport News, Virginia, USA. The pilot was not
injured.
-
4 September: A
Siai Marchetti
SF-260, N517P, landed off the runway at McCollum Field, Kennesaw,
Georgia, USA. Neither the pilot nor passenger were injured.
-
4
September: The pilot/owner of a 1970 PZL/WSK
TS-11 Iskra jet, N315JB, was forced to land with only the nosewheel
extended after experiencing a failure of the airplane's main gear
extension system at Cleveland, Ohio, USA. A nearby F/A-18 pilot joined
up and confirmed the gear's position before the uneventful emergency
landing. The aircraft sustained damage to its wing and belly, but is
expected to be repairable.
-
28
September: The assets of Midwest Texans, formerly one of the world's
premiere restoration shops for the
North American T-6/SNJ Texan, will go under the auctioneer's gavel
on 17-18 October, in Huntington, Indiana, USA. Parts, tools, avionics,
vehicles, and several aircraft projects will be sold. [For more
information, see
Starman
Brothers Auctions, Inc.]
-
29
September: Divers searching the waters off Los Angeles International
Airport have located the wreckage of a long-lost
Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star that
disappeared in October 1955. (They had been searching for a
P-51D Mustang flown by Gertrude
"Tommy" Tomkins Silver, the last missing WASP pilot, who disappeared in
1944.) The T-33 crewmembers were
Lt. Richard M. Theiler and Lt. Paul D. Smith.
[More
information]
October 2009:
-
14
October: The Commemorative Air Force's Gulf Coast Wing is pleased to
announce that after 7-1/2 years of major restoration and Airworthiness
Directive compliance, their B-17G
Flying Fortress, N7227C ("Texas Raiders"), made its first
post-restoration flight.
-
15
October: The Collings Foundation, operators of a collection of diverse
warbirds in the USA, was notified that the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) had denied their request to operate four of their
aircraft in a passenger-carrying role. The aircraft are the
McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom,
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk,
Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, and a
replica Messerschmitt Me-262.
-
22
October: A 1957 Fuji LM-1 Nikko,
N2121J, crashed
in Athens, Georgia, USA, shortly after takeoff. Both the owner/pilot
and his passenger were killed.
-
24
October: A Curtiss P-40E Warhawk,
N4420K, suffered the collapse of its right main landing gear while
turning off the runway in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. This aircraft won the
Grand Champion Warbird award at EAA AirVenture this year.
-
26
October: Gary Austin, a noted warbird mechanic, crew chief and
influential aircraft restorer/pilot known for his work as the Director
of Maintenance for the Commemorative Air Force, passed away at the age
of 39.
November 2009:
-
2 November: The U.S. Court
of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled in favor of the National Museum
of the United States Air Force (USAFM) in an ownership dispute with the
Commemorative Air Force for a rare
North American F-82 Twin Mustang. The ruling supports the original
judgment of the District Court in July of 2009.
-
7 November: A rare 1951
Piasecki PV-18 (HUP-1) Retreiver helicopter, N183YP, crashed after
hitting power lines near Adelanto, California, about 70 miles northeast
of Los Angeles. All three persons on board were killed.
-
7 November: A Los Angeles
Times online report published today includes a video of a pair of
L-39 Albatros jets making low
passes and aggressive pull-ups near the Santa Monica, California pier
last year. The video also shows the frightened responses from the
public, and contains recordings of several concerned calls to 911. The Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) has since revoked the pilot's license of pilot
David Riggs. He now faces civil charges over the incident. Riggs, who is
a movie producer, claimed he buzzed the pier in an attempt to promote
his new movie. The second pilot, noted air racer and test pilot Skip Holm,
was apparently not cited. [Read
the whole story]
-
9 November: The world's only
airworthy
North
American FJ-4B Fury, N400FS, made
its first flight after repairs following a gear-up landing almost
exactly one year ago. The following day, the aircraft was flown to
Pensacola, Florida for the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels homecoming.
-
11 November: A
North American P-51D Mustang,
N151AF, operated by the Heritage Flight Museum, made an successful
emergency landing in Bellingham, Washington, USA, after the pilot
reported smoke in the cockpit. The smoke was apparently caused by a
resistor, and ceased after the pilot shut off the electrical system.
-
11 November: A
Douglas DC-3 owner in Spaulding,
Georgia, USA had a rather bizarre run-in with the law when he apparently
nearly struck a police officer with his airplane, then taxied away and
attempted a takeoff, before being apprehended. Officers were attempting
to issue citations to Dan Gryder for airport vehicular violations, but
he refused to sign them. He then boarded his 1937 DC-3A,
N143D,
and taxied away, ignoring police demands to stop. Gryder's Herpa DC-3 is
well-known in the vintage aircraft community.
-
14 November: An
English Electric Lightning jet,
ZU-BEX
(XS451), operated by the Thunder City organization, crashed
during an airshow at the Overberg Air Show at Bredasdorp, South Africa.
Thunder City's chief pilot, Dave Stock, was killed after an apparent
hydraulic failure and the simultaneous failure of his ejection seat.
-
21 November: A
Boeing A75N1 Stearman, N56099,
flipped over upon landing in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. The pilot was not
injured.
-
22 November: A
Boeing B75 Stearman, N5521N, crashed next
to the Creve Coeur Airport, Maryland Heights, Missouri, USA, after an
engine failure immediately shortly liftoff. Neither the pilot (airport
owner Al Stix) nor the passenger were injured.
-
30 November: A
Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat that crashed
during a carrier-landing training flight in Lake Michigan in 1944 was
recovered and brought to shore in Waukegan, Illinois, USA. This is the sixth
Hellcat recovered from Lake Michigan. The original pilot, Walter Elcock
(now 89), could not attend the recovery, but his grandson did. The
aircraft is destined for display at the National Naval Aviation Museum
in Florida. The recovery was funded by Andy Taylor, the chief executive
officer of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, whose father flew Hellcats in WWII.
December 2009:
-
1 December: The
Warbird Heritage Foundation is pleased to announce that their
Douglas A-4B Skyhawk, N49WH (s/n
11366 / BuNo 142112), made it first post-restoration flight, and was
also moved to its new home in Waukegan, Illinois, USA. "Oshkosh"
attendees will no doubt remember this aircraft as the one displayed at
the convention grounds since the early 1990s.
-
3 December: A two-seat
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX,
ZK-WDQ
(MH367) owned and flown
by Doug Brooker, had its second serious incident in less than a year.
This time the aircraft's landing gear collapsed after an apparent
bounced landing at Ardmore, New Zealand. The pilot was not injured.
-
6 December: A 1941
Boeing A75 Stearman, N1431C (s/n
75-1702), suffered the collapse of its landing gear upon landing at
Corona, California, USA. Neither occupant was injured.
-
10 December: Pride Aircraft
of Rockford, Illinois, USA, announced they had successfully flown the
USA's first and only civilian-operated
Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker jet fighters. N131SU was followed into the
air within days by a second, identical Flanker, N132SU.
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2010:
-
13 January: A
Nanchang CJ-6, N75483, suffered
the collapse of its left main landing gear and veered off the runway
upon landing at Concord, California, USA. The pilot was not injured.
February 2010:
-
7 February: A
Nanchang CJ-6, N6263D, made a successful
emergency landing next to a recreation center in Mesa, Arizona, USA, but
swerved to miss a man and his dog, and ended up crashing into a restroom
building. The pilot and his passenger were not seriously injured, but
the plane was substantially damaged.
Nanchang CJ-6 N 6263D. Photo by Thom Shivka
-
8 February: A 1985
Yakovlev Yak-52, N52VY, crashed
shortly after taking off from Redlands, California, USA, killing the
pilot and his passenger.
-
9 February: The CAF's Devil Dog, a
North American B-25J
(PBJ-1J) Mitchell, N9643C, has finally returned to its home in
Georgetown, Texas USA, after an engine change following its Oshkosh
appearance last summer. The bomber's sponsor group had to raise over
$75,000 for a new engine, a process that was greatly expedited by a
recent anonymous donation of $30,000.
-
17 February: A 1962
Fouga CM-170 Magister, N6222N,
veered off the runway during takeoff at Imperial, California, USA. The
aircraft was substantially damaged, but the pilot was not injured.
-
20 February: A 1942
North American AT-6C Texan, N76BZ
(formerly N7690U), left the runway surface and nosed over upon landing
at Mesa, Arizona, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
A husband/wife team have
become the first graduates of a Commercial Spaceflight Training course
at NASA's Kennedy Space center, utilizing the fleet of
Lockheed F-104 Starfighters owned
by Starfighters, Inc.
March 2010:
-
2 March: Today
marks the 100th anniversary of military aviation. On 2 March
1910, Army
Lt. Benjamin
D. Foulois lifted off in a Wright B Flyer from the parade grounds at
Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Happy birthday to warbirds!
-
4 March: A 1992
Short S.312 Tucano T Mk.1, N411ZF, suffered the collapse of its
landing gear during landing at Nacogdochez, Texas, USA. The pilot was
not injured.
-
6 March: A
North American SNJ-6 / T-6 Texan,
N47LF, crashed into the Gulf of Mexico off Santa Rosa Beach, Florida,
USA, while performing aerobatics. Both the pilot and his wife were
killed.
-
11 March: Owner/pilot Nazzi
Hirani was
killed when his 1944 North American
P-51D Mustang, N514NH (c/n 44-84850) (named "Su Su"),
crashed during landing at Stellar Airpark, Chandler, Arizona, USA. The airplane
clipped several stone walls and fences, and came to rest
inside a hangar, part of which caught fire.
-
17 March: A
1945
North American SNJ-6 Texan N75AG
(s/n 44-81418) (Race name "Warlock") crashed in a field 20 miles
west of Bakersfield, California, USA. Noted Reno air racer Al Goss and his
pilot-rated passenger, Steve Ballard, were killed.
-
18 March: Loggers working in
a heavily-wooded area near Tillamook, Oregon, USA discovered the WWII
wreckage of a Curtiss SB2C Helldiver.
Authorities have not yet identified where the plane originated, or if
any human remains are present at the crash site.
-
21 March: An
Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros,
registered YV100X, crashed into several homes in Cumaná, Sucre,
Venezuela, killing the pilot and five people on the ground. Some media
reports claim the pilot stated he was going to make a simulated
engine-out landing prior to the accident. [News
report and photos]
-
22 March: A
Yakovlev Yak-3UPW, N153U, (a
modern replica of a Yak-3) suffered the collapse of its left main
landing gear upon landing at Half Moon Bay, California, USA. The
owner/pilot was not injured.
April 2010:
-
8 April: Air racing legend
Lyle Shelton passed away at the age of 76 after a short illness. Shelton
was the holder of multiple speed and time-to-climb records in his famous
Rare Bear racer, a highly-modified
Grumman F8F Bearcat. Among other
records, he still holds the world's absolute propeller-driven speed
record over a 3-kilometer course at 528.329 mph.
[Rare Bear
information] [Racing
for the Gold book]
-
10 April: A 1958
North American AT-6D/SNJ-5 Texan,
N7300C, landed gear-up at Romona, California, USA, sustaining minor
damage in the incident.
-
10 April: The pilot of a
Nanchang CJ-6A, ZK-JQS,
successfully made a precautionary landing near Marlborough, New Zealand
on a rough section of 4-wheel drive path. Neither he nor his passenger
were injured. After an inspection of the airplane
(and some mechanized improvement of the improvised "runway"), the aircraft made a
successful takeoff and returned home. [Watch
the takeoff video]
-
10 April: A Yakovlev Yak-50,
G-YAKK, experienced a loss of engine power and the owner/pilot made a
forced landing in a field near Bothel, Cumbria, UK. The pilot suffered
minor injuries. He was wearing a helmet-mounted video camera and
recorded the entire incident. [View
the video here]
-
16-18 April: One of the
largest gatherings of North American
B-25 Mitchells since WWII took place at the National Museum of the
U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, USA, as part of a tribute to Doolittle's
Raider's. At least 17 of the twin-engine bombers took part.
-
23 April: A
Grumman TBM Avenger firebomber,
operated by Fire Protection Ltd., crashed after takeoff from Miramichi
Airport, New Brunswick, Canada, killing the pilot.
-
24 April: The pilot of a
Yakovlev Yak-52, G-YKCT, made a
successful forced landing in a field in Ayrshire, Scotland, after the
plane's engine failed. The airplane sustained minor damage, but neither
occupant was injured.
May 2010:
-
4 May: The Collings
Foundation is seeking to acquire a
Republic
F-105 Thunderchief and restore it to flying condition!
To do this, they need your immediate help by making a simple
phone call. [More
information here]
-
6 May: A 1944
North American P-51D Mustang,
N55JL ("Cloud Dancer"), made a precautionary landing in Curtis,
Nebraska, USA, due to a partial loss of engine power.
-
6 May: A 1959
Hawker T.58 Hunter jet, N330AX,
landed with its landing gear retracted at Point Mugu Naval Air Station,
California, USA, suffering minor damage.
-
13 May: Sue Parish,
legendary owner/pilot of a pink
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, a WWII WASP, and co-founder of the Kalamazoo,
Michigan-based Air Zoo museum, passed away at the age of 87. [1999
article about Sue Parish]
-
15 May: Both the pilot/owner
and passenger of a 1980 Yakovlev/Aerostar
Yak-52, N6868Y, were killed when their plane crashed into the ocean
near Nettles Island, Florida, USA, while apparently performing
low-altitude maneuvering.
-
22 May: A 1941
Boeing E75 Stearman, N1193N,
ground-looped and was substantially damaged while landing near
Yerington, Nevada, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
27 May: A
1949
North American T-28A Trojan,
N128AF, was damaged after an emergency landing in Piedmont, Oklahoma,
USA, after suffering a loss of engine power. The landing gear collapsed
during the subsequent hard landing. Neither occupant was
injured.
-
27 May: The
EAA has announced that
two extremely rare warbirds will appear at Oshkosh this year: A
Focke-Wulf Fw-190A-9 and a
Nakajima A6M2 Model 21 "Zero." Both aircraft will fly together at last
once during the week. [More
information].
-
30 May: A 1951
North American T-28A Trojan,
N51705, touched down with its landing gear only partially extended in
Hayward, California, USA, resulting in minor damage to the airplane.
June 2010:
-
8 June: A 1942
Boeing A75N1 Stearman, N52652,
nosed-over and ended up on its back upon landing at Washington DC's
Reagan National Airport during a flight promoting a new 3D movie called
"Legends of Flight." Neither the pilot nor his journalist passenger were
injured. It appeared that one or both of the aircraft's brakes locked up
upon touchdown. [Video
from the airport terminal] [Video
from the cockpit].
-
11 June: "Swamp Ghost",
a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress
recovered from a swamp in from Papua New Guinea after crash-landing
there in 1942, returned to the USA today. Crewmembers' families,
recovery team members, aviation archeologists, and other dignitaries
attended a ceremony in Long Beach, California to welcome the aircraft
back home and pay tribute to the men who flew her. Swamp Ghost is
expected to be restored to museum display condition. [More
information.]
-
12 June:
A
FlugWerk / Focke-Wulf Fw190A-8N
replica, F-AZZJ ("Black 1") suffered an apparent engine
failure and ditched into the Bay of Hyères, on the south coast of
France. The pilot was unhurt, and was assisted to shore by some nearby
jet-skiers.
-
17 June: A 1945
North American SNJ-4 Texan, N43NA,
went into the grass during landing in Suffolk, Virginia, USA, causing
the collapse of its left main landing gear. Neither occupant was
injured.
-
20 June: A 1943
Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper,
N61720, lost engine power and crashed into a wooded area near Sippo Lake
Park, Ohio, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
21 June:
The movie
producer who buzzed a Santa Monica, California pier in 2008 in a
Aero
Vodochody L-39 Albatros
jet to promote his movie was sentenced to 60 days in jail and fined for
recklessly operating an aircraft in a manner that endangered life and
property. The Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge also placed David
Riggs, 48, on three years' probation, imposed court fees, and ordered him
to clean city beaches for 60 days as community service. The jail
sentence was stayed pending an appeal.
-
21 June: Thieves broke into the
Aero Space Museum of
Calgary, Alberta, Canada over the weekend and stole both precious
historical artifacts and cash from a donation box. [More
information here]
-
23 June: A
DeHavilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk,
N6540C, made an emergency landing in a field near South Kitsap,
Washington, USA, following an engine malfunction. The aircraft was
substantially damaged, but the pilot
suffered only a minor hand injury.
Chipmunk N6540C. Photo courtesy of the Kitsap Sun.
-
25 June: The Commemorative
Air Force (CAF) announced that their famous and ultra-rare
Boeing B-29 Superfortress, named "Fifi,"
will return to the air shortly, after several years of
extensive engine rebuilding and related work. The aircraft's troublesome
R-3350 engines were rebuilt with parts from two different models of the
engine, and it is believed this combination will give Fifi a good chance
at a long, lower-maintenance future.
-
26 June: A 1954
Lockheed P2V Neptune, N1386C
(Tanker #44), operated as a firebomber by Missoula, Montana-based
Neptune Aviation, overran the runway after an apparent brake failure at
the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield, Colorado USA.
Neither of the pilots were injured. The aircraft sustained serious
damage.
Neptune N1386C. Photo contributed by ZEdge.
-
26 June: A
Boeing A75 Stearman, N469RH, ran
off the runway and was substantially damaged in Indianapolis, Indiana,
USA. Neither occupant was injured. This aircraft was also involved in a
similar accident in August 2006.
July 2010:
-
2 July: A
North American T-6G Texan, N92778,
crashed into the water off the coast of Destin, Florida, USA, killing
the pilot and his passenger. The plane had been observed performing
aerobatics shortly before the crash. This particular aircraft was the
first signature T-6 restoration from Midwest Texans, and was a multiple
Grand Champion award winner.
-
3 July: A
Bell P-39 Airacobra, N6968,
operated by the Commemorative Air Force, landed short of the runway in
Tyler, Texas, USA. The aircraft suffered relatively minor damage to its
left landing gear, left wing, and the under-fuselage drop tank, but it
managed to taxi to the parking area and is expected to be repairable.
The pilot was unhurt.
-
3 July: A 1951
Cessna O-1E / L-19 Bird Dog, LX-PAB,
was heavily damaged during a hard landing at the Luxembourg-Findel
Airport, Luxembourg. The pilot was not injured.
-
8 July: A
McDonnell-Douglas A-4L Skyhawk jet,
N132AT, operated by the Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC),
crashed shortly after takeoff from Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, USA
due to an apparent loss of thrust. The civilian pilot successfully
ejected, and is in good condition. The crash ignited a brush fire that
was extinguished by fire crews.
-
17 July: An
Aerostar/Yakovlev Yak-52, N52MY,
crashed shortly after takeoff from Portland, Maine, USA after an apparent
engine failure. Both the owner pilot and his pilot-rated passenger
perished. [Donate to the families
here.]
August 2010:
-
1 August: A 1954
Fairchild C-123K Provider,
N709RR, operated by All West Freight, crashed in Denali National Park,
north of Anchorage, Alaska, USA. All three crewmembers perished. The
cause of the accident is unknown. [Side note: This aircraft was the
flying star of the movie "Con Air" in 1997. More info
here.]
-
6 August: "Fifi," The
Commemorative Air Force's famous and rare
Boeing B-29 Superfortress, has
returned to the air after more than four years of engine work and
thousands of man-hours of restoration labor. The aircraft completed a
39-minute test flight with its new engines, and the crew reported no
problems. [Congratulations to everyone involved in this huge project!
-Ed.] [Great
video of the flight.]
-
20 August: A
Curtiss SB2C-4 Helldiver that
ditched in 1945 in the Lower Otay Reservoir near San Diego, California
USA was raised to the surface. Shortly after, it was shipped to the
Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida, where it will be restored.
[Photos
and
video of the recovery.]
-
21 August: The pilot of a
1945 Supermarine FR Mk.XVIIIe
Spitfire, G-BUOS (SM845), was killed after the aircraft flipped over
upon landing at Tynset airfield near Trondheim, Norway. The plane
apparently left the grass runway and headed into a field of thick wheat
directly adjacent to the runway. The aircraft is registered to a Swedish
company and the pilot, Bertil Gerhardt, was one of Scandanavia's most
experienced pilots. He was preparing for an airshow the following day.
September 2010:
-
3 September: A
North American T-6/SNJ Texan,
N77TX, was
substantially damaged after ground-looping and hitting trees during a
landing at Antique Airfield, Blakesburg, Iowa, USA. High winds were
reportedly a factor. The pilot was not injured.
-
5 September: A
deHavilland DH.82A Tiger Moth,
D-EBKT, veered from the runway during takeoff at an airshow at
Lauf-Lillinghof Airport, Nuremberg, Germany, careening through a fence
and into a crowd of spectators. One woman was killed and over 20 other
people were injured, five seriously. The pilot was not injured. The
aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
24 September: A
Boeing A75N1 / PT-17 Stearman,
N65648, veered off the runway and struck a tree while operating at
Warrenton, Virginia, USA. The aircraft was substantially damaged, but
the pilot was not injured.
-
24 September: A
BAC Jet Provost Mk.5A jet, N4XW,
had its main landing gear catch fire while taxiing at Palmdale,
California, USA. The fire was extinguished and the pilot was not
injured.
-
26 September: A
Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3,
N44873, ground-looped upon landing at Chico, California, USA, and was
slightly damaged.
October 2010:
-
6 October: The USA's first
privately-operated
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter jet has performed initial
taxi tests at Arlington, Washington, USA. It is expected to fly soon.
-
12 October: A
Boeing A75N Stearman, N66940,
ground-looped upon landing in Palm Springs, California, USA. The
airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot was not injured.
-
17 October: A
Boeing A75N Stearman, N55464, was
substantially damaged after it crashed after takeoff near Fayetteville,
West Virginia, USA. The pilot, who was not the owner of the aircraft,
was not injured.
-
20 October: A
deHavilland DH.100 Vampire jet
lost its nosewheel upon landing in Rochester, New York, USA. No serious
damage or injuries were reported.
-
20 October: A 1941
Boeing A75N Stearman, N63538,
flipped over upon landing at Douglas, Georgia, USA. The pilot was not
injured.
-
20 October: A 1957
Hawker Fury FB10, C-FGAT,
ground looped on landing after its gear collapsed at Breckenridge,
Texas, USA. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
21 October: A rare
Bell P-39Q Airacobra, now called
"Miss Lend Lease," has returned to the location of the factory
where it was built in 1943. The aircraft spent 66 years at the bottom of
a Russian lake, and was discovered in 2004. The Niagra Aerospace Museum
in Buffalo, New York will restore the aircraft. [More
information]
-
31 October: The world's last
airworthy Avro Vulcan, G-VLCN
(XH558), has once again been saved from being permanently grounded,
after enthusiasts and supporters beat a deadline to raise ₤400,000 to
keep the huge bomber operational. [More
information]
November 2010:
-
5 November: Walter A.
Soplata, known for his lifetime passion for collecting military
aircraft, died at the age of 87. His wooded property near Cleveland,
Ohio, USA, holds dozens of vintage aircraft, from WWII fighters to
1970s-era jets, and includes some extremely rare aircraft types. [Air
and Space
magazine article]
-
6 November: The pilot of a
1944 North American T-6F Texan,
N164US, was killed when his plane lost power on approach to Fitchburg,
Massachusetts, USA. The plane came to rest inverted in the along the
shore of a river. The plane's passenger walked away with minor injuries,
but pilot/owner Reese Dill drowned before rescuers could reach the
scene.
-
8 November: Another WWII
aircraft has been pulled from the depths of Lake Michigan -- this time,
a rare "birdcage" version of the
Vought F4U Corsair. The plane crashed into the lake in June 1943
during carrier training on the USS Wolverine. Local resident and warbird
owner Chuck Greenhill funded the recovery, although the plane is still
the property of the U.S. Navy. The plane will be shipped to Pensacola,
Florida for restoration. [More
information]
-
12 November: A 1940
Aeronca L-3
/ O-58
Grasshopper, N46014, crashed at Livingston, New York, USA, after losing
power. The pilot and passenger were both injured.
-
17 November: A
Cessna M337B / O-2 Skymaster,
N1309, went down during a nighttime military exercise near Avon Park,
Florida, USA. The aircraft, operated by Patriot Technologies Group, LLC,
lost most of its right wing while returning to base, and the subsequent
crash killed all three crewmembers on board.
December 2010:
-
1 December: Paul Allen's
Flying Heritage Museum has announced that their rare
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5 has made
its first post-restoration flight. The plane last flew in 1943. Test
pilot Steve Hinton said the plane was "very fast, light, and
responsive."
-
10 December: Air USA of
Quincy, Illinois, USA announced it had performed the first flight of a
privately-owned
Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter.
-
21 December: Australian
manufacturer
Supermarine Aircraft has announced that they will be opening a
production facility at Cisco Municipal Airport near Fort Worth, Texas,
USA. The company produces 80%-scale replica
Spitfires.
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2011:
-
22 January: "Chuckie,"
a Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress
formerly owned for many years by the late "Doc" Hospers in Fort Worth,
Texas, has found a new home at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia
Beach, Virginia. Pilots Bob Hill and Don Anklin braved over six hours of
frigid temperatures as they delivered the historic aircraft to its new
owner, Jerry Yagen. [Link
to news article >>] [Link
to YouTube video of Chuckie's arrival]
-
23 January: The
Historic Flight Foundation is pleased to announce the first flight of
their
Mikoyan MiG-29UB Fulcrum, N29UB. Pilot Doug Russell and owner John
Sessions moved the airplane from Arlington
Municipal airport in Washington to Paine Field in Everett, Washington.
This aircraft is the second privately-owned MiG-29 to be flown in the
USA (See 10 December 201 entry.)
-
27 January: The U.S.
Attorney's office in Birmingham, Alabama, USA has filed a civil
complaint against a local businessman who they say illegally imported a
Douglas AD-4N Skyraider several
years ago. The complaint orders the owner to forfeit the airplane to the
U.S. Government. [Article
link >>]
February 2011:
-
2 February: A
1963
Fouga CM-170 Magister jet,
N415FM, crashed
near the Kissimmee, Florida airport, during a maintenance check flight, killing both occupants. Witnesses
reported the airplane had been performing a series of touch-and-go's before impacting the ground
east of the airport. [Editor's note: Noted classic-jet restorer
Carl Vernon was one of the pilots lost in this accident. Our condolences
go to his family and friends.]
-
3 February: The EAA's
Warbirds of America organization has announced that commemorative
bricks are now available for sale that will be placed in their new
"Eagle Plaza" at Oshkosh. Bricks may be purchased by both WoA members
and non-members alike. Funds raised will support a student pilot
scholarship program, and also go toward improvements in the Warbirds
area at Oshkosh. [See more
details >>]
-
3 February: A 1943
Aeronca L-3 / O-58B Grasshopper,
N57403 (s/n 058B-8212), suffered a loss of power and force-landed on a
ranch near San Luis Obispo, California. Pilot/owner Jeff Welles
suffered minor injuries. His 86-year
old passenger, Obbie Atkinson (a B-29 crewmember in WWII and still an
active pilot), passed away from his injuries on 4 February.
-
9 February: The Collings
Foundation has acquired a 1956 North
American F-100F Super Sabre, N26AZ, formerly operated by David
Tokoph in El Paso, Texas.
-
A two-seat
British Aerospace Sea Harrier T2 (XW269), which was being sold on
eBay for nearly ₤70,000 by a retired RAF mechanic, was accidentally
purchased by a 7-year old boy who clicked on the "Buy It Now" button.
The sale was later canceled and the airplane was put up for auction.
Another Harrier (ZX494) was sold on eBay in 2007 for ₤10,000.
-
15 February: A 1944
Taylorcraft DCO-65 / L-2 Grasshopper,
N46089, crashed into a forested area near Lafayette, Indiana, injuring
both the pilot and passenger -- both of whom are 22-year old students at
Purdue University.
-
18 February: A
Canadair CT-133/CL-30 Silver Star,
N123EM, operated by the Heavy Metal Jet Team, settled to the runway just
after takeoff at St. Augustine, Florida, USA, after encountering jet
wash from a previously-departed formation. The pilot was not able to
fully extend the landing gear before touching down, and it collapsed. Except for spilling 60 gallons of jet fuel, the aircraft was barely
damaged. The pilot was not injured. [More
details >>]
-
26 February: A 1969
BAC 167 Strikemaster Mk. 81, N167SM, crashed
into the frozen Hudson River near Ulster, New York, about 50 miles
north of New York City. The body of pilot Mike Faraldi was recovered
from the river a day after the accident. Witnesses reported seeing the
aircraft perform aerobatic maneuvers in the airport traffic pattern,
then aggressively pull up and stall prior to the crash. [Accident
analysis from the AOPA Air Safety Institute.]
March 2011:
-
7 March: A 1957
Douglas A-4B Skyhawk, N49WH,
suffered a partially collapsed main
landing gear strut and veered slightly off the runway during the landing rollout
at Waukegan, Illinois. The pilot was not injured, and only minor damage
to the aircraft was reported.
-
9 March: A 1952
Douglas AD-4N Skyraider, N2088G (Bu.No.
126935) crashed in southern Idaho, near the border town of Jackpot, Nevada, USA, in the Sawtooth National
Forest. Both the pilot and a his female passenger perished. They were returning from
Wendover, Utah to Idaho Falls, Idaho.
-
12 March: A 1944
General Motors FM-2 Wildcat,
N551TC (Bu.No. 47160) suffered the collapse of its landing gear during
the landing rollout in Neosho, Missouri, USA. The aircraft is expected
to be back in the air in the next few months.
-
18 March: A new PBS
television series entitled "The Restorers" will make its debut on US
screens this year, featuring stories about those who restore warbirds
and other vintage aircraft. [More
information >>]
-
25 March: A
Boeing A75/PT-17 Stearman,
N68117, was substantially damaged after a ground-loop during its landing
roll at Wichita, Kansas, USA. Neither the pilot nor the passenger were
injured.
-
26 March: A 1983
Yakovlev Yak-52TW, N808TD,
crashed at Bunnell, Florida, USA during a demonstration of the Red
Thunder Airshow Team. Pilot Bill "Wild Bill" Walker was killed.
-
Several media outlets in
Texas reported that a North American
B-25J Mitchell, N747AF (Ser.No. 44-30456), suffered the collapse of
its nose gear while taxiing at Jardin Ranch, near Laredo, Texas USA,
resulting in an engine fire. No one was injured.
-
27 March: A 1958
North American T-28 Trojan,
N209WW (Bu.No. 138209), was forced to land in the water short of the
runway at Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, after pilot Pierre Boursse noticed a "chip light" illuminated in flight,
signaling the engine's impending failure. He attempted to return the the
airport but did not have the glide range to make the runway without
hitting a seawall at the approach end. Neither he
nor his passenger were injured. [Watch
a video of the incident>>]
-
29 March: Medal of Honor
recipient and former POW Col. Bud Day headlined the rollout
of the Collings Foundation's North
American F-100F Super Sabre in its new Vietnam camouflage colors. He
flew in the "Hun," in a gala that featured the foundation's
TA-4 Skyhawk, F-4 Phantom II, T-33 Shooting Star, and UH-1 Huey. [Watch
the video>>]
April 2011:
-
8 April: An
article in the UK Telegraph chronicled the discovery and
planned recovery of the world's only known
Dornier Do 17 "Flying Pencil" bomber, which ditched in the English
Channel during the Battle of Britain in 1940. The aircraft is largely
intact and resting upside down on the sea floor. The RAF Museum plans to
raise the wreck shortly.
-
10 April: A 1953
Beechcraft T-34A Mentor, N6HK (c/n
G-119), landed gear-up at Bullhead City, Arizona, USA. Neither person
onboard was injured.
-
11 April: A 1977
WSK-Mielec AN-2
Colt biplane, N122AN, flipped over after a forced landing near
Loxley, Alabama, USA. Neither crewmember was injured, but the aircraft
was destroyed.
-
14 April: A 1955
Beechcraft T-34B Mentor, N93013,
operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, crashed
shortly after takeoff in Linden, North Carolina, USA. Neither the pilot
nor passenger were injured.
-
15 April: Bill Reesman,
former Vietnam War F-100 combat pilot and
MiG-17 airshow performer, has
passed away. Reesman flew the Red Bull-sponsored aircraft in a show
called MiG Magic.
-
23 April: A 2002
Yakovlev Yak-52TW, N916BM,
landed gear-up in Englewood, Colorado, USA. The pilot was not injured.
May 2011:
-
2 May: A 1957
Beechcraft C-45/Model 18, N18R,
operated by a small Part 135 cargo airline, crashed after takeoff in
Opa-Locka, Florida, USA, narrowly missing houses in a densely populated
neighborhood. The owner/pilot was killed.
-
6 May: A
North American TF-51D Mustang,
N51ZM (s/n 45-11471) was slightly damaged when its tailwheel collapsed
after landing in Boise, Idaho, USA.
-
9 May: Florida-based
Starfighters, Inc. announced they will be taking delivery of five
more Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
jets from the Italian Air Force to complement the four already in their
fleet. The company performs test and evaluation flights and training
flights for NASA and other contractors.
-
15 May: A
DeHavilland DH.82 Tiger Moth, G-AOIL
(XL716), crashed in a farm field near Witchampton, Dorset, UK, killing
one man and seriously injuring another. The aircraft had been performing
aerobatics prior to the accident.
-
19 May: A 1943
Boeing B75N Stearman biplane,
N81235, suffered a scraped wingtip while taxiing at Torrance,
California, USA.
-
20 May: A
North American SNJ-6 Texan, N5485V,
went off the runway during a landing in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. The
aircraft sustained unknown damage.
-
27 May: A
Boeing A75N Stearman, N60147,
struck a tree and crashed in a field near Fremont, Michigan, USA. The
pilot and passenger suffered minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed.
-
28 May: A
Boeing A75N1 Stearman, N55508,
ground-looped upon landing and struck a wingtip at Millville, New
Jersey, USA. Only minor damage was reported.
-
29 May: A 1953
Grumman HU-16C Albatross, N7025J,
was damaged by gunshots while parked on the ramp at Deer Valley Airport
in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. The suspect, 26-year-old Randon Reid, was arrested after
police chased him to his home after the late-night incident. [Editor's
note: Reid's
mug shot explains just about everything you need to know about the
man involved.]
-
31 May: A 1944
North American B-25 Mitchell, F-F-AZZU
(s/n 44-58811, "Russell's Raiders") suffered an engine fire shortly
after takeoff from the Melun-Villaroche Aerodrome, near Paris, France.
The crew managed to land the airplane "gear-up" in a nearby field, but
not without incurring significant damage to the airplane. Neither pilot
was injured.
June 2011:
-
4 June: A 1941
Boeing A75N Stearman, N50052, was
substantially damaged after it struck a tree and a house shortly after
takeoff, coming to rest in a yard near Junction City, Kansas, USA. Only
minor injuries were reported by the pilot and passenger.
-
13 June: A 1944
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress,
N390TH, (s/n 44-85734, "Liberty Belle") was destroyed by fire
after a successful forced landing in a field near Oswego, Illinois. Only one minor
injury was reported among the seven
crewmembers and passengers. The Liberty Belle, operated by Don
Brooks'
Liberty Foundation, had just departed Aurora, Illinois headed for Indiana as part of its 2011
"Salute to Veterans" tour when a fire was reported in the left
wing by an escort aircraft, leading
to the emergency landing. The aircraft was
one of only thirteen flying B-17s remaining.
[
Chicago Tribune coverage ] [ Video
from WTHR-TV ] [
Daily Herald Photos ]
-
14 June: A crane that was
lifting a restored Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
back onto its pedestal at the Alameda Naval Station in California
toppled over, crashing down onto the aircraft and severely damaging it.
The aircraft had been on display on the base since 1969, but had
recently been removed for restoration work and repainting. [News
coverage>>]
-
18 June: A 1969
Aero Vodochody L-29C Delfin,
N37KF, sustained substantial damage inflight at Reno, Nevada, USA.
After the aircraft landed with noticeably-scorched paint on the tail section, the
pilot reported difficulty operating the rudder. Although initial FAA
reports indicated that the aircraft was trailing smoke and flames when
it landed, subsequent NTSB reports said, "Part of
the structure associated with an engine that had been installed under a
Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) failed. That failure allowed jet
blast from the engine to be deflected onto a portion of the primary
airframe structure. The melting of that structure affected the support
and movement of the airplane's rudder. Although the failure occurred in
flight, it was not detected until the pilot was operating the rudder
pedals after landing." The aircraft was expected to be repaired.
-
25 June: A 1972
Nanchang CJ-6, N8181C, was damaged
while stored securely in its hangar at Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona, USA,
after a young driver lost control of his uncle's Maserati sports car
while driving it at high speed, unsupervised, on a taxiway late at
night. The car skidded into the hangar, nearly demolishing the front of
the building and doing extensive damage to the recently-restored
airplane.
[News
report>>]
July 2011:
-
1 July: The pilot of a rare,
1946 Griffon-powered
Supermarine Seafire Mk. XVII, G-KASX (SX336), was unable to extend
the aircraft's landing gear, and made a belly landing on a grass runway
in Bondues, France. Pilot Anna Walker was not injured. [Photos
of the incident]
-
9 July: A 1989
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros,
N111XN, overshot the runway, went down an embankment, and ended up on
its back while landing at Passaic,
New Jersey, USA. The pilot suffered a broken collar bone, and the aircraft was
substantially damaged.
-
9 July: A
1953
deHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk,
N22DH (WZ859), suffered an engine failure during a go-around on a private
airfield near Benton, Kansas, USA. The aircraft was substantially
damaged after cartwheeling and coming to rest against a building. The
pilot was injured, but is expected to recover. The aircraft has
recently been restored after being dormant for 25 years.
-
10 July: The pilot of a
North American P-51D Mustang, D-FBBD
(c/n CACM-192-1517, "Big Beautiful Doll")
successfully bailed out of his airplane after the vintage fighter was struck by the wing of a
Douglas AD-4N Skyraider, F-AZDP
(c/n 7449), during the "Flying Legends" airshow at Duxford, UK.
It appears that the Skyraider pilot lost sight of the Mustang during a
"fan break" maneuver. The
pilot of the Mustang, Rob Davies, successfully bailed out at low
altitude, suffering only a few bruises in the process. The Skyraider
pilot managed to land his airplane despite the loss of about four feet of
his right wing. [Video
of the accident>>] [Photos
of the Skyraider landing>>]
-
17 July: A
North American/CCF T-6D/Harvard IV,
F-ASIG, crashed after takeoff from Lyon-Bron Airport, France. Both the
pilot and his passenger (his daughter) were killed, and the aircraft was
destroyed.
-
18 July: A 1954
PZL-Mielec SB Lim-2A / MiG-15UTI,
HA-UTI, crashed on takeoff from Szolnok, Hungary, just one week after
its initial post-restoration flight. The pilot and passenger were not
injured. Video of the accident indicates a premature rotation and stall.
[Video of the
accident>>]
-
22 July: A 1943
North American/Noorduyn AT-16 Harvard IIb, G-AZSC
(s/n
43-13064),
performed a gear-up forced landing in a field after losing engine power
following a low pass down the runway at Goodwood, UK. No injuries were
reported.
-
25 July: A
Sikorski UH-34J Choctaw helicopter, N3880J (c/n 148821) crashed
while involved in agricultural application near Wilton, Iowa, USA. The
pilot was killed.
-
26 July: A 1958
North American FJ-4B Fury, N400FS, the only one of its type still
airworthy, overran the runway and came to rest several hundred yards
past its end at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA. The pilot was not injured and
the aircraft suffered only minor damage.
-
26 July: The Vintage
Wings of Canada organization in Gatineau, Québec, Canada is pleased
to announce the first post-overhaul flight of their
Fairey Swordfish Mk.III biplane,
C-GEVS. Pilot John Aitken guided the rare beast on a successful
shakedown flight. The next day, the aircraft departed for EAA's
AirVenture event in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where it was met by an
appreciative audience. [Video
of first flight]
-
27 July: A 1954
Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune, N9855F
(Tanker 06), operated as an airtanker, went off the end of the runway at
Roswell, New Mexico, USA. No one was injured, and the aircraft was not
substantially damaged.
-
30 July: A
Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat, N6178C,
operated by the Historic Flight Foundation, veered into the grass while
taxiing in Everett, Washington, USA. Minor damage to the aircraft was
reported.
-
31 July: A 1943
Vultee BT-13A Valiant, N818DM,
ground-looped upon landing in Edmond, Oklahoma, USA. The passenger
suffered minor injuries, and the plane was slightly damaged.
August 2011:
-
1 August: Aero Union, a
Sacramento, California-based company that provides contract aircraft
such as the Lockheed P2V Neptune
and Douglas C-54 Skymaster for
firefighting use, has lost its contract with the U.S. Forest Service,
apparently due to the company's failure to comply with mandated safety
policies.
-
2 August: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, registered
RA-1428K, crashed into a cornfield while on approach to Lelystad
Airport, Netherlands. The airplane came to rest upside down, and the
pilot was killed
-
3 August: Wilbert L.
"Skeets" Mehrer, noted pilot, prolific warbird collector, and owner of
the Lickety Split T-6 Reno racing team, died of injuries suffered
in the crash of a Piper Comanche near Camas, Washington, USA.
-
6 August: A 1944
North American P-51D Mustang,
N991R (s/n 44-74536) ("Miss America"), landed gear-up in Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma, USA. Damage was reported as minor.
-
6 August: The nose landing
gear of a 1958 North American T-28C
Trojan, N28ZZ, collapsed upon landing in Long Beach, California,
USA. The pilot was not injured. Damage to the airplane was reported as
"substantial."
-
6 August: A
Fouga CM-170 Magister jet, F-AZZE
(c/n 435), crashed in a field near
Champ-de-la-Pierre, France. Both the pilot and passenger were killed.
-
7 August: A 1973
Siai-Marchetti SF-260, N408FD, was substantially damaged after
crashing off the runway at a private landing strip near Coalingua,
California, USA. The pilot and three passengers suffered minor injuries.
-
13 August: A 1943
Fairchild PT-19/M-62 Cornell,
N53956, crashed in a remote area near the Des Moines River near Madrid,
Iowa, USA, killing both occupants. The aircraft struck powerlines, but
it is not yet known if this is the cause of the accident.
-
13 August: A
North American T-6D Texan, N7435U, crashed
short of the runway near Carnesville, Georgia, USA, after reportedly
running out of fuel. The plane was substantially damaged, but the pilot
suffered no serious injuries. Strangely, local media outlets reported
almost immediately that the Federal Aviation Administration had ruled
the pilot was "not at fault" for the accident.
-
14 August: A 1972
Nanchang CJ-6, N58T, landed
gear-up at Fargo, North Dakota, USA, during the city's annual airshow.
The owner/pilot was not injured.
-
21 August: A
Grumman FM-2 Wildcat, N86572,
groundlooped during an airshow at Camarillo, California, USA. The pilot
was not injured.
-
23 August: The Santa Monica,
California-based Museum of Flying has announced they will be
reopening to the public in November, after being closed since 2002 due
to economic issues. After a significant expansion and remodeling effort,
the museum hopes to become an educational center for the surrounding
community, with hands-on displays for kids and adults alike. [Museum
Website]
-
31 August: A
freshly-restored
Piper L-21B Super Cub, N10365, restored in Italian Air Force
markings, went off the runway during landing in East Liverpool, Ohio,
USA, and was substantially damaged. Neither the pilot nor the passenger
were injured.
September 2011:
-
1 September: A 1953
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor, N273CB,
was slightly damaged on landing at Bridgeport, West Virginia, USA.
Circumstances of the incident are unknown.
-
4 September: A 1944
North American TB-25N Mitchell,
N9079Z ("Panchito," s/n 44-30734),
suffered the collapse of its right main landing gear upon landing in
Georgetown, Delaware, USA. None of the three people on board were
injured.
-
4 September: A
Siai-Marchetti SF-260, N260DP,
had its nose gear collapse on takeoff at Santa Monica, California, USA.
No injuries were reported.
-
10 September: A 1943
Fairchild PT-26 Cornell, N103JC
(s/n FC-119), operated by the Commemorative Air Force, lost engine power
shortly after takeoff from Waukegan, Illinois, USA during an airshow.
The pilot did a nice job of landing the airplane in a field next to the
airport. Due to uneven ground, the airplane was substantially damaged.
-
10 September: A 1943
Boeing PT-13/E75 Stearman, OE-AWW
(formerly N75664) (c/n 75-5386), crashed and was substantially damaged
after an apparent loss of power shortly after takeoff from
Backnang-Heiningen airport, Germany, during an airshow. The pilot was
slightly injured. The accident was captured on video in graphic detail
by a spectator. [Video
here.]
-
13 September: The Reno Air
Race Association (RARA) has grounded six jets from competing in this
year's Jet Class races at the National Air Races in Reno, Nevada, USA.
Five of them are L-29 Delfins
believed to be fitted with powerful Rolls-Royce Viper engines, and one
is a L-39 Albatros believed to
have a substantially-modified engine. A RARA spokesperson said the aircraft would be able to
compete next year, after safety issues had been addressed.
-
16 September:
A modified
North American P-51D Mustang,
N79111 (s/n 44-15651, "Galloping Ghost"), piloted by
well-known racer and warbird owner Jimmy Leeward, crashed into the
box-seat area in front of the grandstands during the last race of the
day at the 48th Annual National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada,
USA. At least 10 spectators died and 70+ were injured, plus the
loss of the pilot. Analysis of race video shows that the aircraft
aggressively pulled up, rolled over, and essentially performed a
"Split-S" into the ground. Investigators found that a failure
of the aircraft's elevator trim tab could have caused a rapid pitch-up,
massive structural overload, and G-induced loss of consciousness of the
pilot. [Reno
Gazette-Journal coverage] [Article:
Warbird
Safety in the Post-Reno 2011 Era]
Jimmy Leeward with Galloping Ghost in 2010
-
17 September: A
North American T-28C Trojan,
N688GR, flown by the
"Trojan Horsemen" demonstration team, crashed during an
airshow performance at
Martinsville, West Virginia, USA. The pilot did not survive. The
aircraft had just performed an opposing aileron roll with another T-28,
but did not complete the roll.
-
17 September: A
North American SNJ-5 Texan, N217RK
(c/n 88-16224), crashed at a private grass airport near Muskegon, Michigan after losing engine
power and striking a tree just after takeoff. The engine was
ripped off the firewall during the incident. The owner/pilot suffered a
leg injury and other minor bumps and scrapes, but is expected to
make a full recovery.
-
20 September: Workers and
volunteers at the
Canadian Air and Space Museum in Toronto, Canada arrived to find
that the museum's landlord had changed the locks and ordered the
eviction of the museum. The government-run corporation that owns the
museum's land is reported to be planning the construction of a hockey
arena on the site. Residents and visitors are urged to visit the
museum's website for information on how to contact Canadian officials to
comment on the closure.
-
24 September: A 1942
Douglas C-47A Dakota, N3239T ("Tico
Belle"), operated by the Valiant Air Command, rolled off the end of
the runway while landing in Titusville, Florida, USA. None of the nine
people on board were injured.
-
26 September: A replica
Nakajima "Kate" Type 97 torpedo-bomber, N2047 (actually a
highly-modified Harvard with a
BT-13 tail section), operated by
the Commemorative Air Force's "Tora Tora Tora" group, made a
successful forced landing in a cotton field near Thatcher, Arizona after
experiencing an engine failure. The pilot was not injured, and the plane
suffered only minor damage.
-
29 September: A 1965
Aero Vodochody L-29C Delfin jet,
N9196X, blew its main landing gear tires upon landing in Georgetown
Texas, USA. The pilot was not injured.
October 2011:
-
9 October: An
Aeronca L-3A (O-58) Grasshopper,
N46513 (c/n 42-7798) crashed on takeoff from
an airport near Westmoreland, Tennessee, USA, slightly injuring the
pilot. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
15 October: A
North American P-51D Mustang,
N751RB ("Glamorous Gal"), was damaged when its right landing gear
collapsed upon landing in St. Augustine, Florida, USA, causing it to go
off the runway. The pilot and passenger were not injured.
-
19 August: A 1973
Hawker Hunter Mk.58A, N327AX
(c/n J-4103, ex-XE611), operated by a defense contractor, went off the runway while landing in Newport
News, Virginia, USA, in windy, low-visibility conditions. The pilot was
not injured. Other circumstances of the incident are not known.
-
20 October: The U.S.-based
Heavy Metal
Jet Team has announced they are changing their name to the Black
Diamonds Jet Team. They will also become a seven-ship team with the
addition of a second MiG-17, in addition to their existing MiG-17 and
five L-39s.
-
22 October: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, ZU-DTL (c/n
866404) lost brake pressure while taxiing at Durban, South Africa and
ran into a parked Piper Meridian. Both aircraft were substantially
damaged, but neither occupant was injured.
-
26 October: Swift Fuel, a
biofuel alternative to the current 100LL
aviation
fuel, has been tested in an unmodified Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double
Wasp radial engine. Initial results were positive, and more tests are
planned to determine the final suitability of the fuel in large radial
engines which power many warbird aircraft. [Read more>>]
-
29 October: A 1980
IAR 823,
N129GC, landed gear-up at Raymond, Mississippi, USA. Damage to the
aircraft was reported as minor.
-
31 October:
Air Race Lawsuits
Begin: In a predictable response to the Reno
Air Race tragedy in September, the first multi-million dollar
wrongful-death lawsuit was filed, by the wife of a man killed in the
crash. Named in the suit were no fewer than six defendants. The
plaintiffs asked for $25 million, calling the accident a "predictable
result of a reckless drive for speed by a risk-taking pilot and crew,
coupled with an insatiable drive for profit by those who stood to profit
from the show." [Read the rest >>]
November 2011:
-
2 November: A 1984
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros jet,
N139PM, struck a large flock of pigeons just after liftoff on a "touch-and-go"
at Rockford, Illinois, USA.
Neither crewmember was injured. The aircraft suffered minor damage to
several locations on its right wing.
-
5 November: A 1956
Beechcraft T-34B / D-45 Mentor,
N34KT, crashed into a wooded area shortly after takeoff from a private
airstrip near Williston, Florida, USA, killing both occupants. Witnesses
reported hearing the engine sputtering during the takeoff.
-
7 November: David Riggs, the
notorious pilot who buzzed the Santa Monica, California pier in his L-39
Albatros jet in 2008, had his conviction upheld by a Los Angeles
appellate court. He was ordered to serve 60 days in jail, pay a fine, and perform
60 hours of community service.
-
15 November: A
Bell UH-1H Iroquois ("Huey") helicopter, N502AW, lost power and made
a hard forced landing near the Grand Canyon Valle Airport, Arizona, USA.
The pilot was seriously injured.
-
19 November: A 1951
Beechcraft C-45G, N75Q, nosed
over and suffered substantial damage upon landing in Lyman, Mississippi,
USA. None of the seven people on board were injured.
-
30 November: A 1951
Cessna L-19 (Model 305A) Bird Dog,
N6735Q (s/n 51-16897), crashed on approach to
the Fredericksburg, Texas airport, after the engine failed. The aircraft
struck power lines and came to rest across the road from the airport.
The pilot was not injured.
December 2011:
-
8 December: A
recently-restored 1943 Curtiss P-40M
Kittyhawk, N5813 (ex-RNZAF NZ3119), operated by the Tri-State
Warbird Museum of Batavia, Ohio, USA suffered a catastrophic engine
failure at an altitude of 6,500 feet during a test flight. Despite
having limited forward visibility due to smoke and coolant, the pilot
was able to return to the airport, but the aircraft ended up going off
the end of the runway, through a fence and onto a road. The right
landing gear collapsed and the right wingtip was shredded, but otherwise
the aircraft was largely undamaged.
-
18 December: A
static-display Lockheed F-104
Starfighter was stolen over the weekend from the Deelen Air Base
Museum in the Netherlands. The thieves left a somewhat cryptic note
which some officials believe indicates the aircraft will be returned next
year.
-
20 December: A group of
SCUBA divers discovered what is believed to be a
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver laying
upside-down on the sea floor, at a depth of 185 feet, approximately four
miles off the coast of Jupiter, Florida, USA. [Media coverage >>]
-
21 December:
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has announced they will host a one-day public
hearing entitled, "Air Race and Air Show Safety" in Washington, DC on 10 January, 2012. [Learn
More>>]
-
22 December: A 1987
Nanchang CJ-6A, N8120C (c/n
44-04), suffered a power loss and force-landed on a beach in Surfside
Beach, South Carolina, USA. Neither the pilot nor his passenger were
injured, and the plane was undamaged.
(Photo contributed by Mitch Meyers.)
-
24 December: The
Netherlands' "Aviodrome" aviation theme park closed its doors, a
victim of bankruptcy due to the poor economic climate. Most of the
museum's collection will be auctioned off in the next six weeks. The
Aviodrome is the home of a well-known Lockheed VC-121 Constellation,
N749NL, that was restored to airworthy condition in Arizona and flown
5,000 miles to Holland in 2002.
Index
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2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
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2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
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[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2012:
-
4 January: The Reno Air Race
Association (RARA) has announced that they will press ahead with plans
to hold an event in September 2012, despite the accident in 2011 which
killed 11 spectators and injured 70. RARA
President Mike Houghton would not speculate about what changes, if any,
would be made to the event to help ensure the safety of spectators, and
it is not known if the organization can acquire the needed permits to
hold conventional air races, in the same format as before. [Read more >>]
-
10 January: The National
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hosted a one-day public hearing in
Washington, DC to hear opinions and testimony regarding the safety of
air races and airshows in the United States. A notable moment occurred
when the FAA's Director of Flight Standards said that he was "not aware
of any significant or substantive changes to the policy and guidance we
have in place" regarding current airshow regulations. It is hope this
bodes well for events such as the National Championship Air Races.
-
20 January: Pilot/owner Tom
Coble was killed in the crash of his
1981 Aero Vodochody L-39
Albatros, N16RZ, shortly after takeoff from the Gadsden, Alabama USA
airport. A low, overcast ceiling was reported at the airport at the time
of the accident.
[Local news report >>]
-
21 January: A 1969
Nanchang CJ-6A, N620DM (c/n
2532080), lost brake pressure while taxiing and hit a building in
Glendale, Arizona, USA. Neither the pilot nor the passenger were
injured.
-
23 January: A
Yakovlev/Aerostar Yak-52TW
crashed in a sports field in Feilding, Wellington, New Zealand, killing
both men on board. Investigators later determined that the accident was
caused by an errant screwdriver jammed in the flight controls. [Local
news report >>] [Accident
investigation news>>]
-
27 January: A 1942
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth,
VH-GVA (c/n 1014), struck trees shortly after takeoff from Maryborough
Airport, Victoria, Australia. The aircraft burned, and both occupants
were killed. [Local
news report >>]
February 2012:
-
3 February: The pilot of a
1958 Canadair CT-133/T-33 Silver
Star III, N333MJ (c/n 456), performed an intentional gear-up landing
at St. George, Utah, USA after he reported that one of the aircraft's
main landing gear would not extend. Neither the pilot nor the passenger
were injured.
-
26 February: Legendary
aviation figure and P-51 pilot Bob
Hoover saved the day for a Mustang pilot in Mobile, Alabama. Pilot Chuck
Gardner could not extend his left main landing gear at the conclusion of
a 30-minute flight, and Hoover's expert phone advice was invaluable in
getting the stuck gear extended, saving the expensive aircraft from
damage. Way to go, Chuck and Bob!
March 2012:
-
1 March: A
Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopter, N197LE, crashed in the desert near
Coolidge, Arizona, USA, while filming an episode of the Top Gear
Korea TV program. Neither crewmember was injured, but the aircraft
was substantially damaged. [Video
of the accident>>]
-
2 March: A turboprop-powered
1983
SIAI-Marchetti SF-260TP, N350TP, was substantially damaged after
landing at Corona, California, USA, after which it struck a vehicle, another
aircraft, and some buildings. The pilot was not injured.
-
6 March: An
IAI
F-21A Kfir jet, N404AX, operated by Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC)
crashed at NAS Fallon, Nevada, USA, killing the civilian
contract pilot, Capt. Carrol LeFon (USN Ret). [Local media report >>]
-
10 March: A 1959
North
American SNJ-5, N3246G, operated by the Commemorative Air Force,
ground-looped on landing at Mesa, Arizona, USA. The pilot was not
injured.
-
12 March: A
Beechcraft T-34B (D45) Mentor,
N8662E, experienced a collapsed landing gear upon landing in Okeechobee,
Florida, USA. Neither
the pilot nor the passenger were injured.
-
20 March: A 1951
North American T-6G Texan, N791MH,
operated by the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team, was struck by a truck while taxiing
at Bessemer, Louisiana, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
22 March: A
Douglas C-54G Skymaster, N406WA
(c/n 35944), suffered the collapse of its nose landing gear while
taxiing in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Neither crewmember was injured.
-
23 March: A 1978
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros,
N138EM, operated by the Black Diamond Jet Team, landed gear-up at Punta
Gorda, Florida, USA, after an airshow performance. The aircraft suffered
moderate damage, but the pilot was not injured.
-
26 March: A 1958
Pilatus P-3, N821LT (A-821),
suffered the collapse of its nose gear upon landing in Ardmore,
Oklahoma, USA. The pilot and passenger were not injured.
-
27 March: A 1969
Bell OH-58 Kiowa helicopter, N452MC, made an emergency landing near
Liberty, Mississippi, USA after the aircraft began to smoke. Shortly
after the landing, the helicopter was destroyed by fire. The pilot
escaped injury.
-
30 March: An
Arado-Flugzeugwerke GmbH FW190-A5
replica, N190DK, veered off the runway upon landing at Casa Grande,
Arizona, USA. The aircraft's left landing gear collapsed, but the pilot
was not injured.
-
An oil exploration team
working in the deserts of Egypt has discovered a remarkably intact
Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk that
crash-landed in 1942. The aircraft is believed to be ET574, flown by 260
Squadron of the RAF. [See
the amazing photo gallery here >>] [Video
of Egyptians removing ammo>>]
April 2012:
-
1 April: A
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21UM Mongol-B,
N1165, went off the runway and into the grass during its landing roll at
Wilmington, Delaware, USA. No injuries were reported.
-
4 April: Well-known warbird
owner, race pilot and airshow pilot Howard Pardue was killed in the
crash of his 1945 Grumman F8F Bearcat,
N14HP, in Breckenridge, Texas, USA. Witnesses reported the pilot
appeared to be attempting a Half Cuban-Eight maneuver immediately after
takeoff, but the maneuver apparently went wrong, and the aircraft struck
the ground in a high rate of descent. Pardue
was a fixture at the National Air Races at Reno for many years, as well
as an accomplished airshow performer. [Preliminary
accident report >>]
-
5 April: A
de Havilland DH.110 Sea Vixen
FAW.2, G-CVIX (XP924), suffered the collapse of its nose landing gear
upon landing at Bournemouth, Dorset, UK, following a test flight. The
pilot was not injured, and damage to the aircraft was believed to be
minor.
-
10 April:
Good News for the Reno Air Races: The
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has made some safety recommendations
that will allow the National Championship Air Races to be held, in
substantially the same form as in the past. Among the changes
recommended are slight modifications to the race course and requiring
heavily-modified race aircraft to be previously test-flown at race
speeds before participating in the race. [More information >>]
-
14 April: Twenty
Supermarine Spitfire aircraft
that were buried 40 feet underground in Burma just before the end of
WWII have been located and will be repatriated to the UK soon, according
to an article in the Telegraph. It is thought the aircraft are in
very good condition. [Read
the article>>]
-
17-20 April: The annual
Doolittle Raiders Reunion was held at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton,
Ohio, USA to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the famous and
audacious B-25 raid on Tokyo. This event featured not only the largest
gathering of B-25 Mitchell bombers since WWII (20 aircraft in
attendance), but also four of the five surviving crewmembers from the
raid. A mass flyover of B-25s was also performed. [Event
information >>]
Photo Copyright 2012 by Francois Bergeon.
Used with permission.
(Click for larger version.)
-
18 April:
Another legislative threat to warbirds: A
proposed amendment to a House bill (H.R. 4310) would effectively stop
the US Department of Defense from providing aircraft, or even spare
parts, to civilian individuals or organizations, if those aircraft or
parts are destined to be part of an airworthy aircraft. Please see our
Threats to Warbirds page for more information.
-
28 April: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, registered
RA-3585K, crashed into a lake near Langford, Essex, UK, after failing to
recover from a spin. Both the instructor pilot and his passenger were
killed. [AAIB
accident report>>]
May 2012:
-
3 May: A
Supermarine TR.9 Spitfire, MJ772,
performed a wheels-up landing in Bremgarten, Germany. The aircraft had
been recently restored, and the pilot elected to perform the belly
landing after one of the main gear would not extend.
-
6 May: A 1950
North American T-6G Texan, N1284
(c/n 168/448), was slightly damaged after running off the end of the
runway upon landing at Bayou La Batre, Louisiana, USA. The pilot was not
injured.
-
6 May: A 1946
Piper L-4 / J-3 Grasshopper was
heavily damaged after the pilot lost control during takeoff, and the
plane struck a stand of trees at his private airfield in Westhampton,
Massachusetts, USA. The pilot suffered only minor injuries.
-
6 May: A 1950
North American T-28A Trojan,
VH-VBT (s/n 50-221), suffered the collapse of its nose landing gear just
as it began taxiing at Toowoomba, Australia. Neither the pilot nor his
passenger were injured. [News
article and photo>>]
-
11 May: A
Boeing PT-17/A75N Stearman,
N71327 (c/n 75-756), departed the runway during its landing roll and
struck a tree in Weirsdale, Florida, USA. Neither occupant was injured.
-
13 May: A 1943
North American T-6D Texan, N299CM
(s/n 49-2912), went off the runway after landing at Anchorage, Alaska,
USA, and struck runway lights. No damage to the aircraft was reported.
-
18 May: A
single-seat
Hawker Hunter Mk. 58, N321AX, operated by the
Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) under government contract,
crashed in a field three miles from its home base at Pt. Mugu Naval Air Station, near
Camarillo, California, USA. The civilian pilot was killed. The pilot had
reportedly completed a mission and was returning to base as part of a
"flight of two" when the accident
occurred. The other aircraft landed safely.
-
18 May: A 1981 Aero
Vodochody L-39 Albatros, N39WT, crashed shortly after takeoff from Boulder City, Nevada, USA. Witnesses
reported the aircraft appeared to lose power shortly after takeoff. Noted
warbird instructor Doug Gilliss and a passenger were killed when the
aircraft "pancaked" in the desert near the airport.
-
18 May: The Collings
Foundation announced the debut of its replica
Messerschmitt Me262 jet fighter
("White 1") at Moffett Field, California, USA. The foundation
hopes to offer educational flights in the aircraft later this fall.
-
19 May: A 1967
Hughes TH-55 Osage helicopter, N74914 (c/n 67-15442), rolled onto
its side after landing at Pittsfield, Pennsylvania, USA. The pilot was
not injured.
-
22 May: The Reno Air Racing
Association (RARA) has announced they will ask the Federal Aviation
Administration for permission to modify the Reno Unlimited Class race course by softening
some of the turns and moving the course farther away from spectators.
The changes were based on the recommendations of an independent review
panel that was tasked with developing safety improvements at the annual
event, following last September's tragic crash. The organization also
announced that they have secured $100 million in insurance for the
event. [News
article>>]
-
22 May: The US Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) has called for a public meeting next
month to address the issue of rides being given in non-Standard Category
aircraft (warbirds). The FAA's current policy, called the "Living
History Flight Experience (LHFE)" exemption, allows operators to
sell rides in aircraft such as the B-17 and B-24 which were manufactured
before 1947. Other operators of vintage jets, and warbirds built after
1947, have applied for exemptions under the LHFE rules, and the FAA has
called for this meeting to discuss the expansion of the policy. The
meeting will be held in Washington DC on 26-28 June 2012. A public
comment period is now open. For more information, see our
Threats page.
-
26 May:
Consolidated B-24A/LB-30 Liberator
N24927 (s/n
40-2366, "Diamond Lil") suffered the collapse of
its nose landing gear during the landing roll at Charlotte, North
Carolina, USA, after the crew spent nearly an hour dealing with a
landing gear/hydraulic system malfunction. None of the 16 people on
board was injured, and the aircraft is expected to be repaired quickly.
-
27 May: Prolific aircraft
collector Merle Maine has announced that he is selling his collection,
based in Ontario, Oregon, USA. The collection includes numerous types,
including an F-104 Starfighter, F-86 Sabre, A-4 Skyhawk, L-39 Albatros,
T-33 Shooting Star, MiG-21, MiG-23, deHavilland Vampire, two Grumman S-2
Trackers, and more. [Trade-A-Plane
listing>>]
-
28 May: A 1949
North American SNJ/T-6G Texan,
N3753G (c/n 493177), crashed shortly after takeoff from a private airfield near
Byron, Michigan, USA. The pilot's wife, who was a passenger,
was killed after the plane struck a nearby barn. The aircraft was
destroyed. [Local
news coverage>>]
-
30 May: A 1949
Hawker T Mk.20 Sea Fury,
N71GB, (c/n 37525, "Sawbones"),
suffered the collapse of its landing gear on landing rollout in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Minor damage was reported.
-
30 May: The Chino,
California-based Planes of Fame Air Museum announced that the
Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress known
as "Swamp Ghost" (s/n 41-2446) will be moving to the Pacific Air
Museum in Hawaii. [Swamp
Ghost's home page>>]
June 2012:
-
2 June: A
Heinkel He-115 seaplane torpedo-bomber was raised from the water of
a fjord near Sola, Norway after resting at the bottom for over 70 years.
[Photo
gallery>>] [Slideshow>>]
-
3 June: A 1955
Lockheed P2V Neptune aerial tanker
(N41447, s/n 135587, "Tanker 11"), operated by Neptune Aviation,
crashed during an air assault on a forest fire near the Nevada/Utah border.
Both crewmembers were killed. [News
report>>]
-
3 June: Another
Lockheed SP2H Neptune firebomber,
this one registered N355MA ("Tanker 55") made an emergency
landing at Minden, Nevada, USA, after the pilots could not extend the
left main landing gear. The aircraft suffered minor damage, but the crew
was not injured. [Video
of the incident>>]
-
3 June: A rare
Fairey Firefly AS Mk.VI N518WB
(Ex-WB-518) suffered an apparent failure of its landing gear during its
landing roll at an airshow at El Cajon, California, USA. The aircraft
came to rest in the dirt alongside the runway. The pilot was not
injured, and the aircraft is believed to be repairable.
-
6 June: The EAA's
B-17 Flying Fortress, Aluminum
Overcast, was slightly damaged by an unexpected hailstorm in Denver,
Colorado, USA. The hail damaged the aircraft's fabric flight-control
surfaces, but thanks to the hard work of some volunteers, the parts were
replaced within a few days. [Story
and photos>>]
-
8 June: A 1942
Ryan PT-22/ST3KR, N721R (c/n
1840), went off the runway and into a ditch after landing at Norwalk,
Ohio, USA. Neither the pilot nor the passenger were injured, but the
aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
10 June: A 1964
Hispano HA-200 Saeta jet, N632HA
(c/n E.14A-32), lost its left wingtip tank while
in flight. The aircraft landed at Everett, Washington, USA without
further difficulties.
-
11 June: A
North American SNJ-4/AT-6C Texan,
N7055K (c/n 50-709E), landed in a field and flipped over near Delmar,
Delaware, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
14 June: A 1985
Yakovlev Yak-52, N76YK (c/n
855706), suffered the collapse of its nose landing gear on landing at
Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. No injuries were reported.
-
15 June: A
Canadair CT-133/T-33 Silver Star
Mk.3, C-FUPM (s/n 133346), operated by the Jet Aircraft Museum,
landed short of the runway in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The jet's left
landing gear was sheared off, and the aircraft came to rest off the side
of the runway in the grass. Neither the pilot nor the passenger were
injured.
-
18 June: A 1941
Boeing A75 Stearman, N59334 (c/n
75-1606), went off the side of the runway and ground-looped
during landing at Glencoe, Minnesota, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
23 June: A 1940
de Havilland DH-82 Tiger Moth,
N523R (formerly G-ANEI, c/n 82960) made an emergency landing in a field
in Fontana, California, USA. The aircraft came to rest inverted and
suffered substantial damage. There were no reported injuries to either
the pilot or passenger.
-
26 June: A 1941
Boeing B75N Stearman, N50082 (c/n
75-1037), flipped over on landing near Fredericksburg, Texas,
USA. The pilot was not injured, but the plane was substantially damaged.
-
26 June: A 1963
Bell UH-1F Iroquois helicopter, N4582D (c/n 63-13163), came in
contact with power lines during sling load operations, and one member of
the crew was seriously injured. The incident happened near Concrete,
Washington, USA.
-
30 June: An
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros jet
(ZU-HIT) crashed during a formation aerobatic performance at the
Klerksdorp Airshow in South Africa. The aircraft appeared to perform a
loaded (high-G) roll during a low-altitude pullout from a split-S maneuver. The
pilot was killed.
July 2012:
-
10 July: A
North American-Rockwell OV-10 Bronco,
G-BZGK, operated by the civilian Bronco Demo Team, crashed at Cotswold
Airport, Gloucestershire, UK, during a flight demonstration practice.
The pilot suffered significant injuries, but is expected to survive.
-
12 July: A
Mikoyan-Gurevich
MiG-21MF Fishbed, N9307, rolled off the end of the runway after
landing in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA and suffering the failure of its
braking parachute. The aircraft went through a
fence and came to rest on a nearby road with at least one of its landing
gear collapsed or sheared off. The aircraft was substantially damaged,
but the pilot was not injured.
-
15 July: A 1982
IAR 825
Triumpf, N825BA, crashed in a corn field near Peru, Illinois, USA,
after losing power while on approach to land. The pilot was not injured,
but the aircraft was substantially damaged. This aircraft is the only
prototype of a turbine-powered version of the better-known Romanian
trainer, the IAR-823.
-
22 July: A 1959
Dornier Do27, N780AX (c/n 391), was substantially damaged after
crashing near Jackson, Wyoming, USA. Neither the pilot nor the passenger
were injured.
-
26 July: A 1971
Bell OH-58C Kiowa helicopter, N8092J (s/n 70-15363) was damaged
after a rotor blade struck a powerline near Waukon, Iowa, USA.
-
28 July: A 1973
Nanchang CJ-6A, N96YK (c/n
1232007), crashed on approach to an airfield near Walsenburg, Colorado,
USA, killing the pilot and his son.
-
30 July: Florida-based
Draken International has won a bid to buy nine
Aermacchi MB-339 advanced fighter trainers from the government of
New Zealand. These aircraft, in addition to the company's previous
acquisitions of eight Douglas A-4
Skyhawk fighter/attack aircraft, 29
MiG-21UM and MiG-21BIS Fishbed/Mongol
supersonic fighters, and five L-39
Albatros fighter/trainers, make Draken the largest fleet of
privately-owned tactical jet aircraft in the world. The aircraft are to
be used for government contract work. Draken's CEO is also the owner of
(and a pilot with) the popular Black Diamonds Jet Team. [Draken
International website]
August 2012:
-
4 August: Noted airshow
performer Kent Pietsch was injured in the crash of his 1942
Interstate S-1 / L-6 Cadet, N37428, in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada.
The incident happened after the airshow, as Pietsch was flying at low
altitude while searching for the foam aileron he routinely drops as a
part of his airshow act. He reportedly lost power and could not reach the
runway.
-
4 August: A
Piaggio/Focke-Wulf P.149D, D-EGIT,
was substantially damaged after losing engine power and hitting a barn
during a forced landing near Hollandscheveld, Netherlands. Both
occupants of the airplane and an occupant of the building were injured.
-
9 August: The first U.S.
flight of a restored
Ilyushin IL-2 Shturmovik has taken place at Paine Field in
Everett, Washington, USA. Noted warbird pilot Steve Hinton took the
aircraft on its shakedown flight for its new owner, the Flying Heritage
Collection. The aircraft was rebuilt from parts of no fewer than four
IL-2 wrecks recovered during the past 20 years in Russia.
-
12 August: A
deHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth, G-AHLT,
crashed in a field near Maeshafn, North Wales, UK, after it hit trees
while the pilot was attempting to land on a short, sloping pasture. The
pilot was not injured, but the airplane was substantially damaged.
-
12 August: Another
deHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth, G-ANFV,
suffered substantial damage after a forced landing near Duffas,
Scotland.
-
13 August: The vintage
aircraft collection of the late Howard Pardue is up for sale. The
aircraft available include a Grumman
FM-2 Wildcat and a Hawker Sea
Fury. [See listings at
Ezell
Aviation]
-
18 August: A 1943
Boeing B75N Stearman, N47964,
ground-looped upon landing in Mesa, Arizona, USA. The pilot was not
injured, and only minor damage to the airplane was reported.
-
18 August: A 1940
Fleet
16B Finch biplane, N343SF (c/n 343), flipped over on landing at
Bayport, New York, USA. The plane was substantially damaged. Neither the
pilot nor passenger were injured.
-
22 August: The Coulson Group
of British Columbia, Canada has announced that one of the only two
remaining
Martin JRM Mars seaplane firebombers, C-FLYK ("Philippine Mars"),
will go on permanent display at the National Naval Aviation in
Pensacola, Florida, USA. The huge transport aircraft is being repainted
in its original navy blue paint scheme, and readied for one last flight.
[News
article>>]
-
22 August: The National
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has publicly released 45 documents
related to their investigation of the fatal P-51 race crash in
Reno in 2011. The documents include various technical analysis papers, flight
recorder data, witness photos, and more. [NTSB
Docket 51746 >>]
-
31 August: A 1944
North American T-6F Texan, N244GR
(c/n 121-42642), ground-looped on takeoff at
Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA. Neither the pilot nor the passenger were
injured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged.
September 2012:
-
1 September: A 1984
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros,
N139GS, crashed during a formation airshow performance at Davenport,
Iowa, USA. Owner/pilot Glenn Smith was killed. [Editor's note: This
is one of those times when reporting the news on this page is
particularly difficult. Glenn was a good friend of ours and a respected aviator in the
warbird community. Our sincere condolences to Glenn's family, friends,
and fellow "Hoppers." He will be sorely missed.]
-
1 September: A
Cessna L-19E Birddog, N4431F,
ground-looped upon landing in Dallas, Texas, USA, collapsing the landing
gear. The pilot was not injured.
-
2 September: A 1952
Douglas AD-1N Skyraider, N965AD,
struck a sign during a takeoff from Everett, Washington, USA. Damage to
the aircraft is unknown.
-
7 September: Famed pilot,
racer, and vintage aircraft restorer Bob Odegaard was killed in the
crash of a 1945
Goodyear F2G Super Corsair, N5577N (c/n 6172, Race
#74), in Valley City, North Dakota, USA. He was reportedly
performing a barrel roll during a practice flight for the following
day's airshow when the accident occurred. [Editor's note: It's
another tough weekend for the warbird community. Bob will be greatly
missed -- our condolences to the numerous people Bob influenced over the
years.]
-
8 September: A 1943
Beechcraft C-45 ended up in a
ditch at a private airfield in Suffolk, Virginia, USA, after its brakes
failed during a maintenance check. The pilot was not injured.
-
11 September: A 1951
Hawker FB.11 Sea Fury, N4434P ("Furias"),
suffered the collapse of its right main landing gear on landing at Reno,
Nevada, USA, during the National Championship Air Races. Pilot Matt
Jackson was not injured.
-
13 September: A 1942
Fairchild PT-19A Cornell, N19GP,
crashed while making a low approach at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA.
The pilot and his passenger, a reporter for a local newspaper, were not
seriously injured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
15 September: An
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros, ES-YLS
(c/n 691881), operated by the Breitling Jet
Team, crashed in a field near Valkenswaard,
Netherlands after engine problems during a ferry flight. Both
the pilot and his passenger (a team mechanic) ejected successfully. The aircraft was destroyed.
-
16 September: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, N2207X, crashed
near Huntsville, Alabama, USA, killing the owner/pilot and a
passenger. Circumstances of the accident are not known, but the aircraft
was seen maneuvering during a fly-in event.
-
19 September: A
Boeing A75/PT-17 Stearman,
N4777V, ground-looped on landing in Lincoln, California, USA. Neither
occupant was injured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
30 September: A 1952
Hawker FB.11 Sea Fury, N878M ("Miss
Merced"), landed gear-up at Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA. The pilot was
not injured.
October 2012:
-
12 October: A 1955
Sikorsky S-55B/H-19 Chickasaw helicopter, N443FD (s/n 55-1046), made
a hard landing in a field near Yorktown, New York, USA, after suffering
a power loss. The aircraft rolled over on its side during the accident,
but neither occupant was injured. [Local
news, with photo>>]
-
29 October: A Mach 2+
Panavia Tornado F.3 fighter-bomber appeared for sale in several
aviation-industry publications. Though the aircraft is largely complete,
it is advertised in "museum display condition" rather than "airworthy"
condition. It is believed to be the only Tornado in private ownership in
the world. [See
the ad>>]
November 2012:
-
4 November: A
Yakovlev / Aerostar Yak-52W, N767RG
(c/n 0012208), force-landed in a field near
Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The sole occupant was not injured. Damage to the
aircraft is unknown.
-
5 November: A
Hawker Hunter, believed to be
operated by a government contractor, suffered the collapse of its
landing gear upon landing at Pt. Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center,
California, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
10 November: A 1943
Boeing E75 Stearman, N1370V, was
involved in a mid-air collision with a Vans RV-12 while the aircraft
were flying in formation near Williamson, Georgia, USA. Both aircraft
landed safely. Damage to the Stearman's rudder was reported.
-
20 November: The US Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) has revoked the pilot's certificate of
notorious pilot Dave Riggs, who was involved in a recent fatal accident
involving an L-39 jet that was
allegedly used in an illegal commercial "adventure ride" program. Among
his other accomplishments, Riggs also used an L-39 to "buzz" a Santa
Monica, California beach pier in 2008; organized an air race that was
grounded by the FAA for safety concerns; and was involved in another
fatal L-39 accident involving a movie production.
-
20 November: A 1941
Boeing A75 Stearman, N56226, lost
power after takeoff from an airfield near San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Neither the pilot nor passenger were injured, but the aircraft was
damaged after crashing into trees and a fence.
December 2012:
-
5 December: Aero Union
Corporation is auctioning off its remaining inventory of seven modified
Lockheed P-3A Orion airtanker aircraft. The auction also includes
engines, spare parts, maintenance gear, and MAFFS aerial firefighting
equipment. The aircraft have been active for many years, battling forest
fires for the U.S. Forest Service and the California Department of
Forestry. [Auction
information>>]
-
5 December: A
Douglas C-47TP Dakota, operated by
35 Squadron of the South African Air Force, crashed in the Drakensberg
mountain range in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, killing all 11 people on
board. Poor weather conditions were reported in the area. This aircraft
has been used as a support aircraft for the SAAF's
Silver Falcons
airshow display team, as well as in numerous other utility roles. [Commemorative
photo issued by the team>>]
-
5 December: Yet another WWII
aircraft has been recovered from the bottom of Lake Michigan. This one,
a Grumman FM-2 Wildcat, crashed in
December 1944 while practicing carrier landings. It will eventually be
sent to the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida, for
restoration. The aircraft is currently available for public viewing in
Kenosha, Wisconsin. [EAA
news story>>]
-
8 December: A
North American T-28C Trojan,
N280JM (Bu.No. 140589), landed gear-up in a
field near Temple, Texas, USA. The pilot and passenger suffered minor
injuries.
-
13 December: A 1971
Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin, N29NR
(c/n 1941440, crashed into a field near Scurry, Texas, USA, killing both
the owner/pilot and the passenger. Circumstances of the accident are not
known, but it was reported that the passenger was receiving a ride that
he had won in an auction. [News
report>>]
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2013:
-
7 January: A
Supermarine PR Mk. XIX Spitfire,
G-RRGN, suffered the collapse of its landing gear during landing at East
Midlands Airport, UK. The pilot was not injured. The aircraft, recently
restored for Rolls-Royce, is believed to be readily repairable. [BBC
news report>>]
-
15 January: Noted warbird
pilot, former Reno racer, and Airshow Competency Evaluator (ACE) Fred
Cabanas was killed in the crash of a non-warbird light plane near
Cozumel, Mexico. [Godspeed, Freddy. -Ed.]
-
19 January: A
Nanchang CJ-6A, N5616N (c/n
5632016), landed gear-up at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA. The pilot
was not injured.
February 2013:
-
6 February: A 1966
Hispano HA-200 Saeta Jet,
N390WW, suffered the collapse of its landing gear during a landing at
North Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. The pilot was not injured and the aircraft
sustained only minor damage.
-
6 February: A
Hiller UH-12B/OH-23 helicopter, N5072R, made a hard landing at
Merritt Island, Florida, USA after a loss of power. One person was
injured.
-
6 February: In a surprise
move, the U.S. National Park Service ordered the immediate closure of
the delightful
Pearson Air
Museum, located on historic Fort Vancouver, Washington, USA. A press
release from the Trust which operated the museum said the closure was
the result of "an unresolved dispute with the National Park Service
regarding park use policy."
March 2013:
-
13 March: A group of
business leaders in Wichita, Kansas, USA has united to form "Doc's
Friends," a group dedicated to the restoration to flight status of
"Doc," a Boeing B-29 Superfortress
bomber. Doc spent 42 years on a bombing-range in China Lake, California,
and was rescued from an uncertain fate several years ago. [More
information>>]
-
26 March: A
Hughes OH-6 Cayuse helicopter, N910WC (s/n 67-16372) crashed near
Caddo, Texas, USA. A passenger was killed after the aircraft lost
control while hovering over a stock tank and then plunged into the
water. The pilot suffered only minor injuries.
April 2013:
-
16 April: A
deHaviland DH.82A Tiger Moth
(ZS-OSS, c/n 82982) crashed into the water in Mmabatho, South Africa
during a landing approach. Both occupants were killed.
-
19 April: A
Siai-Marchetti SF-260W, N224AP,
landed gear-up at San Rafael, California, USA. Neither the pilot nor his
passenger were injured.
-
20 April: A 1942
Boeing A75N1 Stearman, N985SS (c/n
75-3431), force-landed in a vineyard near Santa Rosa, California. USA,
ending up inverted. The pilot was not injured.
-
24 April: A 1953
North American/CCF Harvard IV, C-FMWN
(c/n CCF4 267) suffered the loss of its left brake after landing in
Delta, British Columbia, Canada. The aircraft departed the side of the
runway and the left main landing gear collapsed. The aircraft came to
rest in a ditch. Neither occupant was injured, but the aircraft was
substantially damaged.
May 2013:
-
5 May: A
Hispano Aviacion HA-200D Saeta
jet, EC-DXR (c/n 20-56), crashed into a hangar during an airshow near
Madrid, Spain. The 34-year old pilot died at the hospital, and several
people at the scene were reported to be injured. The aircraft appeared
to perform a slow-speed wingover-type maneuver, and did not recover
before ground impact.
June 2013:
-
10 June: The remains of a
Dornier Do.17 bomber were recovered from the English Channel in one
of Britain's most expensive and challenging retrieval operations. The
aircraft is reported as being in "remarkable condition," and the plan is
to eventually display it at the Royal Air Force Museum in London. The
aircraft was shot down in 1940 by a pair of RAF Boulton-Paul Defiant
fighters, and came to rest in 50 feet of water. [News
article, with photos and video>>]
-
13 June: Two
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros jets
collided during a practice race at Reno, Nevada, USA. Both aircraft
landed. One of the aircraft involved, L-39 N8124N (Race # 777), suffered
the loss of approximately half of its vertical stabilizer and the pilot
made a successful gear-up landing. The other involved aircraft, N2399V
(Race # 99, "Miss Mona"), landed safely. The practice race was being
flown in conjunction with the annual Pylon Racing Seminar, held to train
new and prospective Reno racing pilots. [News
and photo>>]
-
22 June: A 1941
Boeing 1B75A Stearman 450,
N450JW, crashed during an airshow performance in Dayton, Ohio, USA. Both
performers perished after the aircraft appeared to stall while inverted
at low altitude during a wing-walking act. [Jane Wicker and Charlie
Schwenker will be missed. Our condolences to the family and friends of
these two great performers. -Ed.]
-
22 June: The Military
Aviation Museum, Jerry Yagen's large collection of warbirds and vintage
aircraft in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA, is reportedly for sale. [Museum
link>>]
-
23 June: A
Nanchang CJ-6, N2726C, crashed in
a field near Wolcott, Colorado, USA. Both the owner/pilot and passenger
were killed. The exact circumstances of the accident are not known.
-
23 June: A 1955
Beechcraft T-34/A45 Mentor, N434M,
crashed after an apparent engine failure near Boulder City, Nevada, USA.
Both occupants were killed. Both were active-duty National Guard
members, although they were not flying in a military capacity at the
time.
-
25 June: A Canadian
businessman is selling his
British Aerospace FA2 Sea Harrier VTOL jet on eBay. The aircraft is
largely complete but not airworthy, and the starting bid is $500,000
USD, with a "Buy It Now" price of $1.5m.
-
25 June: The Tillamook Air
Museum in Oregon announced that they will be acquiring two new
airplanes: "Chuckie," the well-known
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, and a
Flug Werke/Focke-Wulf Fw-190A-8N
replica -- both of which were, until recently, operated by Jerry Yagen's
Military Air Museum. The B-17 will be making the long flight from
Virginia to Oregon this weekend, weather permitting, with the -190
following shortly. [Tillamook
Air Museum link>>]
-
27 June: A
Fouga CM-170 Magister, F-GLHF
(c/n 406), operated by the Dutch Historic Jet Association, suffered the
collapse of its landing gear upon landing at Lelystad, Netherlands.
Neither the pilot nor the passenger were injured.
-
29 June: A
Hiller UH-12A / OH-23 Raven helicopter, N6331D (c/n 213), crashed
into a residential yard while maneuvering to land on a trailer. The
pilot sustained unknown injuries and the aircraft was substantially
damaged.
-
30 June: A
Nanchang CJ-6A, N116RL, crashed
into the Atlantic Ocean about 500 yards (460m) offshore near Ocean City,
Maryland, USA. The pilot and passenger, both of whom were Ocean City
police officers, were killed. Their bodies were later recovered by
divers.
Photo courtesy AP
July
2013:
-
11 July: A
Boeing A75N1 Stearman (PT-17 Kaydet),
N62465 (s/n 75-3096), ended up on its back while taxiing at Canby,
Oregon, USA. Both occupants escaped injury, and the plane suffered
relatively minor, repairable damage. The aircraft had recently been
restored.
-
16 July: A 1965
Bell UH-1H Iroquois (Huey) helicopter, N775AR (s/n 65-10067),
crashed during a seismographic survey flight near Dove Creek, Colorado,
USA. The pilot was killed.
-
17 July: A
Boeing A75N-1 Stearman biplane,
N5815V (s/n 75-7616), crashed during landing approach at Woodruff, South
Carolina, USA after hitting a tree. The plane was heavily damaged, but
the occupants suffered only minor injuries.
-
29 July: A 1963
Folland Gnat T.1, N18GT (XS105),
crashed after the pilot attempted to perform an aileron roll following a
low pass of the runway in Georgetown, South Carolina, USA. The pilot
was killed.
August 2013:
-
8 August: A 1950
Grumman HU-16 Albatross, N44HQ
(c/n G-99), sustained minor damage after striking a rock while taking
off from Lake Mead, Nevada, USA.
-
9 August: The world's last
airworthy Fairey Gannet T5,
N752XT (ex-XT752) has made its first post-restoration flight at New
Richmond, Wisconsin, USA. [Website>>]
-
17 August: A 1943
Interstate S-1B1 / L-6 Cadet,
N46336, suffered the collapse of its landing gear on takeoff from
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
18 August: A
Messerschmitt Bf.109G-4, D-FWME
("Red 7"),
made a wheels-up emergency landing in a field near Copenhagen, Denmark,
after an engine failure during an airshow. The pilot was not injured. [Video
of the incident>>]
-
19 August: A 1943
Douglas DC-3 / C-47A Dakota, C-GWIR
(s/n 42-32509) operated by Buffalo Airways, made a hard landing after an
engine fire. The aircraft has just taken off when flames were seen
coming from the right engine, prompting an immediate return to the
airport. The aircraft clipped some trees and landed in a ditch short of
the runway. None of the 24 people on board were injured.
-
24 August: A
Chance-Vought / Goodyear FG-1D Corsair,
N773RD (Bu No. 92471) ("Marine's Dream"), suffered a prop strike
after briefly nosing-over on landing at Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania, USA.
The incident has been blamed on the wheel brakes locking up.
-
31 August: A
Cessna L-19E / Model 305 Birddog,
N862, flipped onto its back while landing in Paris, Texas, USA. The
pilot was not injured.
September 2013:
-
2 September: A 1944
Cessna UC-78/T-50 Bobcat ("Bamboo
Bomber"), N41759, crashed in poor weather near Kingsley, Pennsylvania,
USA, killing the owner/pilots, a husband and wife who were returning
home from a fly-in. The aircraft was missing for six days before the
wreckage was located.
-
7 September: A 1974
BAC Jet Provost Mk.5A, N78SH, went
off the end of the runway during its landing roll at Broomfield,
Colorado, USA. Neither the pilot nor the passenger were injured.
-
7 September: The pilot of a
Nanchang CJ-6A, C-FTQW,
inadvertently landed gear-up at the Oliver Airport, British Columbia,
Canada. Neither the pilot nor the passenger were injured. [Video
of the incident>>]
-
10 September: A
Boeing PT-27 Stearman, C-GKUE
(FJ875), landed hard next to the runway shortly after takeoff in
Brandon, Manitoba, Canada for unknown reasons. The pilot and passenger
both received minor injuries.
-
13 September: A
Yakovlev Yak-3UM, F-AZZV, went
off the end of a runway in Dijon, France during its landing roll. The
aircraft suffered the collapse of its landing gear, but neither the
pilot nor his passenger were injured.
-
17 September: Notorious
felon and aviation misfit David Riggs was killed in a non-warbird
aircraft accident near Shenyang, China. He was apparently practicing for
an upcoming airshow by performing a "water-skiing" stunt with his
homebuilt Lancair 320 when the plane struck the water and broke up.
Unfortunately, the accident also claimed the life of an 18-year old
female translator, who was riding in the aircraft. Riggs' body was recovered
several days after the accident. [Editor's note: Among other misadventures, Riggs was the pilot who
buzzed the Santa Monica Pier with an L-39 jet in 2008, leading to the
suspension of his pilot's certificate. His certificate was later
suspended a second time for operating an "adventure-flight business"
using L-39s, an endeavor that resulted in a fatal accident. He was also
the director of an aerial movie shoot that resulted in yet another fatal
L-39 accident.] [News
report>>]
-
22 September: A 1940
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth,
N9410 (s/n DE941), lost power and the pilot made a forced landing into
some trees during an airshow at Old Rhinebeck, New York, USA. The
aircraft was substantially damaged, but the pilot was not injured.
-
23 September: A
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth,
DH-RAY (s/n 3787), flipped on its back upon landing at a private
airstrip near Woolgoolga, South Australia. The pilot was not injured.
October 2013:
-
4 October: A
Grumman / Marsh S-2T Turbo Tracker, N437DF ("Tanker 73"),
operated as a firebomber by the California Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection (Cal-Fire), made a hard landing at its base in Hemet,
California, USA, suffering unknown damage and spilling fire retardant on
the runway. The pilot was not injured. [News
article and photos>>]
-
11 October: A 1943
Bell P-63F King Cobra, N6763,
operated by the Commemorative Air Force, made a gear-up forced landing
on a small grass airport near Midland, Texas, USA. The engine reportedly
failed due to fuel starvation due to a faulty fuel selector. The pilot
was not injured. The aircraft suffered substantial damage.
-
23 October: A
North American TF-51D Mustang,
N4151D (s/n 44-73458, "Galveston Gal") operated by the Lone Star
Flight Museum, crashed into the water between Galveston Bay and Chocolate Bay near Freeport,
Texas, USA, killing both occupants. The passenger was a tourist from the
UK who was taking a ride in the aircraft.
-
24 October: A
Yakovlev Yak-18T, ZU-FLE, crashed
after takeoff in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa. The pilot was
killed.
-
30 October: A 2004
Aerostar/Yakovlev Yak-52TW,
N652Y (c/n 0412510), struck power lines during a forced landing in a
field near Milledgeville, Georgia, USA. The pilot was not injured.
Damage to the aircraft is not known.
November 2013:
-
1 November: A
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 UM,
N20739 (c/n 4171), went off the end of the runway and into a rough gulch
at Reno-Stead Airport in Reno, Nevada, USA after losing its brakes on
landing. The pilot suffered non-life threatening injuries. The aircraft
was substantially damaged.
-
1 November: Organizers of
one of the major warbird airshows in the USA have announced that the
2014 Indianapolis
(Indiana) Air Show will be their last one. The organizing committee
cites "current circumstances" as the reason for the cancelation. The
final show will be held 13-14 June 2014.
-
1 November: A 1973
Beechcraft T-34C (converted T-34B)
Turbo Mentor, N190AC, suffered the collapse of its landing gear on
landing in Broomfield, Colorado, USA. Neither the pilot nor passenger
were injured.
-
18 November: A 1960
Piaggio/Focke-Wulf FWP.149D,
N132FW, crashed in a wooded area near Kenansville, North Carolina, USA,
killing the pilot.
-
21 November: An airport
owner was arrested in North Carolina, USA on Federal charges after he
was hired in 2011 by an air museum to perform maintenance work on a
Curtiss C-46F Commando and fly it
as "second in command" to several different locations. An FAA Inspector
discovered that Paul Douglas Tharp possessed neither Airframe and
Powerplant (A&P) mechanic ratings nor a Multi-Engine pilot rating. Tharp
allegedly used another man's A&P certificate number as his own, and flew
the aircraft on several occasions, including to and from an airshow.
-
22 November: The
Commemorative Air Force (CAF) announced that their membership approved a
proposal to build a National Airbase that will become the organization's
headquarters. Final site selection will take place within the first six
months of 2014. The six finalist sites are all in Texas. [More
details>>]
-
25 November: A
1953
Douglas C-118A/R6D Liftmaster, N100CE (s/n 53-3291), operated by a
cargo company, experienced a
load-shift during takeoff from Alpine, Alaska, USA, and suffered
substantial damage. The aircraft safely returned for landing.
December 2013:
-
3 December: After filming a
WWII-themed movie entitled Fury, well-known actor Brad Pitt is
reported to have purchased a
Supermarine Spitfire of his very own, following in the footsteps of
such Hollywood luminaries as Tom Cruise, who owns and flies a North
American P-51 Mustang. [More
details>>]
-
6 December: A
Curtiss C-46 Commando, operated by
Buffalo Airways, suffered an engine fire while taxiing for takeoff at
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. None of the crew were
injured, and the fire was quickly extinguished by ground responders. [News
article>>]
-
16 December: A
1940
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
biplane, VH-TSG, crashed into the sea near Stradbroke Island, Queensland,
Australia. Rescuers discovered wreckage and fuel in the water. The
aircraft was registered to a local aerial sightseeing company. The
bodies of the pilot and passenger were recovered by dive crews. [More
details>>]
-
17 December: A 1957
Cessna L-19 / O-1E Birddog, N83CN,
ground-looped upon landing at Hondo, Texas, USA. Neither the pilot nor
the passenger were injured, but the aircraft sustained significant
damage.
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2014:
-
9 January:
Supermarine Spitfire MkXVIIIe G-BUOS
(XM845) is back in the air. The aircraft made a successful
post-restoration flight at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, UK. The aircraft was
involved in a fatal accident in Norway in August 2010 [2010
News Archive>>]
-
14 January: South Africa's
Thunder City owner Mike Beachy Head made the first flight in five
years of his rare English
Electric Lightning T.5, ZU-BBD (XS452). It is the only Lightning in
airworthy condition. [Video>>]
February 2014:
-
18 February: A 1953
Hawker Sea Fury FB.10, N13HP
(c/n 37536), crashed under unknown circumstances in a heavily-wooded
area near Breckenridge, Texas, USA. Owner/pilot Ray Hofman was killed.
-
22 February: A 1958
Beechcraft T-34 / A-45 Mentor, N666
(c/n GM141), lost engine power just after takeoff from Hollister,
California, USA, and made a rough forced landing on vacant land adjacent
to the airport. The pilot was injured and "life-flighted" to the
hospital. The airplane was substantially damaged. [Editor's note: Can we
finally retire this N-number now?]
-
25 February: A 1954
Douglas C-118A Liftmaster, N351CE (c/n 44599), operated by a cargo
company, encountered severe turbulence near Emmonak, Alaska, USA,
resulting in damage to its wing. The aircraft landed safely. No one
onboard was injured.
March 2014:
-
4 March: The Fantasy of
Flight Attraction/Museum in Polk City, Florida, USA has announced it
will be closing as a public attraction on 6 April 2014. Owner Kermit
Weeks announced he will continue to operate the center as an events-only
facility, and continue to restore and maintain historic aircraft. [More
details>>]
-
7 March: Noted warbird owner
and airshow pilot Ed Bowlin passed away at age 79 after an illness. Ed
and his wife Connie have worked tirelessly for many years to support the
U.S. warbird community in many ways. [Ed's
"Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame" citation>>]
-
17 March: A 1945
Grumman TBM-3 Avenger, N53503
(Bu.No. 53503), operated by the Rocky Mountain Wing of the Commemorative
Air Force, suffered a collapse of its left main landing gear while
taxiing at Glendale, Arizona, USA. The aircraft's engine and propeller
were damaged, as was some sheet metal on the fuselage and wing. A
fundraiser has begun to get the aircraft back in the air. [Donate
here>>]
-
23 March: A 1951
Cessna O-1A / L-19 Birddog, N211PP
(c/n 22956), lost engine power after picking up an advertising banner in
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA. The airplane ditched into nearby Tampa
Bay. The pilot was not injured.
-
24 March: A 1943
Stinson L-5 Sentinel, N63777 (s/n
42-98626), operated by the Commemorative Air Force, suffered a propeller
strike during landing near Amarillo, Texas, USA. Neither occupant was
injured.
-
25 March: A 1940
Boeing A75N1 Stearman, N59154
(s/n 75-402), struck a parked aircraft during taxi at Shafter,
California, USA.
-
27 March: A 1943
Boeing B75N1 Stearman, N47964
(s/n 75-7540), ground-looped on landing in Mesa, Arizona, USA, striking
taxiway lights. The pilot was not injured.
April 2014:
-
11 April: Despite many
months of mediation and negotiations, the Fort Vancouver National Trust
and the National Park Service failed to come to an agreement that would
have allowed the historic Pearson Air Museum in Vancouver, Washington,
USA to resume operation. The Trust plans to continue its operations in
various ways in the local area, but not as a resident in the museum
buildings.
-
19 April: A
Nanchang CJ-6A, N594T (c/n
4032008), crashed while attempting an emergency landing in a field near
Lennon, Michigan, USA. Both the pilot and passenger were killed.
Witnesses reported hearing the engine sputtering prior to the crash.
-
27 April: A modified 1957
Hawker Sea Fury T. Mk 20,
NX20SF / VZ368 (Race #8, "Dreadnaught") collided with a Cessna
210 over the northern part of San Francisco Bay while the two aircraft
were returning home to Ione, California, USA after a fly-in event at
Half Moon Bay. The Cessna crashed into the water and its pilot was
killed. The Sea Fury managed to continue, and the pilot and his
passenger landed safely at their home base 40 minutes later. Dreadnaught and its owners are well-known in the
U.S. air racing community. [More
details>>].
-
29 April: The
Commemorative Air Force (CAF) announced that it will be moving its
corporate offices to Dallas, Texas and, more significantly, establishing
a National Airbase at the Dallas Executive Airport. It is hoped that the
new location, close to a major metropolitan area, will provide greater
public attendance and more opportunities to build a world-class
attraction. The move is expected to be complete by the end of 2015. [Full
story>>]
May 2014:
-
4 May: Long-time airshow
performer and warbird owner Eddie Andreini, Sr. perished during an
airshow performance at Travis Air Force Base, California, USA. While
performing an inverted ribbon-cut maneuver in his 450-hp 1944
Boeing PT-13D Super Stearman,
N68828, the aircraft touched the ground and slid to a stop.
Unfortunately, a fire broke out, consuming the aircraft. Andreini's other
airshow mounts included a Yakovlev Yak-9U and a North American
P-51 Mustang. [Editor's note: We offer our sincere condolences to
Eddie's family, friends, and associates.]
-
9 May: A 1943
North American AT-6C Texan, N164EW,
crashed in a partially-wooded area near Roxbury, New York, USA.
The owner/pilot
was injured, but is expected to make a complete recovery. [Editor's
Note: Our very best wishes to Jim, the pilot, who is a friend of ours.] [Side
Note: A Roxbury, NY newspaper became the center of a social-media
firestorm in the 24 hours following this accident, when they published a
graphic photo of the blood-streaked side of the aircraft in their online
coverage. Public opinion finally got them to remove the photo, but for
many people, what has been seen cannot be unseen. We feel this is a
perfect example of why the media is rarely perceived as a friend to aviation,
especially when bad things happen.] [Watershed
Post coverage, without the offending photo>>]
-
15 May: A 1941
North American AT-6C Harvard IIA,
F-AZQR (c/n 88-12326), landing gear-up in a freshly-planted sunflower
field near Pérignac, France, after an apparent engine failure. The pilot
was not injured, and the aircraft appeared to have suffered only minor
damage.
-
16 May: A 1945
Chance-Vought F4U-4 Corsair,
N713JT (Bu.No. 97143, "Korean War Hero") came to rest inverted in
the grass next to the runway at Peachtree, Georgia, USA, after departing
the side of the runway during a crosswind landing. Pilot Jim Tobul is reported to be
relatively uninjured. Plans are already underway to repair the aircraft.
-
22 May: A 1945
Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk. IX,
G-PMNF (TA805), departed the paved surface of the runway during landing
at Biggin Hill, UK, tipping up on its nose and damaging the propeller
(and, presumably, the engine). The pilot was not injured.
-
26 May: A 1943
Meyers OTW-160 biplane (identity
unknown, but believed to be N34341, s/n 86), went off the end of the
runway in Tehachapi, California, USA, ending up on its nose. Neither
occupant was injured.
June 2014:
-
1 June: A 1968
SIAI-Marchetti/Aermacchi F.260,
N7895 (c/n 123), landed in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, USA with the nose
landing gear only partially extended, leading to substantial damage. The
pilot was not injured.
-
3 June: A 1943
Boeing PT-17/A75N1 Stearman,
N505V, ground-looped after landing in McCall, Idaho, USA. The pilot was
not injured.
-
4 June: A
North American AT-6C Texan, N13372
(c/n 88-13372), crashed in a wooded area near South Prairie, Washington, USA. Both pilots were killed. Witnesses reported
that the engine was "sputtering" before the accident.
-
8 June: A 1941
Boeing A75N Stearman, N26M (s/n
75-1925), operated by an air museum, went off the runway during landing
at Reading, Pennsylvania, USA. Neither the pilot nor the passenger were
injured, but the aircraft sustained some damage to its landing gear and
right wing.
-
15 June: A 1961
Lockheed SP-2H Neptune firebomber,
N4692A (Tanker 48), was forced to land with its nose landing gear not
locked in the "down" position at Fresno, California., USA. Despite
putting out a dramatic shower of sparks as its nose touched down on the
runway, the aircraft was not believed to seriously damaged.
-
16 June: A
Saab 91B Safir, ZU-BSG (c/n 91-289), crashed short of the runway
while landing at Krugersdorp, South Africa. The condition of the pilot
is not known at this time.
-
16 June: An ultra-rare
warbird has once again taken to the skies for the first time in 48
years! A 1947 deHavilland B.35
Mosquito, CF-HML (s/n VR796), made its first post-restoration flight
at Sidney, British Columbia, Canada. The pilot was Steve Hinton. The
aircraft will soon be based in Vancouver, BC. There are now two
airworthy Mosquitos in the world.
-
17 June: A 1944
Grumman JRF-5/G-21A Goose, N888GG (s/n B70) crashed into the parking
lot of a ski area near Connor, Montana, USA. The pilot was killed.
Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft in a flat spin, descending out of
a snowstorm. [Local
news report>>]
-
29 June: A 1950
deHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10,
VH-UPD (s/n H-F102), crashed while performing aerobatic maneuvers near
Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. The pilot was reported to be
seriously injured. The passenger had minor injuries.
July 2014:
-
4 July: A 1944
North American P-51D Mustang,
N1451D (s/n 44-74446) ("Checkertail Clan"), crashed shortly
after takeoff near Durango, Colorado, USA. Both the owner/pilot and his
flight instructor were killed. The National Transportation Safety Board
later found that the trainee pilot had marijuana levels above the legal
limit in his blood. [2016
news report on the drug-use finding>>]
-
17 July: A
Boeing E75 Stearman, N53546 (c/n
75-8649), ground-looped and flipped over while landing in Perkasie,
Pennsylvania, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
19 July: A
North American AT-6 Texan, N39313
(c/n 91074), ended up on its nose after landing in
Anchorage, Alaska, USA. Neither person on board were injured.
-
25 July: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, N333YK,
suffered an engine fire after landing at Islip, New York, USA. The pilot
was not injured.
-
26 July: A 1942
Ryan ST3KR, N59418 (c/n 2168)
crashed into wooded terrain near Newnan, Georgia, USA, after allegedly
suffering some kind of mechanical trouble. The pilot and passenger were
seriously injured, and the aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
26 July: A 1974
Hiller UH-12E Raven helicopter, N107HA, lost power and flipped over
on landing in Anson County, North Carolina, USA. The pilot was not
injured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
31 July: A 1948
Hawker Sea Fury T.20, G-RNHF
(c/n ES3615), operated by the Royal Navy Historic Flight, suffered the
partial collapse of its landing gear during landing at RNAS Culrose,
Helston, Cornwall, UK. The aircraft was damaged, but the pilot walked
away uninjured. The aircraft's landing gear was observed to extend
extremely late, only a second or two before touchdown. Other aspects of
the incident are still under investigation. [Video>>]
August 2014:
-
16 August: A 1958
North American SNJ-6 Texan, N211A
(c/n 121-42318), ground-looped upon landing
in Readington, New Jersey, USA. Damage to the aircraft is unknown.
-
16 August: A
Boeing A75 Stearman, N719BL, was
slightly damaged after suffering a ground-loop during landing in
Seattle, Washington, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
20 August: The crew of a
1943 Douglas C-54 Skymaster,
N9015Q (c/n 43-22178), operated by Island Air Transport, was unable to
extend the nose landing gear of their aircraft. They made a successful
landing at New Smyrna Beach, Florida, USA with the nose gear retracted.
-
23 August: A 1941
deHavilland DH.82C Tiger Moth, C-GMFT (c/n C1178), crashed into
trees after takeoff in Delta, British Columbia, Canada, slightly
injuring both occupants.
-
25 August: A
Hiller UH-12E Raven, N4035A, operated by the Cape May County
Mosquito Control Commission, crash-landed near a soccer field in Middle
Township, New Jersey, USA after suffering a mechanical failure. The
passenger suffered non life threatening injures. The pilot was not
injured.
-
29 August: A
North American Harvard Mk.4
(registration unknown) departed the edge of the runway after suffering
the collapse of its landing gear while landing in Toronto, Canada. The
pilot and passenger were not injured.
September 2014:
-
6 September: A 1970
SIAI Marchetti SF.260B, N800RH
(c/n 11-02), suffered an engine failure and made a forced landing near
Osterberg, Germany. The aircraft came to rest upside down, and both
occupants sustained minor injuries.
-
6 September: A 1951
Cessna L-19 Bird Dog, N212KY, lost
power and ditched into the ocean off Miami Beach, Florida, USA, while
towing an advertising banner. The pilot was rescued by jetskiers.
-
14 September: A
Boeing PT-17 Stearman, TG-JEN,
crashed into the surf while performing low-altitude aerobatics over the
beach south of Escuintla, Guatemala. The pilot survived and allegedly
walked out of the wreck under his own power. [Video
of the accident >>]
-
17 September: A 2002
Yakovlev/Aerostar Yak-52TW,
N916BM, landed with one of its landing gear not fully extended in Pubelo,
Colorado, USA. The pilot was not injured. The aircraft's propeller made
contact with the runway.
-
19 September: A 1954
North American T-28C Trojan,
N531KG (c/n 226-108), crashed while performing aerobatics over the
Virginia International Raceway near Alton, Virginia, USA. Both the pilot
and passenger (his mother) were killed.
October 2014:
-
7 October: A
Marsh/Grumman S-2F / S-2T Turbo Tracker,
N449DF (Tanker 81), operated by the California Department of
Forestry, crashed while fighting a forest fire in the Yosemite National
Forest, California, USA. The sole pilot was killed. [Details>>]
-
8 October: A
Focke-Wulf Fw 190-A8, N4190
(c/n173056), ended up on its nose after landing in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
23 September: The pilot of a
1944 North American P-51D Mustang,
N351BD ("Big Beautiful Doll"), was forced to make an intentional
gear-up landing in Mesa, Arizona, USA after he was unable to extend both
main landing gear. [Details
and video of landing>>]
-
23 September: A 1946
North American T-6G Texan, N22NA
(c/n 168-326), suffered an engine failure shortly after takeoff and make
a forced landing near the runway in Naples, Florida, USA. The landing
gear collapsed and the aircraft was substantially damaged. [Details>>]
-
29 October: A 1941
Curtiss-Wright P-40B Warhawk,
N284CF (c/n 16073), ground-looped during landing at New Smyrna Beach,
Florida, USA. The aircraft departed the side of the runway and the
landing gear collapsed. The pilot was not injured.
-
30 October: A 1959
Hawker Hunter Mk.58, N332AX
(ex-C-BWKB), operated by a defense contractor, crashed on approach to
Naval Air Station Point Mugu, near Oxnard, California, USA. The pilot
was killed. [News
report>>]
November 2014:
-
8 November: A 1968
Nanchang CJ-6A, N6315T (c/n
2332045), suffered the collapse of its nose gear on landing in Lakeland,
Florida, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
9 November: A 1943
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth,
VH-IVN, ended up on its nose after landing at McKay, Queensland,
Australia. Neither the pilot nor the passenger were injured.
-
13 November: Art Nalls,
owner and pilot of the world's only civilian-owned
BAe Harrier VTOL jet, has announced that he has acquired a second
Harrier from the UK -- this one a two-place T.8 trainer. Nalls plans to
use the new Harrier for flight training and proficiency flights, as well
as airshows.
-
14 November: A
deHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10,
VH-RVY (c/n C1/0472), crashed shortly after takeoff near Maitland, New
South Wales, Australia. Both occupants sustained serious injuries and
the aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
15 November: A 1945
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth, N28681 (c/n 86530), crashed shortly
after takeoff in Williamson, Georgia, USA. Both occupants were injured,
and the aircraft appeared to be totally destroyed.
-
18 November: The purchasers
of Connie Edwards' collection of
Hispano Buchon fighters, Swiss-based Boschung Global, Ltd. has
announced that they will restore all six of the rare Merlin-powered
variants of the famous Messerschmitt Bf-109, with at least two being
restored to flying condition. The "Edwards Messerschmitts" were stars of
the 1968 movie "Battle of Britain," and had been stored in Edwards'
hangar in Texas for many decades.
-
20 November: After more than
a decade of restoration, The Aircraft Restoration Company's
Bristol Blenheim Mk.I, G-BPIV,
has successfully completed its first test flight. [Details
and photos>>]
-
23 November: The
Yankee Air
Museum in Detroit, Michigan, USA has announced that it is changing
its name to the "National Museum of Aviation and Technology at Historic
Willow Run." An exciting part of the change is that the museum will soon
be occupying part of the huge Willow Run bomber plant building, where
thousands of B-24 Liberator bombers were produced during WWII. [More
information>>]
December 2014:
-
2 December: A 1968
Nanchang CJ-6, N4350D (c/n
2232013), lost power shortly after takeoff in Mesa, Arizona, USA and
crashed into several obstructions during a forced landing. The pilot and
passenger were not injured -- an astonishing outcome, considering that
both of the aircraft's wings were ripped off, and that the aircraft came
to rest inverted next to a large fuel tank and several trailers. [News
report>>]
-
4 December: The U.S.
National Park Service has announced that they will begin to allow
recreational SCUBA divers to visit the
Boeing B-29 Superfortress wreck which has lain on the bottom of Lake
Meade, Nevada, since it crash-landed in 1948. [News
report>>]
-
6 December: A 1952
deHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk,
N833WP (s/n C1/0714), went off the runway and struck a sign during
landing in Chino, California, USA. The pilot and passenger were not
injured.
-
6 December: A
1964
Fouga CM-170 Magister, N300FM
(s/n 494), made a forced landing on an 1800-foot long private airfield near Lake Havasu
City, Arizona, USA, after the pilot apparently ran out of fuel. The
aircraft was very heavily damaged, with the fuselage breaking into two
pieces. Miraculously, the pilot was not injured.
-
13 December: Evergreen
Vintage Aircraft, a for-profit organization that owns approximately 25
of the aircraft on display at the
Evergreen Aviation
and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, USA, has filed for
bankruptcy. The museum claims that its operation is financially
sustainable, so it its hoped that the museum will remain in operation.
Evergreen is home to more than 180 aircraft and significant artifacts,
including the massive Hughes H-4 Hercules flying boat. [News
report>>]
-
26 December: A 1943
Douglas DC-3A, N43XX (c/n 11665),
experienced an engine fire during landing in Riverside, California, USA.
The aircraft sustained minor damage.
January 2015:
-
10 January: A 1951
deHavilland DHC-2 / L-20A Beaver,
N4794C (s/n 51-16545), suffered the collapse of its landing gear on
landing in Juneau, Alaska, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
18 January: A 1984
Yakovlev Yak-52, N124YK (c/n
844804), suffered the collapse of its nose landing gear on landing at
Torrance, California, USA. Damage was minor, and the pilot escaped
injury.
-
22 January: The owners of
the famed
"Proud Bird" restaurant adjacent to the Los Angeles International
Airport have announced that they have secured a 20-year lease with the
airport that will allow them to remain in business. Nearly $5.9 million
in improvements will also be made to the building and the aircraft
exhibits. The Proud Bird is noted for displaying a large collection of
vintage aircraft and realistic mockups, along with hundreds of rare and
historic aviation photos. The restaurant had been embroiled in a rent
dispute since September 2013, and had previously announced that it would
be closing. [More>>]
-
27 January: Col. Jack
Wilhite (USAF, Ret.), noted owner/pilot of the world's only flying
two-seat MiG-17 fighter,
unexpectedly passed at the age of 86. A former F-80, F-84, F-86 and
F-100 pilot, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and numerous
other awards and decorations during his military career. He continued to
fly his MiG-17 in airshows and special events right up until his
passing. His charity work and generosity were notable aspects of his
outgoing personality. [Editor's Note: We wish to pass along our
condolences to Jack's friends and family. He was one of our heroes, and
he will be missed.] [Amateur
documentary video of Col. Wilhite>>]
Col. Jack Wilhite. (Photo source
unknown.)
-
30 January: Collector/pilot
Kermit Weeks'
Fantasy of
Flight attraction, which closed to the public last year, has
re-opened its doors on a limited basis as an aviation museum. The
Lakeland, Florida-based facility contains a large collection of vintage
aircraft. [News
coverage>>]
March 2015:
-
3 March: A
1941 deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth,
I-GATO (c/n 85253), crashed in a field near Nervesa della Battaglia
(Battle Ground),
Italy. Both the pilot and passenger were injured, and the plane was
substantially damaged. Photos show that the aircraft appeared to hit the
only tree in a rather large field. [Newspaper
report>>]
-
5 March: A 1942
Ryan ST3KR (PT-22) Recruit,
N53178, lost engine power and made a heavy forced landing on the fairway
of a golf course in Venice, California, adjacent to the Santa Monica
Airport. The pilot, veteran actor and pilot/owner Harrison Ford, was
injured in the accident, but is expected to recover. [Local
idiotic news report>>]
-
10 March: A
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth,
ZK-BMY (s/n DHNZ101), ended up on its nose during landing at Tauranga,
New Zealand. The pilot and passenger escaped injury, and the aircraft
appeared to suffer relatively minor damage. [News
report>>]
-
11 March: A
1992
BAe Hawk Mk. 67 (T-59) jet, N506XX (c/n 386/6K011), operated by a civilian defense
contractor, veered off the runway on takeoff at MCAS Yuma,
Arizona, USA, impacting a nearby government vehicle and catching fire. A
U.S. Marine inside the vehicle was killed. The two pilots were examined
at the hospital and released. [Local
news report>>]
-
12 March: A 1943
Boeing A75N1 / PT-17 Stearman,
N7772J (s/n 75-8175), nosed-over during landing in St. Marys,
Pennsylvania, USA. The pilot, who was not injured, reported that a
wingtip caught a snow bank during the roll-out.
-
23 March: "Doc," the
Boeing B-29 Superfortress that was
restored over the past 15 years after being rescued from certain doom on
a California bombing range, was rolled out of its hangar for the first
time in Wichita, Kansas, USA. Doc will become only the second
airworthy B-29 in the world when it makes its first post-restoration
flight sometime later this year. [Rollout
video>>]
April 2015:
-
3 April: A
Flug Werk FW-190A8/N replica,
ZK-RFR, suffered the collapse of one of its main landing gear after the
failure of one of its brakes during landing in Blenheim, New Zealand. The pilot was not injured.
The aircraft was substantially damaged. [Local
news story>>]
-
3 April: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, N555GD, crashed
in a field in a rural farm area near Lebanon, Indiana, USA. The aircraft
and its pilot were subsequently missing for more than a week, and were
located on 12 April. [Local
news story>>] [Editor's note: Owner/pilot Glenn Foy was a
friend of ours. He will be missed.]
-
6 April: A 1945
Vickers Supermarine Spitfire FR Mk.
XVIII, G-BUOS (SM845), was damaged by fire in an unspecified
incident at Humberside Airport, North Lincolnshire, UK. No one was
injured in the incident, and damage to the aircraft is unknown. [Local
news story>>]
-
23 April: The
Chanute Air Museum
in Rantoul, Illinois, USA has announced that it will be closing at the
end of the year due to funding issues. The museum is located on the
historic, former Chanute Air Force Base, which was a maintenance
training center for much of its life. [Local
news.>>]
-
23 April: A 1947
North American L-17/NA-145 Navion,
N947SH, landed gear-up and slid off the side of the runway in Phoenix,
Arizona, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
24 April: The team working
to restore the first "Air Force One," a 1948
Lockheed VC-121A Constellation called "Columbine II" (s/n 48-0610),
has announced that they will be purchasing the aircraft in June, and
returning it to fully airworthy condition. Dynamic Aviation of
Bridgewater, Virginia, USA plans to eventually fly the aircraft to many
airshows and display it during various history events.
-
26 April: A
Cessna L-19/O-1 Bird Dog
nosed-over upon landing in Debert, Nova Scotia, Canada. The two pilots
on board were not injured.
-
30 April: A 1951
North American T-28S Trojan/Fennec,
N14113 ("Little Rascal", c/n 51-7545), suffered the collapse of its
nosegear at Duxford Aerodrome, Cambridgeshire, UK. The pilot was not
injured.
May 2015:
-
7 May: The 1945
Avro Lancaster (PA474 /
"Thumper") operated by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF)
suffered in inflight engine fire while flying over Lincolnshire, UK, but
landed safely at its home base, RAF Coningsby. [News
story>>]
-
8 May: A
Bell UH-1B Iroquois/Huey helicopter, N46969 (c/n 63-8548), crashed
during logging operations in Orient, Washington, USA. The pilot reported
minor injuries.
-
10 May: A 1940
Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3,
N44970, experienced the collapse of its landing gear during landing at
Chandler, Arizona, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
16 May: A
Yakovlev Yak-18T, N36YK (c/n 0535A), suffered the collapse of its
landing gear during landing at Camarillo, California, USA. Minor damage
to the aircraft was reported, and neither occupant of the aircraft was
injured.
-
20 May: A
Boeing PT-17 Stearman, N55528,
went off the runway and flipped over during landing in Williamson,
Georgia, USA. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and both occupants
received minor injures.
-
24 May: A 1940
Hawker Hurricane Mk IIc, F-AZXR
(P3351), suffered a landing mishap in Darois, France, resulting in the
aircraft coming to rest on its nose. The pilot was not injured.
-
25 May: A 1956
Hawker FB.10 Sea Fury, N254SF
("Sea Hawk"), departed the edge of the runway during landing in
Denver, Colorado, USA, collapsing the landing gear and doing
significant, but repairable, damage. The pilot was not injured.
-
25 May: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, N124FS (c/n
811614), crashed under unknown circumstances in a field near Syracuse,
Kansas, USA. The pilot was killed.
-
28 May: A
1984
Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros jet,
N6175C (c/n 432942), struck a high-tension power cable while in flight near De Beque Canyon,
Colorado, USA. The power cable snapped, fell to the ground, and damaged
the windshields of several cars and a truck traveling on Interstate 70.
The pilot burned off excess fuel and landed at Grand Junction, Colorado.
Substantial damage to the aircraft's wing and tail was reported.
June 2015:
-
8 June: A 1983
Yakovlev Yak-52, N5979X (c/n
833010), suffered the collapse of its right main landing gear while
taxiing at New Smyrna Beach, Florida, USA. Neither the pilot nor
passenger were injured.
-
11 June: A 1944
Beechcraft RC-45J Expeditor,
N585PB (c/n 029585), veered off the runway and struck two runway signs
in Everett, Washington, USA. No one was injured, but the aircraft
suffered substantial damage.
-
21 June: A 1993
Yakovlev Yak-18T, N189AK (c/n
10-33) made a forced landing in a field near Laurel, Montana. The
pilot was not injured. The aircraft sustained unknown damage.
-
22 June: A
Short S312 Tucano T Mk.1, N206PZ, crashed near Ventucopa, California,
USA, apparently during maneuvering flight. The pilot, award-winning film composer James Horner, was killed. The crash started a brush fire that
burned approximately one acre of land.
-
29 June: A
Consolidated Vultee PBY-6A Catalina
flying boat, N85U (c/n 64041), which was being used in the filming of a movie near Orange Beach,
Alabama, USA, began taking on water. The crew attempted to
intentionally beach the aircraft, but this effort was only partially
successful. The aircraft remained in the shallow water near the
shore for several days, after which a crane-assisted rescue was
attempted. Unfortunately, the aircraft's hull broke in two during
this operation. [Local
news story>>]
July 2015:
-
2 July: A
1941
Boeing PT-17 Stearman, N44SN
(c/n 75-2763),
made a forced landing in a field near Louis, Kansas, USA. The pilot
was not injured, and the aircraft suffered unknown damage.
-
4 July: A 1947
Aeronca 7BCM/L-16 Grasshopper,
N10497, crashed near Portland, Texas, USA, along the shore of Corpus
Christi Bay. Both the pilot and his passenger were killed, and the
aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft was seen flying low along the
shoreline before the accident.
-
5 July: A 1941
Meyers OTW-160 biplane, N26476
(c/n 29), force-landed in a field near Mount Vernon, Ohio, USA.
Neither the pilot nor the passenger were injured.
-
10 July: At least three
Supermarine Spitfires and
three Hawker Hurricanes took
part in a ceremonial flypast over London, UK, in commemoration of
the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The vintage aircraft,
operated by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), were
joined by at least four Eurofighter Typhoon jets. [BBC
news report>>]
-
25 July: A 1943
Boeing PT-17/B75N1 Stearman,
N5820V (c/n 75-7728), flipped over on landing at Shelter Island, New
York, USA. The pilot was not injured.
August 2015:
-
1 August: A 1944
Supermarine Spitfire Mk IXc,
G-BRRA (MK912), suffered a loss of power after takeoff from Biggin
Hill, UK. The aircraft was heavily damaged in the ensuing forced
landing. The pilot reported a shoulder injury, but is expected to
make a full recovery. [ITV
news report>>] [Telegraph
news report>>]
-
1 August: A 1962
Folland Gnat jet, (believed
to be G-TIMM / XP504 / XS111), operated by the UK's Gnat Display
Team / Heritage Aircraft Trust, crashed during a two-ship aerial
display at a car festival in Tarporley, Cheshire, UK. The pilot was
killed. [News
coverage>>]
-
6 August: A 1942
Ryan ST-3KR / PT-22 Recruit,
N48701 (c/n 2101), was substantially damaged when it struck a mowing
vehicle upon landing in Hollister, California, USA. The driver of
the ground vehicle was killed. The aircraft was substantially
damaged, and both the pilot and passenger were injured. [News
report>>]
-
8 August: A
Fieseler Fi 156 Storch (Morane
Saulnier 505 Criquet), F-AZDA (c/n 226), was substantially
damaged after a crash-landing in a field near Chambery, France. The
pilot suffered only minor injuries.
-
14 August: A 1951
North American T-28A Trojan,
N14124 (c/n 51-3693), was heavily damaged during a forced landing
after losing power shortly after takeoff from Las Cruces, New
Mexico, USA. The pilot and passenger both suffered injuries. [News
report>>]
-
17 August: A 1943
Boeing B75N1 Stearman
biplane, N56200 (c/n 75-7813), collided with a parked helicopter
while taxiing at Goodwood Aerodrome, Chichester, West Sussex, UK,
sustaining minor damage. The pilot was not injured. [News
report and photos>>]
-
20 August: A
Stinson L-5E Sentinel suffered
the collapse of its left main landing gear while landing at Tucson,
Arizona, USA. The pilot was not injured, but the aircraft sustained
substantial damage. [News
report>>]
-
22 August: A
Hawker Hunter T.7, G-BXFI
(WV372), crashed
during an airshow performance at Shoreham, West Sussex, UK.
Tragically, at least 11 people were killed and at least 15 were injured when the airplane
failed to complete a cloverleaf maneuver and struck cars on a busy
4-lane road.
The pilot was pulled from the fiery crash and, after a long recovery
period in the hospital, was released. [News
and video of the accident >>] [Note: A fund has been started to benefit
those affected by the tragedy. See
Shoreham Air Show Fund>>]
September 2015:
-
1 September: A
Beech T-34 Mentor, N134Y,
landed gear-up in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. The pilot was not
injured, and the aircraft reportedly suffered minor damage.
-
5 September: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, SE-LXO,
crashed into a lake in Varmland, Sweden after striking a power line.
The aircraft was recovered at the bottom of the lake by divers. Both
occupants were killed.
-
6 September: A
Yakovlev Yak-9UM, VX-YIX (s/n
0470409), ended up on its back after landing at Tybabb Airport,
Victoria, Australia. Soft soil next to the runway was suggested as a
cause of the incident. The pilot escaped injury.
-
6 September: The
organizers of a 20-Spitfire flypast over central London, UK,
commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, have
announced that the event will be canceled due to the high cost of
liability insurance. [Details>>]
-
7 September: A 1943
Supermarine Spitfire TR.9,
MJ772 (D-FMKN) suffered a loss of engine power and an off airport
landing in a field near Woodchurch, Kent, UK. The aircraft was badly
damaged, but pilot Rob Davies escaped injury.
-
8 September: A modified
North American P-51 Mustang,
N6WJ, ("Precious Metal / Race 38") sustained heavy damage
from a fire while taxiing out for takeoff in Marianna, Florida, USA.
Pilot Thom Richard was not injured. The specialized race aircraft is
the world's only Rolls-Royce Griffon-powered P-51, and was on its
way to the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada. [More>>]
-
12 September: A 1983
Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros
jet, N139RT, crashed while maneuvering during an air display in
Oneida, Tennessee, USA. The pilot was killed.
-
15 September: The 75th
anniversary of the Battle of Britain was marked in the UK with a
massive flypast of Hurricanes, Spitfires and Blenheims. The aircraft
flew over several towns and airfields that played a role in the
legendary 1940 battle. [News
and video>>]
-
17 September: A 1970
McDonnell-Douglas A-4N Skyhawk,
C-FGZT, operated under civilian contract by Discovery Air Defense
Services, suffered the collapse of its nose landing gear upon
landing in Mesa, Arizona, USA. The pilot was not injured. The
aircraft was substantially damaged. [News
and photos>>]
-
18 September: The
restoration crew of "Doc," the newly-restored
Boeing B-29 Superfortress that
will be only the second airworthy B-29 in existence, successfully
fired up all four of the bomber's engines for the first time. The
aircraft's first flight is planned by the end of the year, following
taxi tests and extensive systems checks. [Video
of the event>>]
-
25 September: After 56
years in service, the North
American/Rockwell T-2 Buckeye retired from service with the U.S.
Navy. The final three aircraft served at NAS Patuxent River,
Maryland.
-
25 September: A 1944
Curtiss C-46 Commando cargo
plane, C-GTXW, operated by Buffalo Airways, lost engine power while
enroute, and made a gear-up emergency landing at Deline, North West
Territories, Canada. None of the four crewmembers on board were
injured.
October 2015:
-
The aviation community
is celebrating and mourning the final flights of
Avro Vulcan XH558. The
magnificent 1960's-era delta-winged bomber is slated to be retired
on 11 October after its most recent eight-year flying stint in the
UK. Prior to this period, the aircraft had been dormant for 14
years. It was returned to flying status by the generosity of several
large sponsoring corporations and thousands of public donors. In
recent years, corporate support from key technical organizations has
waned, resulting in the grounding. XH558 is expected to remain on
"taxi" status so it can be displayed on the ground at its future
home at Doncaster, South Yorkshire, UK. [Vulcan
to the Sky Trust>>]
-
6 October: A 1941
Hawker (CCF) Hurricane XIIA,
N54FH (c/n CCF/R32007), suffered a tire failure during
landing in Everett, Washington, USA. The
propeller struck the runway, resulting in damage to at least the prop and
engine. The
incident was captured on video
here.
-
7 October: The world's
oldest flyable jet aircraft, a
North American F-86A Sabre, N48178 (s/n 48-178) is back in the
air after making its first flight in the USA in more than two
decades. Until last summer, the Sabre had been actively flown in the
UK by the Golden Apple Trust, and was a popular aircraft on the
airshow display circuit. The first two test flights were performed
in Rockford, Illinois, USA.
-
15 October: A
BAC 167 Strikemaster,
ZK-BAC (c/n 342), landed with its landing gear retracted at Napier,
Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, after the gear failed to extend normally.
The aircraft appeared to suffer minimal damage. [News
report>>]
-
28 October: Vulcan
XH558, the last airworthy Avro
Vulcan bomber, made its final flight -- a short repositioning
flight into its permanent home at Doncaster, UK. As was reported
earlier (see above), the public's response to the final flights of
XH558 has been overwhelming. [BBC
News story>>]
December 2015:
-
6 December: A 1993
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros,
N39AY (Race #39, Blue Merlin) crashed shortly after takeoff at Apple Valley, California,
USA, killing well-known
air-race and aerobatic pilot Mike Mangold and a passenger. Witnesses
reported long flames coming from the exhaust before the aircraft
impacted the ground next to the runway. [News
link>>]
-
28 December: A 1941
deHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth,
VH-UZB (c/n DHA291), crashed shortly after takeoff in Norwell,
Queensland, Australia during a commercial sightseeing flight. The
passenger was killed, and the pilot was seriously injured. The pilot
made headlines in 2013 when he became the youngest pilot ever to
make a solo, around-the-world flight. [News
story>>]
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
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January 2016:
-
3 January: A 1970
SIAI-Marchetti SF.260, VH-ZKC, landed with its landing gear
retracted at Parafield, South Australia. The pilot was not injured.
The aircraft suffered damage to its propeller, engine, and belly.
-
4 January: A 1983
Aerostar/Yakovlev Yak-52,
N912EB (s/n832912), crashed in rural Bonneville County, Idaho, USA,
killing both the owner/pilot and a teenage family friend who was
also a pilot. The aircraft had been flying in the vicinity of two
other airplanes containing members of the victims' families. [Local
news link>>]
-
13 January: The Reno Air
Racing Association announced that they made a profit for last year's
event, an unexpected surprise. They also announced that NBC Sports
will air a one-hour TV special about air racing on 27 March. [Local
news>>]
-
20 January: A 1976
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros,
N439DH (c/n 630707), operated by Redstar Airshows / Patriots Jet
Team, made a gear-up landing in Byron, California, USA. Neither the
pilot nor the passenger were injured. The circumstances behind the
incident are not known.
February 2016:
-
3 February: A 1942
North American P-51C Mustang,
N61429 ("Tuskegee Airmen"), operated by the Commemorative Air
Force, was inadvertently landed gear-up at Dallas Executive Airport, In Dallas, Texas,
USA. The pilot was uninjured, and the CAF has announced they will
begin repairing the aircraft immediately. [Local
news story and video>>]
-
5 February: A 1944
North American P-51D Mustang,
N551JP (c/n 44-85634) ("Big Beautiful Doll"), crashed
while performing an aerobatic maneuver near Maricopa, Arizona, USA. The pilot,
former President of Sikorsky Jeff Pino, and another rated pilot,
were killed, and
the aircraft was totally destroyed. [News
link>>] [NTSB
Report>>]
-
6 February: A 1988
Nanchang CJ-6, VH-ALO (s/n
4532002), landed with its landing gear retracted near Connewarre,
Victoria, Australia. The aircraft was substantially damaged, but the
pilot was not injured.
-
6 February: A 1986
Antonov An-2 Colt, RA-40204,
operated by Light Air, crashed in a snow-covered field during a
pipeline inspection flight near Saverovka, Russia. The two pilots
and a representative of the oil company were killed. [News
link>>]
-
28 February: A 1943
North American SNJ-4, N694US
(s/n 88-13627), made a gear-up landing in Lincoln, California, USA.
The aircraft suffered relatively minor damage. The pilot was not
injured.
March 2016:
-
2 March: A 1946
Boeing A75N1 (PT-17) Stearman,
N63555 (c/n 75-8014), operated by the Palm Springs Air Museum, was
substantially damaged after losing engine power and crash-landing
shortly after takeoff in Palm Springs, California, USA. Both
occupants were injured, one seriously. [Local
news report>>]
-
11 March: A 1951
CCF/North American Harvard Mk. IV,
N47217, ground-looped during landing and went into a ditch in
Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA. The pilot was not injured.
-
15 March: A 1945
Goodyear FG-1D Corsair, N209TW
(c/n 3750), operated by the Texas Flying Legends Museum,
accidentally taxied into the tail of the museum's 1941
Nakajima A6M2 Zero, N8280K,
while the two aircraft were taxiing. Both aircraft were reported as
substantially damaged, but are believed to be repairable.
-
16 March: A 1983
Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros
jet, N57XX, made a successful emergency landing on a remote un-paved access
road on a levee in the Everglades, west of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, after
reporting engine troubles. The pilot and passenger were not injured,
and the plane appeared to be in perfect condition after the incident.
[News
report>>]
-
19 March: Columbine
II, a 1948 Lockheed VC-121
Constellation that served as President Dwight Eisenhower's "Air
Force One" in the early 1950s, has made its first post-restoration
flight in Marana, Arizona, USA, after a year-long restoration to
flying status. The work was performed by teams from Dynamic Aviation
in Virginia and the Mid America Flight Museum in Texas. The aircraft
will be flown cross-country to Virginia in the near future, where a
full restoration to its former glory will be completed.
-
23 March: Columbine
II, the newly-airworthy
VC-121 that was the first "Air Force One," has arrived safely in
Bridgewater, Virginia, USA. (See 19 March entry above).
-
23 March: A 1942
North American AT-6A Texan,
N7055D (c/n 78-7228) ("Scrap Iron"), crashed into the
Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon, USA. Both the pilot and his
passenger were killed. Sadly, the passenger was reported to be on a
special flight to scatter the ashes of her husband.
-
28 March: A 1943
North American AT-6C Harvard IIa,
ZK-TVI (c/n 88-14178), suffered the collapse of its landing gear
after veering off the runway in Wanaka, New Zealand. Neither
occupant was injured. The aircraft was damaged, but is repairable. [News
report>>]
April 2016:
-
3 April: A 1940
Boeing PT-17/A75N1 Stearman,
N501TT, lost directional control during a landing in Houston, Texas,
USA. The aircraft ended up on its nose in a soft area near the
runway. Neither occupant was injured.
-
3 April: A
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth,
VH-BJE (c/n A17-97), was substantially damaged after a landing
accident in Rothwell, Queensland, Australia. The aircraft came to
rest inverted. Neither the pilot nor the passenger were injured.
-
7 April: A 1945
Douglas DC-3 Dakota, HK-2663,
operated by Arall Columbia, suffered an engine failure after
takeoff, made a forced landing, and was destroyed by fire near
Puerto Gaitan, Columbia. Three occupants were injured.
-
10 April: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, operated by
the DOSAAF Russia Aero Club, crashed near Kalachevo, Russia under
unknown circumstances. Both occupants were killed. [News
report>>]
-
25 April: The EAA has
announced that they will be celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the
birth of Liaison aircraft, or L-Birds, at AirVenture this year. All
owners of WWII-era "grasshoppers" in military markings are
encouraged to bring their aircraft to Oshkosh in July. [Info
link>>]
-
28 April: A
Boeing A75 Stearman, N17PY,
landed hard after a loss of engine power in Osage City, Kansas, USA. The
pilot was not injured.
-
30 April: A 1947
Aeronca L-16A / 7BCM Grasshopper,
N7620B (s/n 47-1009), operated by the Commemorative Air Force, made
a forced landing in a field near Peachtree City, Georgia, USA, after
losing power. Neither occupant was injured, and the aircraft appears
to have sustained only minor damage. [News
link>>]
May 2016:
-
6 May: A 1984
Antonov AN-2 Colt, N82AN (s/n
43798), experienced an engine failure and landed in a small vacant
field in Highland, California, USA, clipping a powerline and coming
to rest upside down. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The
aircraft, nicknamed "Big Panda," has been a featured performer in
several Southern California airshows. [News/video
link>>]
-
10 May: A 1975
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros,
N439AT, departed the paved surface of the runway and came to rest in
the grass during a landing in Tampa, Florida, USA. Neither the pilot
nor passenger were injured.
-
13 May: A 1943
Boeing B75N1 Stearman, N56200
(c/n 75-7813) ("Spirit of Artemis") was heavily damaged after
crashing shortly after takeoff at Winslow, Arizona, USA. Neither the
pilot nor passenger were injured. High density altitude and a
partial power loss are blamed in the accident. The pilot, Tracey
Curtis-Taylor, has been on a world tour, this section of which was
commemorating the historic airmail routes from Seattle to Boston, as
well as Boeing's 100th Anniversary.
-
13 May: A 1941
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth,
C-AMCK (c/n 84641), made a forced landing in a field shortly after
takeoff in Weston, Devon, UK. The pilot suffered leg and back
injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. [News
link>>]
-
17 May: A 1942 North American AT-6
Texan, N3198G (c/n 84-7721), crashed on a road shortly after takeoff in Mesa, Arizona
after an apparent engine failure. Both
occupants were killed, and the aircraft was destroyed. It is
believed the aircraft was one of two in a formation.
-
20 May: The second
fully-restored Boeing B-29
Superfortress in the world, known as "Doc," received its
FAA Airworthiness Certificate, clearing it to fly in the near
future. The only other airworthy B-29 is the Commemorative Air
Force's "Fifi." [Doc's
Friends website>>]
-
20 May: A 1941
Boeing B75 Stearman, N61445
(c/n 75-1335), operated by an air museum, suffered a loss of
directional control and came to rest inverted after landing in El
Cajon, California, USA. The pilot was not injured. The aircraft was
substantially damaged.
-
27 May: A 1945
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt,
N1435B, c/n 44-90447, ("Jacky's Revenge"), operated by the American Airpower
Museum, ditched into the Hudson River near Edgewater, New Jersey,
USA after an apparent engine failure. Well-known warbird and airshow pilot
Bill Gordon was lost in the accident,
and a rescue swimmer was reportedly injured during the initial
rescue attempt.
Before the accident, the
aircraft had been flying just north of New York City on a photo
mission to promote an upcoming airshow. The aircraft was recovered
from the water in excellent condition, a testament to the pilot's
skill in ditching it. [Our condolences to Bill's family, friends, and the museum communities
he was involved with. --Ed.]
June 2016:
-
5 June: A 1942
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth,
G-ANMY (c/n 85466), crashed into some parked cars shortly after
takeoff near Reading, Berkshire, UK, during a charity event. The
pilots suffered minor injuries, and the occupant of the car was
airlifted by helicopter to the hospital with more serious injures. [News
link>>]
-
18 June: A 1942
Westland Lysander Mk. IIIA,
C-GCWL (c/n 1202), operated by the Canadian Warplane Heritage
organization, suffered a loss of power and made a forced landing in
a field near Cayuga, Ontario, Canada. The two occupants were not
injured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
20 June: A 1942
North American T-6D Texan,
N150U (s/n 42-44629), crashed near Henly, Missouri, USA, coming to
rest in a wooded area. Both the pilot and
passenger were injured and airlifted to the hospital in serious
condition. [Local
news>>]
-
23 June: A previous plan
for the Coulson Group to donate one of two remaining
Martin JRM Mars aircraft to the National Naval Aviation Museum
in Florida has fallen through. CEO Wayne Coulson somewhat
confusingly stated that, due to concern that there would be a
"change in government" in the USA after the elections this fall, the
aircraft would not be sent to Pensacola at this time. He did state
that if other groups were interested in the aircraft, they could
acquire it. [News
link>>]
-
25 June: A
North American SNJ-5, N7980C, went off the
runway after landing in Jackson, Michigan, USA. The pilot was not
injured. The aircraft appeared to suffer the collapse of its right
landing gear during the incident. [Local
news>>]
-
25 June: A 1943
Fairchild M-62A (PT-19),
N50426 (s/n T43-5197), went off the runway and nosed-over during
landing at Camarillo, California, USA. The pilot and passenger were
not injured.
-
25 June: Bizarrely, a short time after the above
incident, a second Fairchild
M-62A (PT-19) -- N641BP -- went off the runway during takeoff in
Camarillo due to a tire separating from its wheel. The aircraft
nosed-over and suffered damage to its propeller, engine, and cowl.
Neither the pilot nor the passenger were injured.
-
28 June: After a
six-year restoration, the last flying
Douglas B-26K/A-26A, "Special
Kay," will be rolled out and its engines started on July 9th in Fort
Worth, Texas, USA, for the veterans who flew and maintained the
airplanes during the Vietnam War. More information is available
at the airplane's
website or on its
Facebook page.
July 2016:
-
2 July: A
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth,
VH-ARU, made an emergency landing on a rocky beach near Funnel Bay,
Queensland, Australia, after experiencing engine troubles. Neither
the pilot nor the passenger were injured, but the aircraft was
substantially damaged. [Local
news>>]
-
8 July: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, G-YAKB,
crashed in a field near Dinton, Wiltshire, UK. One occupant was
killed, and the other sustained leg injuries. [Local
news>>]
-
9 July: A 1939
Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3
biplane, N2219, made a forced landing in farm field near Stanchfield,
Minnesota, USA, after a loss of engine power. The aircraft was
substantially damaged, but neither occupant was injured. [Local
news>>]
-
10 July: A 1969
BAC 167 Strikemaster jet,
N72445, landed in Missoula, Montana, USA after suffering a loss of
its canopy and a rapid decompression while in cruise flight. The two
occupants were not injured during the incident.
-
10 July: A 1972
Bell OH-58A Kiowa helicopter, N588MP (c/n 72-21432), impacted a
field near Waddell, Arizona, USA just north of Luke AFB, during an
aerial application flight. The pilot sustained life-threatening
injuries, but is expected to survive.
-
11 July: A British
newspaper is reporting that the pilot of a Hawker Hunter that
crashed at Shoreham, West Sussex, UK last summer could face criminal
charges for negligent manslaughter. The accident, which killed 11
people on the ground, was the second-worst airshow accident in UK
history. Such legal actions are not unprecedented, but are extremely
rare. [Telegraph
article>>]
-
17 July: "Doc," a
Boeing B-29 Superfortress,
made its debut flight in Wichita, Kansas, USA, effectively doubling
the number of airworthy B-29s in the world. Our congratulations to
all the volunteers and benefactors who made this huge project
possible. [Doc's
Friends website>>]
-
17 July: A 1954
North American T-28B Trojan,
C-GKKD (s/n 138364), crashed while performing aerobatics during an
airshow at Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada. The pilot, Bruce Evans, was
killed. [Article:
Flying with the Professor >>]
-
17 July: A
Boeing A75 Stearman, N4558N
(c/n 75-8457), made a forced landing in a field near St. James,
Missouri, USA. The two occupants received minor injuries. The
full extent of damage to the airplane is unknown.
-
18 July: A
Piper L-18C Super Cub, G-AXLZ (s/n 18-2052), crashed at
Shoreham, West Sussex, UK. Both occupants were injured, and the
aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
25 July: A
Yakovlev Yak-11, N5940, was
mostly consumed by fire after landing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
USA. The pilot was seriously burned, and died less than a week later. He was apparently enroute from his home base in Pennsylvania to Oshkosh, Wisconsin at
the time of the accident. [Local
news report>>]
-
26 July: A 1944
Douglas A-26B Invader,
N99420, s/n 44-34104, ("Silver Dragon"), suffered a failure of its
nose landing gear at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA. During a landing
approach, the crew heard an unusual "pop" while extending the
landing gear, failed to get a safe gear indication, and executed a
go-around. They spent some time analyzing the situation, and decided
to land. Upon landing, the nose gear immediately collapsed. The
aircraft slid on its nose and came to rest. All five occupants
evacuated safely. The aircraft's nose, propellers and engines were
substantially damaged. [Video
of the incident>>]
-
27 July: A long-dormant
North American P-64, N840, once flown regularly by EAA Founder
and President Paul Poberezny has taken to the skies once again.
Until recently, it had been a static display aircraft in the EAA
Museum in Oshkosh, WIisconsin, USA.
-
29 July: A
Martin JRM-3 Mars, C-FLYL (s/n 9267) ("Hawaii Mars") had
just finished scooping water on Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin, USA, in
preparation for a demonstration at the nearby EAA AirVenture event
when an engine warning light illuminated. The crew opted to land the
aircraft back to the lake to check the engine. After landing, the
aircraft struck an unknown underwater object, which punched at least
one 3-inch hole in its hull. A local fire department helped pump
some of the water our the aircraft, then it was flown a short
distance to the EAA Seaplane Base, where it was repaired over the
next three days. [Local
news article>>]
-
31 July: The U.S.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released an accident
report on the 4 July 2014 P-51 Mustang crash that killed a trainee
pilot and his flight instructor in Durango, Colorado, USA. Among
other findings, the NTSB reported that the trainee-pilot's blood was
over the legal limit for THC, the active compound in marijuana. [NTSB
Report CEN14FA339>>]
August 2016:
-
18 August: A
1970
Douglas TA-4K Skyhawk, N140EM (Bu.No.
157914), operated
by a government contractor, crashed adjacent to Nellis AFB, Nevada,
USA after an unspecified inflight emergency. The aircraft was flying
in an adversary role in support of Red Flag exercises. The pilot
ejected and suffered no serious injuries. [Local
news report>>]
-
19 August: A
Fairchild M-62A (PT-19),
N641BP, lost engine power and made a forced landing in a field of
crops near Camarillo, California, USA. Neither occupant was injured,
and the aircraft sustained only minor damage. This aircraft was
involved in an accident less than two months ago. (See 25 June
entry.)
-
19 August: Ed Maloney,
the esteemed founder of the Chino, California-based Planes of
Fame Museum, and one of the fathers of the modern warbird
community, passed away at the age of 88. He was responsible for
saving more than 200 WWII aircraft from destruction, and restoring
dozens of them to flyable condition. [Flying
magazine article>>]
-
21 August: A
Northrop N-9MB Flying Wing, N9MB, suffered the collapse of its
nose landing gear upon landing in Chino, California, USA. The pilot
was not injured. The aircraft is the only one of its type.
-
24 August: A
Siai-Marchetti SF-260,
N16FD, was substantially damaged after losing directional control
and crashing into a hangar during takeoff in Fullerton, California,
USA. The two people onboard suffered minor injuries. [Local
news and photo>>]
-
25 August: A
Yakovlev Yak-11, N111YK (c/n
172521), crashed on
its first post-restoration test flight in Speyer, Germany. The
pilot, an experienced airline Captain and vintage aircraft pilot,
was killed. He reported problems with the airplane shortly after
takeoff, and did not make it back to the airport.
-
27 August: A 1941
Boeing A75N1 (PT-17) Stearman,
N999PP (s/n 75-2389) crashed while performing aerobatics during at
an airshow in Madras, Oregon, USA. The pilot, performer Marcus
Paine, was killed. [Local
news report>>]
September 2016:
-
5 September: A 1943
Boeing A75N1 (PT-17) Stearman,
N52236 (s/n 75-4841) was seriously damaged in Atlanta, Texas, USA
after it made a rough landing, bounced into the air, and returned
for a second landing -- whereupon it struck a tree, then the roof of
a small shed, and finally came to rest on a golf course. The pilot
and passenger received minor injuries.
-
15 September: A 1944
Supermarine Spitfire TR Mk IXc,
G-LFIX (ML407) (The Grace Spitfire), suffered a landing
accident at Sywell, Northamptonshire, UK. The pilot was not injured.
Reports indicate that the aircraft tipped onto its nose during
rollout, causing damage to the engine and propeller. [Local
news>>]
-
16 September: A 1956
deHavilland DH-115 Vampire
T.55, N4861K (WD186) (Race #24) was seriously damaged
after an off-airport forced landing in Reno, Nevada, USA, while
participating in the National Championship Air Races. The pilot was
not injured. Witnesses reported that part of the aircraft's Perspex
canopy separated from the frame, followed by an engine failure. The
pilot attempted several engine restarts, but was unable to restore
power, and made a belly landing in rough scrub-land near the
airport.
-
23 September: A 1974
Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros,
N139AJ (c/n 330214) ("Race 8") ran off the end of of the
runway during a landing in Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA, coming to
rest in a swampy, wooded area. The pilot was not injured. The
aircraft was severely damaged. [Local
news story, with video>>]
-
26 September: Great news
for "Mossie" fans, as another
deHavilland DH.98 Mosquito T Mk.III (ZK-FHC / TV959) made its
first post restoration flight in Auckland, New Zealand. The
restoration was carried out by AvSpecs, and the aircraft is expected
to be eventually be delivered to its new owner, Paul Allen's
Flying Heritage Collection in the USA. [Video>>]
-
28 September:
A 1954
North American T-28B Trojan,
ZK-TGN (c/n 200-289), made a successful belly landing in Auckland,
New Zealand, after the pilot reported that he could not extend the
landing gear. The plane appeared to suffer minimal damage, and the
pilot was not injured. [Video
of the landing>>]
-
28 September: "Friends
of the Starfighter," a Norwegian preservation group, is pleased to
announce the successful first post-restoration flight of their
Canadair CF-104D Starfighter,
"#637." The flight took place at Bodø, Norway. [Starfighter.no
website>>]
-
29 September: At least
four warbirds, including two L-29
Delfins and two Yak-52s,
were destroyed in a hangar fire in Geiteryggen, Norway. The
collection belonged to the
Russian Warbirds of
Norway group. [Photos>>]
October 2016:
-
1 October: A 1944
Culver PQ-14A Cadet, N4648, crashed into a bank building in
Hickory, North Carolina, USA. The pilot was killed and the aircraft
was destroyed. [Local
news>>]
-
2 October: A 1945
North American P-51D Mustang,
G-MSTG (s/n 45-11518) ("Janie") crashed near Bungay, Norfolk,
UK, at
Hardwick Airfield, formerly RAF Hardwick. The aircraft's
passenger was killed and the pilot is in critical condition. The
aircraft was destroyed. [Local
news>>]
-
21 October: A
Nanchang CJ-6A, N10EB (c/n
1532010), collided with another CJ-6 (registration unknown) and
crashed during a formation flight near Waycross, Georgia.
The pilot was killed. The other
aircraft was damaged, but the pilot returned and landed safely. [Initial
news report>>]
-
25 October: Legendary
fighter pilot, test pilot, airshow performer, and inspiration Robert
A. "Bob" Hoover passed away at the age of 94. Bob was considered by
many pilots to be the greatest pilot who ever lived. His exploits in
the Army Air Corps and the US Air Force were worthy of the many
books and movies that featured his life story. He will be sorely
missed. [AOPA's
tribute article>>] [Information
about the Celebration of Life Service on 18 November 2016>>]
-
29 October: A landing
gear door from a North American
TB-215N Mitchell bomber, N25YR ("Yellow Rose"), fell off
the aircraft and came to rest in the back yard of a house in Dallas,
Texas, USA during the "Wings Over Dallas" airshow. The aircraft
landed safely, and no one on the ground was injured. [Local
news>>]
November 2016:
-
15 November: A
Ryan
STA Special, VH-SQD (c/n 193), made an emergency landing
alongside a freeway in
Frankston, Victoria, Australia. The aircraft was heavily damaged, but the
pilot escaped with only minor injuries. [News
report>>]
-
26 November: A 1942
Boeing PT-17 Stearman, N999WY
(c/n 75-4623), suffered an engine failure and made a forced landing
near Molo, Nakaru, Kenya. The aircraft came to rest inverted and was
substantially damaged, but neither the pilot nor his passenger were
injured. The father/daughter crew was participating in the
"Crete to
Cape" vintage air rally. [News
link>>]
December 2016:
-
10 December: A 1943
Hiller OH-23B Raven helicopter, N5776 (c/n 534), impacted the
ground near Tynan, Texas, USA. The pilot was seriously injured, and
the aircraft was heavily damaged. [Local
news coverage>>]
-
21 December: The long,
glorious US military career of the
McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom
came to an end today at Holloman AFB, New Mexico, USA, as a flight
of at least four
QF-4s flew a ceremonial final flight. First flown 58 years ago,
the F-4 successfully served in multiple roles and was generally beloved by its
pilots, maintenance crews, and fans. In recent years, the only
military operator in the US was the Air Force's 82nd Aerial Target Squadron,
which operated them as manned and unmanned target drones. Only a
single F-4 is owned and flown by a civilian organization, but a
second one is under restoration to flying condition in California. [Link:
"The Final Mission: The USAF's QF-4 Target Drones>>]
-
30 December: A 1956
Hawker FB.10 Sea Fury,
N254SF ("Sea Hawk"), suffered the collapse of its landing
gear upon landing in Denver, Colorado, USA. The pilot was not
injured. The aircraft's landing gear, left wingtip and propeller
were damaged. This same aircraft was damaged in a similar accident
in May of 2015. [Local
news report>>]
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2017:
-
27 January: A 1947
Chance-Vought F4U-5N Corsair,
VH-III (Bu.No. 124493), landed with its landing gear retracted
at Maitland Aerodrome, Rutherford, NSW, Australia.
Video footage shows the aircraft stopping quickly on the grass
runway. The pilot was not injured, and damage to the aircraft
appears to be minimal. Discussions about the cause of the incident
center around a possible loss of hydraulic pressure. [Video
of the incident>>]
-
A restored
Mitsubishi A6M Zero Model 22
was flown from Kanoya Air Base in Japan, after a long restoration.
The aircraft was purchased by Japanese businessman Masahiro
Ishizuka, and two test flights were performed by test pilot Skip
Holm. [News
report>>]
-
29 January: A
UTVA
66, YU-DLL (c/n51102), made a forced landing in a field near
Eschbronn-Mariazell, Germany after apparently running out of fuel,
and was substantially damaged in the hard landing. The pilot
suffered head and neck injuries. [News
report>>]
February 2017:
-
4 February: A 1942
deHavilland DH.82A Tiger Moth,
G-ANSM (c/n 82909) made a forced landing in a field near
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Damage to the airplane appears to
be minor. There is conflicting information about injuries to the
pilot.
-
6 February: A modified
North American T-6 Texan called a
"Super-6," N426KS, crashed near Morganton, North Carolina, USA,
after suffering engine problems. The owner/pilot was allegedly
rescued from the fiery crash by two local residents. [Local
news report>>]
-
11 February: A
Beechcraft T-34B Mentor,
N18PS, left the paved surface of the runway while landing in St. Petersburg,
Florida, USA. Neither the pilot nor passenger were injured, but the
aircraft appears to have sustained damage to at least its landing gear, propeller,
and engine. [Local
report>>]
-
14 February: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, G-CBSS,
made an emergency landing near Couvin, Belgium after an engine
problem. The pilot suffered a broken leg, and the airplane was
damaged beyond repair.
-
16 February: A 1957
Beechcraft T-34A Mentor,
N3434G, clipped trees and crashed at a private airfield near Vada,
Georgia, USA. The owner/pilot was killed and the aircraft was
substantially damaged. [Local
news report>>]
-
18 February: The Dixie
Wing of the Commemorative Air Force is pleased to announce the first
flight of their Bell P-63A
Kingcobra in over 40 years, including 16 years of restoration.
The aircraft, N191H (s/n 42-68941) was retired as a test aircraft
and sold off the military roster in 1946, and is one of only four
flyable P-63s in the world. [Dixie
Wing P-63 article and photos>>]
-
23 February: A 1976
Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros,
VH-KVZ, came to rest in the grass next to the runway with its nose
gear and left main landing gear retracted at Bankstown Airport near Sydney, Australia.
Reports differ on whether the aircraft was taking off or landing at
the time. Neither the pilot nor
passenger were injured. The aircraft appears to be mostly undamaged,
but fire crews appeared to be cleaning up some spilled fuel from the
incident. [Local
news report>>]
March 2017:
-
1 March: A
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth,
ZK-BRM, struck an obstruction on takeoff near Blenheim, New Zealand,
which apparently detached one of the main landing gear wheels. The
aircraft then returned for a landing, which resulted in the aircraft
coming to rest on its belly in a dry riverbed. Neither the pilot nor
the passenger were injured [News
report>>]
-
14 March: Noted warbird
collector/pilot and businessman Thomas Friedkin passed away at age
81. Mr. Friedkin appeared in several movies as both a helicopter
pilot and fixed-wing pilot. His F4U Corsair was used in the TV
series "Baa Baa Black Sheep," in which he was also a pilot. He owned
aircraft as diverse as a P-38 Lightning, Spitfire, MiG-15, F-86
Sabre, P-47 Thunderbolt, F4F Wildcat, and many more. [News
article>>]
-
27 March: An
Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin,
OM-JLP, landed with its landing gear retracted at Silač, Slovakia.
Neither the pilot nor the passenger were injured, and the aircraft
appeared to suffer only minor damage. [News
report>>]
April 2017:
-
1 April: Several tenants
at the Chino, California airport, including the Yanks Air Museum and
Flying Tigers Aviation, have sued the Planes of Fame Air Museum in
an effort to stop their annual airshow. Among other things, the
plaintiffs allege that the airshow is unfair competition, is a
nuisance, and causes a loss of business and trespassing. [More
information>>] [Sign
the petition to stop the lawsuit>>]
-
1 April: A 1944
North American SNJ-5 Texan,
N29965 (c/n 90634), made a forced landing in a field near Punta
Gorda, Florida, USA after an engine malfunction. The pilot was not
injured, and the passenger suffered only a minor scratch on his arm.
Damage to the aircraft is unknown. [Local
news report>>]
-
8 April: A 1949
North American T-6G Texan,
N3167G (s/n 49-3272), ended up on its back after landing in
Culpeper, Virginia, USA. Law enforcement officials said the aircraft
ran off the side of the runway and overturned. Both the pilot and
passenger were taken to local hospitals with undetermined injuries.
The aircraft was substantially damaged. [News
report>>]
-
18 April: The National
Museum of the Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, USA celebrated the 75th Anniversary of the
Doolittle Raid
on Tokyo. Retired LtCol. Dick Cole, the last surviving
Raider, was in attendance. In addition to flyovers from two modern
B-1 Lancer bombers, 11 vintage B-25 Mitchell bombers performed a
formation flyover during the ceremony. [News
report and videos>>]
-
19 April: A
North American SNJ-5 Texan,
N7969C (s/n 42-84535), suffered a loss of directional control on
landing in Van Nuys, California, USA. The aircraft ground-looped and
ended up in the grass next to the runway. Neither the pilot nor the
passenger were injured. Damage to the airplane is unknown.
-
23 April: Javier Arango,
a noted collector, restorer, and pilot of vintage WWI aircraft, was
killed in the crash of a replica
Nieuport 28 fighter, N6190, near Paso Robles,
California, USA. [Local
news>>] [2012
Air & Space magazine article: "Mr. Arango's Aeroplanes">>]
-
23 April: A 1956
deHavilland DH-115/T.55
Vampire, N115DH (c/n 866), left the runway surface during a
landing in Pontiac, Michigan, USA. Neither occupant was injured.
Damage to the aircraft was reported as minor.
-
25 April: Plaintiffs in
a lawsuit to stop the annual Planes of Fame Airshow in Chino,
California have dropped their suit, allowing the airshow to be held
in May. However, they have indicated that they will continue to
pursue their legal action against future airshows. [More
details>>]
-
27 April: A
1975 Nanchang CJ-6A, N192NG
(c/n 3051217), crashed in
remote, rugged terrain near Keene, California, USA, under unknown circumstances.
The pilot was killed in the accident. [Local
news report>>]
-
29 April: A 1983
Yakovlev Yak-52, N132MD (c/n
833802), made a forced landing in a vineyard near Porterville,
California, USA, after losing engine power. The pilot and passenger
received relatively minor injuries, and the aircraft was
substantially damaged. The aircraft was taking part in a formation
training event at the time of the accident. [News
report>>]
-
30 April: A 1952
deHavilland Vampire T.11,
G-VTII (WX507), while departing an airport near Wolverhampton, South
Staffordshire, UK, caused extensive damage to the facility as its
jet blast tore up large chunks of asphalt from the runway during its
takeoff roll. The airport has announced that the runway will be
closed for at least a month while repairs are made. Onlookers
captured the event on video. [YouTube
video>>]
May 2017:
-
14 May: A
deHavilland DH.82A Tiger Moth,
ZS-BGL (c/n 84221), lost power and crashed after takeoff at
Germiston, South Africa. Neither the pilot nor passenger were
injured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
21 May: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, ZU-ULU (c/n
855813) crashed in open land near Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa.
The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed. [Local
news>>]
-
21 May: A 1958
Beechcraft T-34A Mentor, N55GF
(s/n 58-11088), suffered the collapse of its nosegear during landing
in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, USA. The pilot was not injured, and the
aircraft sustained only minor damage. [News
report>>]
-
25 May: A
Bell AH-1F Cobra helicopter, N11FX, struck a building with its
rotor blades during a landing in Tyrolia, Austria. The pilot was not
injured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged. [News
story>>] [Red
Bulls AH-1 page>>]
-
27 May: A 1963
deHavilland DH.110 Sea Vixen D.3, G-CVIX ("Foxy Lady" /
XP924) made an emergency landing with its landing gear retracted at
Yeovilton, Somerset, UK. The pilot jettisoned the canopy upon
touchdown. He was uninjured in the incident. Damage to the aircraft
appears to be minor. G-CVIX is the last airworthy Sea Vixen in the
world. [Photos
of the incident>>]
-
30 May: A
1941
Boeing A75N1 Stearman, CF-VOB, crashed
in mountainous terrain near Glacier National Park, British Columbia,
Canada. The pilot was slightly injured, but managed to walk from the
crash site to a nearby highway. The condition of the airplane is
unknown. [News
report>>]
June 2017:
-
3 June: A 1943
Boeing B75N1 Stearman, N218DL
(s/n 75-7389), flipped over during a landing in Williamson, Georgia,
USA. The pilot was not injured. [News
report>>]
-
4 June: Chuck Lyford,
one of the early participants in the National Air Races at Reno,
Nevada in his P-51 Mustang called the "Bardahl Special," died in the
crash of a vintage race car in Spokane, Washington, USA. Lyford was
also a well-known adventurer, hydroplane racer, and storyteller. [News
report>>]
-
11 June: A 1944
Supermarine Spitfire PR.XIX,
F-AJZS (PS890), flipped over during a takeoff attempt in Villette,
Meurthe-et-Moselle, France. The pilot was extracted from the
inverted aircraft with slight injuries. Two bystanders were reported
to be injured by pieces of the propeller that were flung toward the
crowd during the accident. The aircraft suffered substantial damage.
[Local
news and video of the incident>>]
-
11 June: A 1953
Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune
airtanker, N9855F (c/n 131445), had a failure of its right
engine during a firefighting mission. The crew of three successfully
recovered the aircraft to the aircraft's base in Prescott, Arizona,
USA. [Local
news>>]
-
15 June: A 1974
Bell
47G2 helicopter, N90529, crashed in a field near Hastings,
Minnesota, USA, while spraying insecticide. The pilot was slightly
injured, and the aircraft was destroyed. [News
report>>]
-
17 June: A 1944
Supermarine LF-IXe Spitfire,
G-CICK (NH314) ("Elizabeth"), suffered the collapse of its
landing gear during a landing on a grass runway in Sywell,
Northamptonshire, UK. The pilot and passenger were not injured.
Damage to the aircraft appeared to be limited to the belly,
propeller and engine. [News
report and photos>>]
-
19 June: A
North American NA-68/P-64
replica (built from a T-6G Texan), F-AZHD, lost engine power and
made an emergency landing in a field near Mont-près-Chambord,
France. The pilot suffered only minor injuries. The aircraft was
moderately damaged. [News
report>>]
-
28 June: "Belin
Express," a rare P-51B Mustang, has departed Texas on a long journey
to Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire, UK to participate in several
flying events commemorating WWII. The aircraft is particularly known
for an incident in 1944 when pilot Bill Overstreet flew it under the
Eiffel Tower while chasing a German Bf-109. [Track
the flight on GPS>>]
July 2017:
-
1 July: A 1968
Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin,
N12DN, landed with its landing gear retracted in Plainview, Texas,
USA. The pilot was not injured. Damage to the aircraft appeared to
be limited to a scraped belly. [News
report>>]
-
2 July: A 1951
North American T-28A Trojan,
N9103F (s/n 51-7606) crashed in a cornfield near Moorhead,
Minnesota, USA, under unknown circumstances. The pilot, noted
warbird owner Mark Yaggie, was killed. The aircraft was mostly
destroyed. [News
report>>]
-
4 July: A 1943
Vickers-Supermarine Spitfire VC,
N5TF (s/n JG891), departed the paved runway during a landing in
Marana, Arizona, USA. The pilot was not injured. Damage to the
aircraft is unknown.
-
8 July: A 1943
North American P-51B Mustang,
N515ZB (s/n 43-24837) ("Miss Berlin"), had its canopy shatter
and depart the airplane during a flying display at Duxford,
Cambridgeshire, UK. The pilot safely landed the aircraft.
-
9 July: A 1952
North American Harvard Mk. IV,
C-FWLH (s/n CCF4-227), lost directional control and went off the
side of the runway during a landing in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada,
coming to rest inverted. The pilot and passenger suffered only minor
injuries. [News
link>>]
-
9 July: A 1944
North American P-51D Mustang,
G-TFSI, (s/n 44-84847) ("Miss Velma"), made a forced landing
in a field near Duxford, Cambridgeshire, UK, after losing engine
power. The pilot was not injured, but the airplane sustained
substantial damage. [BBC
News report>>]
-
16 July: A 1944
North American P-51D Mustang,
N251PW, (s/n 44-72086, "Baby Duck"), crashed near Cummings,
Kansas, USA, under unknown circumstances. The pilot and passenger were killed, and the aircraft was
destroyed. [News
link>>] [Editor's note: It's tough to report on
accidents, but it's especially hard when the pilot is a close friend
and mentor. Vlado Lenoch was
a hugely-influential warbird airshow performer, airshow competency examiner,
Heritage Flight pilot, and a true gentleman. He was one of the kindest
and most generous folks in aviation. His loss leaves
an enormous hole in the warbird community. His
passenger, Bethany Root, was the manager of the
airport where he flew an airshow the day before, and by all accounts
she was an up-and-coming star herself. Our condolences to the
families and friends of both of them. They will be greatly missed.]
The always-smiling Vlado Lenoch, after an airshow in the Mustang
he formerly owned, N2151D, "Moonbeam McSwine."
(Photo credit unknown.)
-
24 July: A 1972
BAC 167 Strikemaster Mk. 80,
N605GV, crashed shortly after takeoff in Henderson, Nevada, USA. The
aircraft was mostly destroyed by fire after coming to rest in an
open desert area, but the pilot managed to escape injury. [News
report>>]
-
25 July: A 1956
Hawker FB.60 Sea Fury,
N254SF, lost engine power and the pilot made an emergency landing in
a field near Breckenridge, Texas, USA. The pilot, noted warbird
restorer Nelson Ezell, was critically injured. His passenger escaped
the crash largely unhurt. The aircraft broke in half and was
substantially damaged. [Local
news report>>] [Editor's Note: Our best wishes to
Nelson for a quick recovery!]
August 2017:
-
12 August: A 1943
North American SNJ-4/Texan,
N243CC, suffered a loss of directional control and came to rest inverted during a landing in
Ashland, Ohio, USA. The pilot and passenger were reported to have
suffered only minor injuries. [News
report>>]
-
15 August: A 1941
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina,
PH-PBY ("Karel Doorman") was forced to make an emergency
landing with its nose landing gear retracted in Leylstad,
Netherlands. The crew was unable to extend the nose gear by either
normal or emergency means, and made a textbook mains-only landing.
The crew of 3 and 15 passengers onboard all escaped injury. PH-PBY
is the world's oldest flying Catalina. [Local
news report>>] [Video
of the incident>>]
-
18 August: A 1944
Boeing E75 Stearman, N4859N,
ground-looped on landing in Centerville, Tennessee, USA. The
aircraft was substantially damaged, but neither the pilot nor
passenger were injured. [News
report>>]
-
22 August: The pilot of
a 1959 Hawker Hunter Mk.58 jet,
N338AX, operated by a civilian defense contractor, ejected from the aircraft
approximately 100 miles off the coast of San Diego, California, USA,
while participating in a Navy training exercise. Coast Guard and
Navy assets assisted in the rescue of the pilot, who was seriously
injured in the accident. The aircraft was destroyed. [Local
news report>>]
-
23 August: The Royal Air
Force has temporarily grounded several of its historic display
aircraft as a precautionary measure, after concerns about their
Merlin engines. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's four
Spitfires, two Hurricanes, and a Lancaster bomber were grounded
because of a technical fault found in one of the Hurricanes. Other
non-Merlin powered BBMF aircraft will continue to fly. [More
information and news>>]
-
26 August: A
deHavilland DH.82a Tiger Moth
(registration unknown) crashed at an airfield near Shaftesbury,
Dorset, UK, killing both the pilot and passenger. [Local
news>>]
September 2017:
-
1 September: A 1969
Antonov An-2T "Colt" biplane,
RA-35171 (c/n 1G113-10), crashed while maneuvering at an airshow at
Chornoye Airport, Moscow Oblast, Russia. The aircraft performed a
barrel roll, then appeared to attempt a steeply-banked repositioning
turn at low altitude, whereupon the aircraft's left wing struck the
ground. Both occupants were killed, and the aircraft was destroyed
by the impact and a post-crash fire. [Video
of the accident>> Warning: May be upsetting to some people.]
-
3 September: A
Boeing A75N1 Stearman, N52813
(s/n 75-394), came to rest inverted after landing on a grass
airfield in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA. One of the two occupants was
treated for minor injuries. [News
report>>]
-
4 September: A
Boeing PT-17 Stearman, N75753
(s/n 75-3521), suffered a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff
and made a forced landing in a dry river bed in Santa Paula,
California, USA. Neither of the occupants was injured. The aircraft
was substantially damaged. [Local
news>>]
-
23 September: Two
North American P-51D Mustangs, G-BIXL ("Miss Helen") and
G-SHWN ("The Shark"), made emergency landings at Duxford,
Cambridgeshire, UK, after a mid-collision during a Battle of Britain
display. The two fighters were performing a rejoin maneuver on a
B-17 Flying Fortress, "Memphis Belle," when they made contact.
Damage to the horizontal stabilizer of one aircraft and the
propeller of the other was noted. [Video
of the incident>>]
-
24 September: A 1980
Scottish Aviation Bulldog,
G-BXHB (c/n BH120/408), made an emergency landing in a field near
Embleton, Northumberland, UK, for unknown reasons. The pilot was not
injured. [Local
news report>>]
October 2017:
-
6 October: A 1946
Bell P-63F Kingcobra, N6763
(c/n 296-E1-1R), made an emergency landing at a small airport in
Midland, Texas, USA, after suffering the failure of a fuel selector
valve. The aircraft was damaged, but the pilot was not injured. [News
report>>]
-
8 October: A 1984
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros,
N580LL,
crashed in a field near Vernon, Texas, USA, killing the pilot.
Witnesses reported that the aircraft had made a low pass and a climb
before striking the ground. [News
report>>]
-
8 October: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, RA-1765G,
crashed under unknown circumstances near Pyatigorskiy, Stavropol
Territory, Russia. Both occupants were killed. [Local
report>>]
-
9 October: A
Nanchang CJ-6, N8NW, made a
forced landing in desert terrain near a construction zone in
Buckeye, Arizona, USA for undetermined reasons. Both occupants were
taken to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries. [Local
news report>>]
-
12 October: A 1951
deHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk
T.10, N323WG (c/n C1-0395), ground-looped and left the runway
surface upon landing in Cedartown, Georgia, USA. Neither occupant
was injured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged by fire.
November 2017:
-
1 November: A
Focke-Wulf FWP-149D,
registered OE-KSC, made a forced landing in a field near Hadersdorf,
Austria, following a loss of engine power. Neither the pilot nor his
three passengers were injured. The aircraft appeared to sustain
damage to its nosegear, cowling, engine and propeller. [News
link>>]
-
7 November:
Boeing C-97G Stratofreighter
"Angel of Deliverance," 52-2718, returned to the skies after
a 15-year restoration. The flight was made from Brooklyn, New York,
USA and the aircraft was moved to Reading, Pennsylvania later in the
day. Owned and operated by the
Berlin
Airlift Historical Foundation, the aircraft will be exhibited as
a museum of the Cold War in a similar manner as the Foundation does
with their world-famous C-54 "Spirit of Freedom" Berlin
Airlift exhibit. You can help keep this "Big Bad Boeing" airworthy
by visiting their
website
and becoming a supporter!
-
13 November: A 1955
North American T-28B Trojan,
N8574 (Bu.No. 138291), crashed during landing in Guatemala City,
Guatemala. Both the pilot and
passenger were injured. The aircraft ran off the end of the runway,
hit the runway approach lighting system, and was destroyed in the ensuing
fire, which took over an hour to extinguish. [Local
news>>]
December 2017:
-
5 December: A 1950
North American AT-6G Texan,
N2996Q (s/n 49-3071) flipped over upon landing in Norfolk, Virginia,
USA. The pilot suffered minor injuries. The aircraft sustained
substantial damage. [Local
news>>]
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2018:
-
17 January: A
Bell UH-1H "Huey" helicopter, N658H (s/n 67-17658), crashed near
Raton, New Mexico, USA, killing five of the six people on board. [News
link>>]
-
31 January: The 1944
Douglas C-47 Skytrain, N88874
(s/n #42-92847) that led the Normandy, France invasion on June 6,
1944 has flown once again, after a long restoration. The aircraft,
named "That's All, Brother," made its post-restoration flight
from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA, where it was stored in a field ten
years ago. It will be operated by the Central Texas Wing of the
Commemorative Air Force. It is slated to appear in many stateside
events before marking the 75th Anniversary of D-Day by flying across
the Atlantic to the UK and Normandy. [CAF
news brief>>]
February 2018:
-
10 February: A 1942
North American AT-6C Texan,
N76BZ (c/n 847653), experienced a landing gear collapse and runway
excursion upon landing in Mesa, Arizona, USA. The pilot was not
injured. The right wing, propeller and engine of the aircraft were
damaged. [Local
news report>>]
-
14 February: A 1950
deHavilland Canada DHC-1
Chipmunk T.10, VH-RSM (c/n C1-0245), lost engine power and made
a forced landing near Maitland, New South Wales, Australia. The
pilot suffered minor injuries, and the airplane was considerably
damaged.
-
21 February: A 1966
Soko G-2 Galeb, N90SR,
departed the runway surface and struck a fence after landing in
Elko, Nevada, USA, after apparent brake problems. The pilot received
minor injuries to his back, and the aircraft suffered undetermined
damage. [Local
news>>]
-
23 February: A 1940
Boeing B75N1 Stearman, N62438
(s/n 75-6757), experienced an engine failure and attempted to land
on a road near Zephyrhills, Florida, USA. During the approach, the
aircraft struck an overhead traffic signal and struck the ground
hard. The pilot and passenger suffered minor injuries. The aircraft
was substantially damaged. [Local
news report>>]
-
24 February: A
deHavilland Canada DHC-1
Chipmunk T.10, G-BTWF (WK549), made an emergency landing in a
muddy field near Goole, East Yorkshire, England, after the pilot
reportedly could not find his intended airfield. During the landing,
the aircraft's propeller struck the ground and was bent. The pilot
was not injured. [News
link>>]
March 2018:
-
14 March: A 1952
Hiller UH-12B Raven helicopter, F-AYFS (c/n 249) crashed into a
lake just after takeoff in Haute-Savoie, France. Both occupants
suffered minor injuries. [Local
news report>>]
-
15 March: A replica of a
Supermarine Spitfire called a
Spitfire Mk. XXVI, registered D-ESKU, crashed under unknown
circumstances near Herzlia-Allee, Germany. There are reports that
the aircraft was on fire before touching down. The pilot suffered
burns, and the aircraft was destroyed. [News
report>>]
-
21 March: The UK's Crown
Prosecution service (CPS) has announced that the pilot who crashed a
Hawker Hunter onto a motorway during an airshow in Shoreham, UK,
killing 11 people in August 2015, will be charged with 11 counts of
"manslaughter by gross negligence" and one count of "endangering an
aircraft." The manslaughter charges can incur a maximum sentence of
life imprisonment. Pilot Andy Hill was critically injured in the
accident, but has largely recovered. [News
link>>]
-
22 March: A
Scottish Aviation Bulldog,
G-BZMD (XX554), was substantially damaged during a runway overrun
incident near Horsham, West Sussex, UK. The pilot and passenger were
not injured. [News
link>>]
-
31 March: A
Yakovlev Yak-3M, ZK-YYY (c/n
1701231) was substantially damaged during its landing roll at an
airshow in Wanaka, New Zealand, when the aircraft's right wing
struck a cherry picker that was parked adjacent to the grass runway.
The aircraft's right wing was mostly ripped from the plane, causing
it to spin around, collapse its starboard landing gear, and dig its
propeller into the ground. The pilot was not injured. [Video
of the incident>>]
April 2018:
-
8 April: A
Yakovlev Yak-18, F-AZYK, crashed
at Bénifontaine, France. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft
perform a low pass, then pull up and unsuccessfully perform a barrel
roll. It struck the ground and burst into flame. Both the pilot and
passenger were killed. The plane had been participating in an event
with a Canadian group celebrating the 101st anniversary of the
Battle of Vimy Ridge. [Local
news report>>]
-
16 April: Due to heavy
snow and years of corrosion, a static-display
North American B-25 Mitchell
(43-30444) was damaged at the General Mitchell Airport in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, USA, when the left wing broke off the aircraft just
outboard of the engine. The aircraft was donated to the airport by
the Air National Guard in 1960, and was mounted on a display
pedestal in 2015.
-
17 April: A 1965
Bell UH-1H Iroquois helicopter, VH-HUE, crashed while fighting a
brushfire in Kosciuszko National Park near Cabramurra, NSW,
Australia, and was destroyed. The pilot was seriously injured. [News
link>>]
-
23 April: An accidental
fire, sparked by a scrapper's acetylene torch, destroyed a Douglas
C-47 that had been in the collection of the now-defunct Chanute Air
Museum in Rantoul, Illinois, USA. Salvage operators have been onsite
for over a week, dismantling the last of the unsold aircraft. [Local
news>>]
-
25 April: A
North American SNJ-5 / AT-6D Texan,
N12377 (c/n 88-16947), crashed shortly after takeoff from Naval Air
Station Kingsville, Texas, USA, killing both the pilot and the
passenger. [Local
news>>]
-
25 April: The Warbird
Heritage Foundation in Waukegan, Illinois, USA announced that Moonbeam McSwine,
a North
American P-51D Mustang formerly owned by the late Vlado Lenoch, will
be returning to the United States and flown in his memory by the
Foundation. The aircraft had been in France for the past couple of
years. Lenoch was killed last year in the crash of the foundation's
P-51.
-
26 April: A
Yakovlev Yak-52 suffered a
loss of engine power and made a forced landing in a filbert orchard
near Hillsboro, Oregon, USA. The pilot and passenger were critically
injured and the aircraft was substantially damaged. [News
Link and photos>>]
May 2018:
-
5 May: A 1932
Morane-Saulnier MS.315E, G-BZNK (c/n 354), made a successful
forced landing on a beach near Sidmouth, Devon, UK after an engine
failure. Neither the pilot nor passenger were injured. [News>>]
[Video of the
incident>>]
-
7 May: A 1945
Grumman TBM-3E Avenger, N337VT
(Bu.No. 53337), was presumably destroyed after the crew successfully
bailed out after an engine failure over rough, mountainous terrain
near Fort Apache, Arizona. Both the pilot and passenger suffered
injuries, but are expected to fully recover. The crash site of the
aircraft had not been determined, as of several days later.
-
25 May: A 1964
Bell UH-1H Iroquois helicopter, N111DR (s/n 64-13699), suffered
a hard landing during a post-maintenance check flight in Olympia,
Washington, USA. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and both
crewmembers were injured. [Local
news link>>]
-
25 May: A
North American F-6D/P-51 Mustang,
N51BS (s/n 44-84786 / 44-73822) ("Lil' Margaret") was
substantially damaged during takeoff at Woodchurch, Kent, UK. The
aircraft was on a delivery/ferry flight to its new home in Italy,
with its new owner at the controls, at the time of the accident. The
pilot's condition is not known.
-
26 May: A 1942
Boeing E75 Stearman, N43YP
(s/n 76-6018), crashed after losing engine power shortly after
takeoff at Turweston, Buckinghamshire, UK. It is not known if the
pilot was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
28 May: A 1943
Fairchild M-62C / PT-23 Cornell,
N64176, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near
Wichita, Kansas, USA. The aircraft had just finished performing a
series of flybys of Memorial Day ceremonies in the area. [Local
news>>]
-
28 May: A 1944
Aeronca O-58B Grasshopper,
N47252, made an emergency landing in a bean field near Tekamah,
Nebraska, USA, after completing a Memorial Day flyby. The aircraft
came to rest in a ditch. The cause of the forced landing is not
known. The two occupants sustained minor injuries. [Local
news>>]
-
30 May: A
North American SNJ-2 Texan,
operated by the famed Geico Skytypers team, crashed near Melville,
New York, USA. The aircraft was destroyed by impact and fire, and
the pilot was killed. Video taken just before the crash showed the
aircraft in a fully-developed spin. [News
link>>]
June 2018:
-
8 June: A 1971
Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin,
N4323N, landed in a field after takeoff from Moriarty, New Mexico,
USA, for unknown reasons. The pilot suffered minor injuries.
-
15 June: A 1944
Stinson L-5 Sentinel, N45TX
(s/n 44-17397) ("Miss Treatment"), made a forced landing into
a lake in Thomson, Georgia, USA. The pilot was rescued from the
water, and the aircraft was salvaged from the bottom of the lake the
next day. Other than water damage, it appeared the aircraft suffered
damage only to its engine cowling and windshield. [Local
news>>]
-
15 June: A 1941
Boeing B75N1 Stearman,
N52107, ground-looped after landing and struck a wingtip on the
ground at Waukegan, Illinois, USA. The pilot was not injured, and
the aircraft suffered only minor damage.
-
19 June: A 1958
North American F-100F Super Sabre,
N2011V (s/n 56-3948), blew a tire after applying heavy braking
following a drag-chute failure on landing in Fort Wayne, Indiana,
USA. The airplane was not otherwise damaged, and the pilot was not
injured. The incident closed the runway for over an hour, causing
some commercial airliners to be delayed or diverted. [Local
news>>]
-
19 June: A 1970
Bell OH-58 Kiowa helicopter, N303HP, suffered control
difficulties and rolled over during takeoff from a training facility
in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. The pilots were slightly injured,
and the aircraft was substantially damaged. [News
story>>]
-
23 June: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, LY-AMA,
suffered an engine failure while on final approach in Kaunas,
Lithuania. The pilot, a noted aerobatic champion, landed long and
intentionally swerved the aircraft off the runway to avoid going
down a steep embankment at the end. The aircraft was very heavily
damaged in the resulting crash. The pilot suffered serious injuries.
The passenger had only minor injuries. [News
report>>]
-
25 June: A 1941
Boeing B75N1 Stearman,
N52584, came to rest inverted after a nose-over accident during
landing in Lexington, North Carolina, USA. One of the occupants was
slightly injured, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. [Local
news>>]
-
27 June: A 1948
Ryan Navion A, N444AC, made a
gear-up landing in Burnet, Texas, USA. The pilot and passenger were
not injured, but the aircraft suffered substantial damage to at
least its engine and propeller. [News
link>>]
-
29 June: A 1940
Boeing PT-13D/N2S-5 Stearman,
HB-RBG, came to rest inverted after landing in Lupfig, Switzerland.
Neither of the occupants were injured. [Local
news>>]
July 2018:
-
1 July: A 1938
Lockheed 12A Electra Junior, N14999 (s/n 1252), was
substantially damaged during a landing mishap in Zwartberg, Belgium.
Video of the incident shows the aircraft swerve off the runway and
strike a hangar. None of the five occupants were injured. [News
and video>>]
-
1 July: A 1941
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth,
ZK-ALM, made a forced landing in a field near Papakura, Auckland,
New Zealand, following an engine failure. The aircraft was
substantially damaged, but neither occupant suffered injuries. [News
link>>]
-
5 July: A 1942
North American AT-6D/SNJ-5 Texan,
N29963 (s/n 49-2977), lost directional control during landing in
Moneta, Virginia, and struck a line of trees. The pilot was not
injured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged. [Local
news>>]
-
20 July: A 1957
deHavilland DH-112 Venom,
N747J, crashed shortly after takeoff in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA,
after an apparent engine failure. The aircraft struck a cornfield
and some farm buildings, and there was a post-crash fire. The pilot,
noted warbird collector and the founder of the
World Heritage Air Museum, Marty Tibbitts, was killed. Two farm
workers were injured, and over 40 calves were injured and had to be
euthanized in the accident. [Local
news>>] [Editor's Note: Our sincere condolences to Marty's
family and friends. He was a friend and an enthusiastic supporter of
the jet warbird community. He will be missed.]
-
21 July: A 1944
Douglas C-47B / DC-3 Dakota,
N47HL, operated by the Commemorative Air Force, was involved in a
takeoff accident and was destroyed by fire in Burnet, Texas, USA.
All 13 occupants survived the accident; 5 were injured. The aircraft
appeared to swerve left and right, then left the ground at what
appeared to be a slow airspeed, stalled and impacted hard, shearing
off the landing gear. [Local
news and video of the accident>>]
-
29 July: The National
Warplane Museum of Geneseo, New York, USA, took delivery of a
freshly-restored
Beechcraft Traveller Mk. 1. The rare aircraft saw service with
the Royal Navy and made its post-restoration debut at EAA's
AirVenture event.
Photo courtesy Scott Smith,
WarhawkCreative
August 2018:
-
3 August: A 1941
Stinson L-5 Sentinel, I-AEEA,
made a forced landing into a lake near Bodio Lomnago, Italy, after
an apparent engine failure. The aircraft was substantially damaged,
but the pilot was not seriously injured. [Local
news>>]
-
4 August: A 1929
Junkers Ju-52, HG-HOT (c/n
6595), crashed on a mountain during a sightseeing flight in the
Swiss Alps. All 17 passengers and a crew of three were killed. The
company that operated the aircraft had conducted similar flights for
many years. [News
link>>]
-
11 August: A
Polikarpov Po-2 biplane, registered RA-1928G, crashed in
Irkutsk, Russia, under unknown circumstances. Both the pilot and
passenger were injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
-
13 August: A
North American AT-6C / Harvard IIA,
ZK-RNZ (c/n 88-9272) (NZ1015), made a forced landing in a field with
its landing gear retracted, near Ōhakea, North Island, New Zealand.
The aircraft appeared to have sustained damage to the propeller (and
presumably, the engine), but the two crewmembers were not injured.
The aircraft is operated by the RNZAF as a part of its Historic
Flight, and had recently undergone a multi-year restoration. [Local
news>>]
-
23 August: A
1955
North American T-28B Trojan,
N215SF
(Bu.No. 137723), crashed and burned near the end of a
runway in Anoka, Minnesota, USA. The pilot was seriously injured,
and the plane was destroyed. The pilot reported there was smoke
in the cockpit just prior to the accident. [News
report>>]
-
23 August: A 1951
North American SNJ-5 Texan,
N28955 (s/n 49-3245), suffered the collapse of its landing gear
during landing in Houston, Texas, USA. The aircraft veered off the
side of the runway. The pilot and passenger were not injured.
-
25 August: A 1982
Yakovlev Yak-52, N3042W (s/n
822209), made a gear-up landing in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania,
USA. The pilot and passenger were not reported to be injured.
-
25 August: A 1954
Grumman UF-1/HU-16 Albatross,
N1955G (s/n 137933), struck an unknown object in the water during
takeoff near Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, USA. Damage to the
aircraft is unknown.
-
26 August: A 1943
Vought/Goodyear FG1D Corsair,
N9964Z (Bu. No. 92468), made an emergency landing in Detroit,
Michigan, USA, after the pilot reported fuel in the cockpit.
-
27 August: A 1945
Grumman TBM-3E Avenger,
N3969A, made an emergency descent and came to rest in a ditch after
landing in Carson City, Nevada, USA. The propeller was damaged in
the incident, but neither occupant was injured.
September
2018:
-
7 September: A
Yakovlev Yak-9UM, VH-YIX,
crashed under unknown circumstances near Moe, Victoria, Australia.
The pilot was killed. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft
performing aerobatics prior to the crash. [Local
news>>]
-
14 September: Two
Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros
jets, N139PJ (Race #37) and N139UK (Race #13) collided during a heat at the National
Championship Air Races at Reno, Nevada, USA. Both pilots managed to
land safely, with one of the aircraft (Race #37) sustaining significant
damage to the right wing, vertical stabilizer and left horizontal
stabilizer -- and losing its right aileron entirely. [Video
of the race, including the incident>>]
-
15 September: A 1945
Boeing PT-17 Kaydet/Stearman,
N34KS (s/n 75-5384), struck a Bellanca Citabria during a landing in
Mt. Morris, Illinois, USA. The Stearman suffered damage to two of
its four wings. Neither pilot reported injuries.
-
19 September: A 1952
Lockheed T-33, N514RH, lost
its cockpit canopy during landing in Denver, Colorado, USA. The
pilot was not injured in the incident.
-
20 September: A 1960
Hiller UH-12E helicopter, N1349A, suffered a blade-strike and
was substantially damaged in Frankfort, Kansas, USA. The condition
of the pilot is not known.
October 2018:
-
1 October: Legendary
test pilot and air racer Darryl Greenamyer died at age 82.
Greenamyer was known for breaking the (then) world piston-powered
speed record in his modified F8F Bearcat "Conquest I" in
1969, for his numerous wins at the National Championship air races
in Reno, Nevada, USA, and for his record-setting flights in his
"Red Baron" F-104 Starfighter. In 1994, he led a team that
unsuccessfully attempted to recover a crashed B-29 named "Kee
Bird" in Greenland.
-
5 October: A 1946
North American Navion-A / L-17,
N969TR, made a forced landing on a road near Meridian, Mississippi,
USA, after an engine failure. The pilot was not injured. The plane
was substantially damaged. [News
link>>]
-
11 October: A 1950
North American T-28A Trojan,
N272NA, made a successful emergency landing in a harvested cornfield
near Creston, Illinois, USA. Neither the pilot nor the passenger
were injured, and the plane appeared to be undamaged. The plane was
near the end of a cross-country flight from Oklahoma when the
incident occurred. [News
link>>]
-
15 October: Microsoft
co-founder, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and prolific warbird
collector Paul G. Allen died at age 65. In 2004, Allen formed the
extraordinary Flying Heritage Collection (later known as the
Flying
Heritage and Combat Armor Museum) in Everett, Washington, USA.
Allen's love of historic aviation resulted in many aircraft types
continuing to fly that otherwise would have become extinct. [Vulcan,
Inc. statement on Paul Allen's death >>]
-
16 October: A
Consolidated/Vultee BT-13A
Valiant, N59842 (c/n 5057) suffered a loss of engine power
during a touch-and-go in Livermore, California, USA. The aircraft
landed long and struck a fence between the airport and an adjoining
golf course. The pilot and passenger were not injured, and although
the aircraft suffered damage, it appears to be largely intact. [Local
news link>>]
-
20 October: A 1980
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros,
N29VP, made a controlled gear-up landing in Bridgeport, Connecticut,
USA, after losing an entire main landing gear wheel on takeoff.
Neither the pilot nor his passenger were injured. The aircraft
suffered only minor damage. [News
link>>]
-
23 October: A
North American SNJ-5, N7969E
(s/n 42-84535), suffered an engine failure near Agoura Hills,
California, USA, and the pilot made an emergency landing on a busy
highway. During the landing, the aircraft struck the concrete center
divider and subsequently caught fire. The pilot escaped with very
minor injuries, but the aircraft was largely consumed by the fire. [Local
news>>]
-
24 October: A 1967
Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin,
N199DM, made an emergency landing in Wilmington, Delaware, USA, with
its nose gear retracted. The pilot was not injured, and the aircraft
sustained only minor damage. [News
link>>]
November 2018:
-
3 November: A
Siai-Marchetti SF260D, I-ISAE,
crashed in a field near Caorle, Italy. Both occupants were killed,
although the aircraft remained largely intact and there was no fire.
[Local
news>>]
-
17 November: A
North American P-51D Mustang,
N4132A (s/n 44-74445)("Pecos Bill"), crashed in a parking lot
next to an apartment complex near Fredericksburg, Texas, USA, after
an apparent engine failure. Owner/pilot Cowden Ward and his
WWII-veteran passenger and former B-17 bombardier, Vince Losada,
were killed. The aircraft had participated in a flyover as part of a
history program for a nearby museum, and the owner was known to give
rides to WWII veterans. [Local
news report>>]
-
22 November: A long-lost
Supermarine Spitfire
reconnaissance plane was discovered in good condition in a mountain
bog in Norway by a UK-based researcher. Its pilot, Alastair Gunn,
was on a long-range photo mission from Scotland when he was shot
down in 1942. Later, he was a part of the famous "Great Escape" from
the Stalag Luft 3 prison camp, but was executed by his
captors in April 1944. In his memory, Spitfire AA810 will be
restored to flying condition, and a television documentary of the
aircraft's recovery and restoration is being produced. [More
information>>]
-
30 November: A
Scottish Aviation Bulldog,
HA-TVD, struck powerlines and crashed near Rábapaty, Hungary. The
pilot was killed and the aircraft was destroyed. [Local
news>>]
December 2018:
-
8 December: One
DeHavilland DH-100 Vampire
was destroyed and another one severely damaged in a hangar fire at
the Paris-Villaroche Airport, France. [News
link>>]
-
12 December: The pilot
of a 1958 Hawker Hunter Mk.58,
N323AX, operated by a defense contractor, ejected from the aircraft
after takeoff from Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. The pilot sustained back
injuries and was rescued by the Coast Guard and local boaters. The
aircraft was destroyed. [Local
news, including videos>>]
-
31 December: A
North American XP-82 Twin Mustang N887XP (s/n 44-83887), the only one
currently airworthy, made its first post-restoration flight in
Douglas, Georgia, USA. Restorer Tom Reilly and his team acquired
parts of the aircraft from a private collection in 2008, as well as
from numerous and diverse other sources. Today's 5-minute flight was
actually an accidental flight, intended to be only a high-speed taxi
and a brief liftoff. [More
information>>]
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2019:
-
13 January: Yet another
deHavilland Mosquito has
joined the ranks of airworthy "Mossies." ZK-BCV (PZ474), owned by
collector Rod Lewis, made its first post-restoration flight in
Auckland, New Zealand. There are now four airworthy examples of the
type. Congratulations to Avspecs, Ltd on their accomplishment! [More
information>>]
-
21 January: A 1942 AMI
DC-3-65TP (formerly Douglas C-47A
Dakota) N467KS (s/n 43-15709) struck powerlines and trees, and
crashed shortly after takeoff in Apple Creek, Ohio, USA. Both pilots
were killed, and the aircraft was substantially destroyed. The
aircraft was a turbine conversion of a vintage DC-3. Initial reports
suggest the aircraft may have had engine troubles before the crash.
[Editor's Note: We are sad to report that one of the pilots was
Brian Stoltzfus, owner of Preferred Airparts, a noted supplier of
parts in the warbird industry, as well as a well-known restoration
and maintenance shop. Our condolences to the pilots' families, and
to the employees of Preferred Airparts.] [Local
news>>]
-
28 January: The first
official flight of Tom Reilly's
North American XP-82 Twin Mustang, N887XP, was performed in
Douglas, Georgia. (See 31 December entry above). The flight appeared
to go well.
February 2019:
-
10 February: The pilot
of a 1942 deHavilland DH82A
Tiger Moth, VH-KNX, performed a successful emergency landing on
a beach in New South Wales, Australia, after a partial power loss.
The aircraft was not damaged. [News
report>>]
-
27 February: A 1943
Supermarine Spitfire T.9, G-CTIX
(PT462), made a belly landing at Denham, Buckinghamshire, UK.
Neither the pilot nor passenger were injured, and the aircraft is
expected to be fully repaired.
March 2019:
-
5 March: A
Martin WB-57F Canberra, N928NA, a high-altitude weather research plane operated by
NASA, left the paved runway surface during a takeoff attempt in
Houston, Texas, USA. Reports indicate the incident may have been
caused by a landing gear malfunction. Neither crewmember aboard was
injured, and the aircraft appeared to be undamaged. [News
report>>]
-
10 March: A 1953
North American T-28B Trojan,
N55500 (Bu.No. 137716) crashed near Escuintla, Guatemala while
performing aerobatics at a public auto show. The passenger died in
the accident, and the pilot died later at the hospital. The aircraft
was destroyed. The pilot had been involved with at least two other
recent accidents, including
one other destroyed T-28, and had had his Guatemalan pilot's
certificate revoked. [Local
news report>>]
-
11 March: A
Cessna L-19E Birddog, N4431C
(c/n 24549), crashed into a house on a residential airport community
in Benton, Kansas, USA, while practicing touch and go's. One of the
two pilots suffered minor injuries. The other was uninjured. The
aircraft was substantially damaged. [Local
news report>>]
-
13 March: A
1956
North American T-28B Trojan,
N5440F (Bu.No. 138294),
collided with a Cessna 152 while landing in Compton (Los Angeles),
California, USA. The Trojan pilot reportedly did not see the other
aircraft on the runway due to the setting sun. A student pilot in
the Cessna was killed, and the instructor was critically injured. The T-28 pilot
reportedly suffered no injuries. [Local
news>>]
-
16 March: A 1942
Curtiss P-40N Warhawk, N1226N
(s/n 42-105867), suffered the collapse of its left main landing gear
upon landing in Houston, Texas, USA. The pilot was not injured, and
the aircraft was not seriously damaged except for its propeller
(and, presumably, its engine). [Video
of aircraft after the incident>]
April 2019:
-
13 April: A
SIAI-Marchetti S.211, VH-CBL,
made an emergency landing in a field after an engine failure near
Goolwa, South Australia. During its rollout, the tail of the
aircraft passed under an irrigation sprinkler pipe, severing part of
the rudder and vertical stabilizer. Both occupants were uninjured,
and damage to the aircraft appears to be relatively minor. The
owner/pilot, a former RAAF fighter pilot and test pilot, said the
"throttle stopped responding" and he could not make it back to the
airport. [Local
news link>>]
-
19 April: A 1989
Nanchang CJ-6, N621JM, was
substantially damaged during landing in Grass Valley, California,
USA. The aircraft came to rest inverted after reportedly losing its
wheel brakes and overrunning the runway. Both occupants suffered
minor injuries, but were able to walk to an ambulance. [News
link>>]
-
21 April: A
Yakovlev Yak-11 (Let C.11),
F-AZYA (c/n 172624) overturned during landing in Maintz, Germany.
The pilot suffered minor injuries, and the plane was substantially
damaged. [News
link>>]
-
22 April: A 1944
Northrop N-9M-B Flying Wing, N9MB, crashed in Norco, California,
USA under unknown circumstances. The pilot was killed in the
accident. The N-9M was operated by the Planes of Fame Air Museum,
and was the only one of its kind still in existence. [News
link>>]
-
28 April: A 1941
Boeing PT-17 Stearman, N68825
(s/n 75-5708), lost engine power, and the pilot made an emergency
landing on a beach at Discovery Bay, Washington, USA. The aircraft
was substantially damaged after cartwheeling upon landing. One of the
occupants was able to get out of the airplane, and the other had to
be extricated by rescue personnel. Both men were taken to the
hospital, but are expected to make a full recovery. [Local
news>>]
May 2019:
-
1 May: A 3/4-scale
replica of a Fieseler Fi156C
Storch, N156LZ was substantially damaged after an emergency
landing shortly after takeoff in Upland, California, USA. The pilot
had to be extricated from the airplane, and suffered critical
injuries. [Local
news>>] [Editor's Note: Normally, we do not
report on incidents involving replica aircraft. However, this
aircraft was painted with authentic Luftwaffe and Nazi markings, and
has resulted in a firestorm of public outcry from a general public
that does not always appreciate authentic World War II markings.
Perhaps this a good opportunity to re-pledge ourselves to the task
of educating as many people as possible about WWII history, and
helping them to understand why it's important that we don't forget
it.]
-
3 May: A 1942
Douglas C-47A Dakota, C-GJKM,
operated by Buffalo Airways, made a forced landing near Hay River,
Northwest Territories, Canada, after experiencing a total loss of
engine power on one engine, followed by a partial loss of power on
the remaining engine. Neither crewmember was injured, but the
aircraft was substantially damaged. [News
link>>]
-
3 May: Wilson "Connie"
Edwards of Big Spring, Texas passed away at the age of 85. Edwards
was well-known in the U.S. warbird community as a pilot and prolific
aircraft collector. His long obituary highlights some of his
numerous accomplishments and affiliations. [Obituary>>]
[Warbird
Digest article>>]
-
9 May: A 1959
Hawker Hunter Mk.58,
N343AX, operated by a government contractor, departed the paved
runway surface during landing in Newport News, Virginia, USA. The
pilot was not reported to be injured. Damage to the aircraft is
unknown. [Twitter
news link>>]
-
13 May: A 1976
SIAI-Marchetti SM.1019, N772DW, had a landing incident that
resulted in the plane resting on its nose in Bozeman, Montana, USA.
The two occupants were not injured. The plane was substantially
damaged.
-
14 May: A 1952
Chance-Vought F4U-7 Corsair,
N965CV, experienced an accident during takeoff in Jerome, Idaho,
USA. Witnesses report the aircraft attempted to takeoff, but didn't
get very far into the air before coming back down. The aircraft came
to rest off the end of the runway and was substantially damaged. The
condition of the pilot is not known. [Local
news>>]
-
22 May: A 1943
deHavilland DH-82A Tiger Moth,
G-ANLD, crashed on takeoff at Goodwood, West Sussex, UK. The
aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the pilot and passenger
received minor injuries. [Local
news>>]
-
29 May: A
Boeing N75 Stearman lost
engine power shortly after takeoff, and the pilot made a forced
landing near Fredericksburg, Texas, USA. The pilot received minor
injuries. Damage to the aircraft is unknown. [News
link>>]
June 2019:
-
3 June: Approximately 30
Douglas C-47 Dakotas (and
variants) have arrived in France for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day,
on 6 June. This monumental effort is the work of hundreds of
aircraft owners, pilots, mechanics, and support personnel of all
kinds. Joining the crews for D-Day commemorative fly-overs will be
hundreds of paratroopers, dressed in WWII garb, who will parachute
onto the famous wartime beaches. It is expected to be a truly
extraordinary and touching sight. [Daks
Over Normandy website>>]
-
5 June: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, VH-PAE,
went missing and is presumed crashed off the coast near South
Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia. There were two people on
board. [News
link>>]
-
8 June: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, RA-2628G,
crashed after an engine failure near Fortstadt, Russia. The pilot
received numerous minor injuries, and the aircraft was substantially
damaged. [Local
news link>>]
-
15 June: A 1979
Nanchang CJ-6A, N269AG,
crashed under unknown circumstances on the side of a steep mountain
near Los Angeles, California, USA. The pilot was killed and the
aircraft was substantially damaged. [News
link>>]
-
15 June: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, SP-YDD,
crashed into a river during an aerobatic show in Plock, Poland,
after failing to recover from a spin. The pilot was killed, and the
aircraft was destroyed. [Video
of the accident>> Warning, might be unsettling.]
-
16 June: Two aviation
museums in north Texas were damaged by 75 MPH winds over the
weekend. Both the Fort Worth Aviation Museum and the Frontiers of
Flight Museum in Dallas reported damage to some of their aircraft. [More
details>>]
-
19 June: A 1940
Boeing PT-17 Stearman,
N53153, groundlooped on landing in El Monte, California, USA.
Neither the pilot nor the passenger were injured.
-
20 June: A 1942
Boeing PT-13 Stearman,
N1702B, was substantially damaged after groundlooping on landing in
El Cajon, California, USA. The pilot and passenger were not injured.
-
20 June: A 1956
North American T-28B Trojan,
N28CU (c/n 200302), lost engine power after takeoff in Hollister,
California. The pilot made a successful gear-up emergency landing in
a nearby field. The aircraft was substantially damaged, but the
pilot suffered only minor injuries. [Video
of the incident>>]
-
21 June: A
turbine-conversion Douglas/Basler
BT-67 (DC-3) went down in the water near Fort Hope, Ontario,
Canada. No one was seriously injured, and the aircraft appears to be
salvageable.
-
29 June: A 1942
North American P-51C Mustang,
N4651C ("Boise Bee") (s/n 43-25057), suffered the collapse of
its landing gear on landing at Lewiston, Idaho, USA. Damage was
minor, and the pilot was not injured.
July 2019:
-
3 July: A
Goodyear FG-1D Corsair, C-GVWC,
operated by the Vintage Wings of Canada organization, went off the
runway during landing in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. The aircraft
struck a drainage ditch and was substantially damaged. The pilot
sustained injuries, but is expected to make a full recovery. [News
link>>]
-
21 July: A 1941
deHavilland DH.82A Tiger Moth,
N54556, crashed in a field near Hythe, Kent, UK, under unknown
circumstances. One of the occupants was killed, and the other was
seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. [Local
news>>]
August 2019:
-
9 August: A 1949
North American T-28A Trojan,
N9862C (s/n 49-1727), made a forced landing in a field near Ontario,
Oregon, USA. The pilot was killed and the passenger received serious
injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. [Local
news>>]
-
10 August: A 1941
North American SNJ-4/Texan,
N6432D (c/n 88-13519), was substantially damaged during a landing at
Chino, California, USA. Neither occupant was injured.
-
13 August: A 1941
Boeing A75N1 Stearman, N9199R
(s/n 75-2212), made a forced landing and came to rest on its nose in
San Diego, California, USA. Media reports say the aircraft first
touched down on an access road on the airport. Neither occupant was
injured. The aircraft appeared to sustain damage only to its
propeller and engine. [Local
news>>]
-
15 August: A 1944
Douglas C-47A / DC-3 Dakota,
Columbian-registered as HK-2820 (s/n 43-15705), suffered a low-speed
runway excursion after landing in La Chorrera, Columbia. In a video
of the incident, the aircraft appeared to have lost its wheel brakes
as it approached the end of the runway. None of the 19 passengers
and 3 crewmembers were injured. [Photos>>]
-
17 August: A
Cessna O-1 Birddog, C-FHDJ (c/n 22886), was substantially
damaged while making a forced landing shortly after takeoff near
Black Diamond, Alberta, Canada. Both occupants received serious
injuries. [News
article>>]
-
22 August: A 1944
Supermarine PR XI Spitfire,
G-PRXI (PL983) suffered the collapse of its left main landing gear
upon landing near Middelburg, Zeeland, Netherlands. The sole pilot
was not injured. The aircraft appeared to have sustained damage to
at least its propeller, engine, landing gear, and left wingtip. [News
link>>]
-
35 August: A 1959
Lockheed C-130A Hercules, N119TG, operated by an
emergency-response company, suffered multiple inflight emergencies
and made an emergency landing at Santa Barbara, California, USA.
During the landing, the pilot was unable to keep the plane on the
runway, and performed an intentional maneuver to keep from hitting
other airplanes and a building. The two pilots and five passengers
were able to evacuate with no injuries. The plane was substantially
damaged. [News
link>>]
-
31 August: A
Nanchang CJ-6A, C-FTGZ (c/n
1532014), crashed during an aerobatic performance near Smith,
Alberta, Canada. The pilot was killed and the aircraft was
destroyed. [Local
news>>]
September 2019:
-
6 September: A
Bell UH-1H Iroquois, VH-UVC, crashed into the water near Port
Stephens, NSW, Australia, with the loss of all five occupants. [News
link>>]
-
7 September: A
SIAI Marchetti SM-1019,
N16XC, operated by an air museum, crashed into the water near
Lakeport, California, USA, shortly after takeoff. The two occupants
of the floatplane received minor injuries, and the aircraft was
substantially damaged. [News
link>>]
-
14 September: The crew
of a Douglas C-47 Dakota III,
XA947, operated by the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight,
performed a successful emergency landing in Manchester, UK, after
experiencing engine problems with their left engine. The aircraft
was undamaged. [News
link>>]
-
19 September: A 1949
North American T-6G Texan,
N799MU (s/n 49-3368), made a belly landing in a farm field near
Blountstown, Florida, USA after an engine failure. The aircraft was
damaged, but the two occupants were not injured. [Local
news>>]
-
21 September: A
Cessna L-19 Bird Dog, D-ECII,
was substantially damaged during an apparent landing at a model
airfield in the Czech Republic. The status of the pilot is unknown.
-
21 September: A
Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIII,
D-FEUR (c/n 6S-583793) suffered a propeller strike on takeoff from
Duxford, Cambridgeshire, UK. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
October 2019:
-
2 October: A 1944
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress,
N93012 ("Nine O Nine"), operated by the Collings Foundation,
was destroyed during an emergency landing at Bradley, Connecticut,
USA, with the loss of seven of the thirteen people on board. The
crew of the aircraft was giving rides as part of the foundation's
"Wings of Freedom" tour, when they reported engine problems shortly
after takeoff, and began making their way back to the airport. The
aircraft crashed short of the runway and came to rest against some
buildings holding the airport's de-icing fluid farm. The Pilot in
Command of the aircraft was believed to be the highest-time B-17
pilot in the country. [Editor's note: The implications
of this tragedy are not yet known, but within two days of the
incident, politicians began calling for more scrutiny and tighter
regulations on warbird operations in the USA. Pease stay involved to
keep warbirds in the air, where they belong. And please support the
Collings Foundation in their difficult time. Our condolences to the
families and friends of those lost. [News
link>>]
-
4 October: Dr. Tony
Buechler, a noted P-51 Mustang owner ("Petie 2nd") and
philanthropist, passed away at the age of 67. [EAA
News>>]
-
5 October: A
Yakovlev Yak-52, LY-WAA, was
involved in an accident at Banesti Airfield, Prahova County,
Romania. No injuries were reported.
-
16 October: A Yakovlev
Yak-18T, F-HYAC, crashed near Draguignan, France after a serious
mechanical issue. Neither occupant was injured. [News
link>>]
-
18 October: A 1945
Douglas DC-3, N437GB, operated by a cargo airline, crashed into the
water during an approach to an airport near Nassau, Bahamas. The two
crewmembers survived and were rescued by the Bahamian military. [News
link>>]
-
21 October: A 1959
Hawker Hunter MK.58,
N344AX, operated by a US defense contractor, suffered a runway
incursion at Newport News, Virginia, USA, after an apparent
mechanical issue. The pilot was not injured. [Local
news>>]
-
22 October: A 1987
Antonov/PZL AN-2, N87AN,
sustained minor damage after performing a forced landing on a road
near Bishop, California, USA. Neither of the occupants was injured.
November 2019:
-
1 November: A
Grumman OV-1 Mohawk, N10VD,
crashed during an airshow in Stuart, Florida. USA. The pilot was
killed, and the aircraft was destroyed. [News
link>>]
-
14 November: a 1958
North American Rockwell FJ-4B Fury, N4--FS (BuNo 143575) ended
up on its belly after landing in Richfield, Utah, USA. News reports
claim the pilot raised the gear instead of the flaps after landing.
The pilot was not injured, and the aircraft appears to be
repairable. [News
link>>]
-
16 November: Airshow
performer extraordinaire Julie Clark performed for the last time in
her Beechcraft T-34 Mentor at
the Nellis AFB "Aviation Nation" airshow in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
You can watch her final performance
here. Our best wishes to
Julie for a happy retirement!
December 2019:
-
Draken International has
announced the purchase of twelve ex-South African
Atlas Cheetah jets to add to its growing inventory of
privately-operated fighters used for Adversary Training with US
military forces. The Cheetahs, a derivative of the Mirage III, will
supplement Draken's fleet of Mirage F1Ms.[Link>>]
-
14 December: A drunk
driver in South Carolina, USA crashed his car into a parked 1967
Bell AH-1F Cobra helicopter belonging to a charity called the
Celebration Freedom Foundation. The aircraft, which served in both
Vietnam and Persian Gulf War, suffered damage to its landing gear
and numerous other areas. [News
link>>]
Index
1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
| 2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008
2009 | 2010 |
2011 | 2012 |
2013 | 2014 |
2015 | 2016 |
2017 | 2018 |
2019 | 2020
[Back to Warbird News Page]
January 2020:
-
22 January: A
Boeing B75N1 Stearman, N14GC
(s/n 43-43171), lost directional control and nosed-over after landing
in Vacaville, California, USA. The pilot was not injured. The
aircraft was substantially damaged. [Local
news>>]
-
23 January: A Lockheed
C-130 Hercules, operated by Coulson Aviation as a firebomber,
crashed near Monaro, New South Wales, Australia, killing all three
crewmembers. [News
link>>]
-
24 January: The Collings
Foundation has temporarily ended its public warbird rides, after
last October's fatal crash of its B-17, "Nine-O-Nine." The
move was part of an agreement with the US Federal Aviation
Administration. [News
link>>]
-
24 January: A
Stinson V-77/AT-19 Reliant, N50249 (c/n 77-458) crashed into a
wooded area shortly after takeoff in Auburn, California, USA. Two of
the three occupants were killed, and the aircraft was destroyed. [News
link>>]
February 2020:
-
15 February: The world's
only two flyable, privately-owned
BAe Sea Harriers are for sale. Owner/pilot Art Nalls announced
that both his single-seat Sea Harrer FA.2 and his two-seat Sea
Harrier T.8 (plus a non-flying GR.3 model) are for sale. The
advertisement for the three-aircraft package is located
here.
-
23 February: A
Boeing AN-75N Stearman,
ZK-PJS (s/n 75-4245), nosed-over during a landing in Napier, North
Island, New Zealand. The biplane was substantially damaged, and the
two occupants received minor injuries. [News
link>>]
March 2020:
-
1 March: In the wake of
the worldwide Covid-19 outbreak, numerous airshows and public
aviation events have been cancelled or postponed. In additional,
most museums and collections are closed. For an updated list of
cancellations and postponements, visit the AirshowStuff website
here.
-
25 March: The US Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) has ruled that the Collings
Foundation, whose B-17 bomber crashed last fall, can no longer carry
passengers due to the FAA's concerns about safety. [More
information>>]
April 2020:
-
1 April: Legendary
warbird pilot and safety advocate Randy Sohn passed away at the age
of 86. Randy was an early member of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF),
and was one of the people responsible of the rescue of the CAF's
B-29 "Fifi." He held a rare "Unlimited" piston rating from the US
Federal Aviation Administration, meaning he was qualified to fly
any high-performance piston-powered aircraft. He authored
numerous advice articles for warbird pilots that were eventually
assembled into collections variously called
Randy Sohn's Round Engine Notes and/or
Warbird Notes. These articles helped countless pilots learn
the unique characteristics of vintage airplanes. [Randy's
full obituary>>]
-
11 April: An unknown
vandal damaged two Douglas DC-3s
on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA. The owner reported the elevator of
one airplane, and the trim tab of the other, suffered upwards of
$15,000 in damage. [Local
news>>]
-
13 April: An
early-morning tornado severely damaged a
Douglas C-54E/R-5D Skymaster
N500EJ (c/n 27370, s/n 44-9144) ("The Sprit of Freedom")
parked in Walterboro, South Carolina, USA. The aircraft, operated by
the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation, was moved over 100 yards
and slammed into a hangar by the storm. [Local
news>>]
-
26 April: A 1935
Focke-Wulf FW 44J "Stieglitz," D-ETUF, crashed near
Siegen, Germany, injuring the passenger. The pilot attempted to
return to the airport due to mechanical problems, but had to perform
an emergency landing a few hundred meters short, whereupon the
airplane hit some construction equipment. The aircraft sustained
substantial damage. [Local
news>>]
-
28 April: A
Hunting Jet Provost T3A, N4427Q
(ex-XM371), suffered an engine failure and the pilot made a forced
landing near Center, Colorado, USA. The pilot was not injured, and
the aircraft was reported to be undamaged.
May 2020:
-
1 May: The Experimental
Aircraft Association (EAA) cancelled the AirVenture 2020 event in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA, due to ongoing concern about the global
coronavirus "pandemic." [EAA
News Release>>]
-
2 May: A 1996
Yakovlev Yak-52, N27YK (s/n
9611905), crashed in Palmyra, Illinois, USA under unknown
circumstances. The The pilot was killed in the accident. [Local
news report>>]
-
2 May: The pilot of a
deHavilland/Airco DH-4, N32517, walked away with no injuries
after crashing the plane during a test flight in Bowling Green,
Kentucky, USA. The aircraft, the only flyable one of its type, had
just been restored, and was substantially damaged in the accident. [Local
news>>]
-
28 May: The late Paul
Allen's magnificent collection of aircraft and vehicles, the
Flying
Heritage and Combat Armor Museum in Everett, Washington, USA,
has announced that it will be closing for an indefinite period of
time, due to the "devastating effect" of the COVID-19 crisis. The
collection includes some extremely rare and significant aircraft,
including the world's only airworthy BMW 801-powered Focke-Wulf
Fw-190, and an airworthy Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik.
-
28 May: A
Messerschmitt Bf 108D Taifun,
D-EHAF (c/n 5253), made a belly landing after a landing gear
malfunction. Neither occupant was injured. The aircraft appears to
be repairable. [Local
news>>]
June 2020:
-
1 June: A 1940
Hawker Hurricane Mk. I, G-HRLI
(s/n V7497), suffered the collapse of its landing gear at Duxford,
Cambridgeshire, UK. The pilot was not injured, and the airplane
appears to be repairable.
-
3 June: A
Yakovlev Yak-52TW, N916BM, and
a Nanchang CJ-6A, N427KC,
collided on the ground in Torrance, California, USA, doing unknown
damage to both airplanes. Neither pilot involved was injured.
-
9 June: A lawsuit has
been filed by the families of three passengers who died in the crash
of the foundation's B-17 bomber, "909," in October 2019. [More
information>>]
-
12 June: An
Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper made an
emergency landing on an interstate highway near Pottsville,
Pennsylvania, USA, after reportedly running out of fuel. The
aircraft was not damaged, and the pilot was not injured. [Local
news report>>]
July 2020:
-
4 July: A
Stampe et Vertongen SV.4 biplane, F-PTTL, crashed in a wheat
field in La Petite-Robinière in Marcé, France, during aerobatic
training. Once occupant was killed, and the other in in serious
condition. [News
link>>]
-
22 July: A
Boeing N2S-3 Stearman,
N2158P (s/n 75-6861), suffered a loss of engine power and made a forced-landing in
a pipeline clearing near Jacksonville, Arkansas, USA. The pilot
received only minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially
damaged. [Local
news link>>]
-
26 July: A 1943
Boeing A75 Stearman, N1771B,
(s/n 75-5644) ended up on its back after landing in Morbihan,
France. Neither occupant was injured. The aircraft was moderately
damaged. [News
link>>]
August 2020:
-
4 August: A
Hawker T.20 Sea Fury, G-INVN
(WG655)
("Invincible"), made a forced landing in a field near
Harston,
Cambridgeshire, UK, after an apparent engine failure. The aircraft
came to rest in several pieces. The pilot and
passenger sustained minor injuries. [News
link>>]
-
13 August: A 1941
Boeing A75N1 Stearman, F-AZLN
(s/n 41-8584) was substantially damaged during a landing in
Rieschweiler-Mühlbach, Germany, coming to rest inverted. The pilot
was not injured. [News
link>>]
-
16 August: A 1943
Ryan ST-3KR, N62130,
experienced a loss of directional control during land in Port
Townsend, Washington, USA. The aircraft was substantially damaged,
but the pilot was not injured.
-
24 August: A
Northrop F-5E Tiger II, N926TA (s/n 75-0493), operated by a
private defense contractor, made a gear-up landing at Stead Airport,
Reno, Nevada, USA. The aircraft sustained unknown damage, but the
pilot was not injured.
-
25 August: The Imperial
War Museum and The Fighter Collection have announced that the
incomparable
Flying
Legends Air Show will no longer be held at Duxford, UK, due
to financial stress from the global "pandemic." The organizers are
working to relocate the show, but have not yet announced a new
location.
-
27 August: A 1940
deHavilland DH.82A Tiger Moth,
N113DH, and a 1952
deHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk, N915WP, were substantially damaged
by Hurricane Laura as it swept through Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA.
[News
Link>>]
-
29 August: A
Grumman F8F Bearcat, N68RW
struck a fire bottle on the ground at Wheeler AAF, Wahiawa, Hawaii,
USA, causing part of the propeller to separate and strike a nearby
North American T-6G Texan,
N2983. Neither pilot was injured. The aircraft were participating in
WWII 75th anniversary celebrations. [Link
to 75th anniversary event story>>]
-
30 August: A 1963
Fouga CM170 Magister, OH-FMM
(c/n FM-51), made a gear-up landing in Rissala, Siilinjärvi,
Finland, after the pilot could not extend the landing gear. Neither
occupant was injured. The airplane suffered minor damage. [Local
news link>>]
September
2020:
-
4 September: The US
Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a $247,000 civil fine
against the
Collings Foundation for conducting commercial flights in a P-51
Mustang that they claim was not licensed appropriately. The aircraft
was reported to be licensed in the "Limited" category, which
disallows commercial flights without a waiver. [More
information>>]
-
5 September: A1940
Boeing N2S-1 Stearman, N373VU
(s/n 75-970), crashed into wooded terrain after a loss of engine
power near Henderson, Texas. The pilot and passenger sustained non
life-threatening injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. [News
link>>]
-
17 September: A
deHavilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk, D-ELLY, crashed shortly after
takeoff near Paulinenaue, Germany. The pilot was killed and the
passenger was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. [News
link>>]
-
19 September: A 1944
North American B-25J Mitchell
N7946C (s/n 44-28938) ("Old Glory"), made a forced landing in a
field near Stockton, California, USA and reportedly struck an
irrigation ditch.
Three crewmembers were taken to the hospital with injuries. The
aircraft is intact but substantially damaged. At least one engine
was ripped from the airplane. [News
link>>]
-
21 September: A 1943
Boeing E75 Stearman, N1524M
(s/n 75-8060), made a forced landing into wooded terrain near Honea
Path, South Carolina, USA, following a loss of engine power. The
pilot and passenger were injured, and the aircraft was substantially
damaged. [News
link>>]
-
22 September: A
Canadair CT-133 SilverStar Mk.3,
N133HH, suffered substantial damage after a hard landing in gusty
winds at Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA. Neither occupant was injured.
October 2020:
-
10 October: A
Nanchang CJ-6, C-FTCJ, made an
intentional gear-up landing at Victoria BC, Canada, after the pilot
reported the landing gear would not come down. The aircraft
sustained relatively minor damage, and the pilot was not injured. [News
link>>]
-
11 October: A 1949
North American T-6G Texan,
N821DS, made a belly landing in Mesa, Arizona, USA, after the pilot
reported a hydraulic problem. The aircraft suffered some minor
damage, but the two pilots on board were not injured. [News
link, with video of the incident>>]
-
13 October: A
deHavilland DH.82 Tiger Moth,
OH-XLA (c/n 85167), ended up on its back after a landing accident in
Nurmijärvi,
Finland. The aircraft was substantially damaged, but the two
occupants were not seriously injured. [Local
news>>]
-
18 October: A 1982
Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros,
N699BA, made a gear-up landing in Montgomery, New York, USA. The
aircraft sustained moderate damage, but neither occupant was
injured.
November 2020:
-
8 November: Prominent
warbird pilot, restorer and owner of
Ezell
Aviation Nelson Ezell passed away. In the business since 1986,
Nelson and his talented company were responsible for many exemplary
aircraft restorations over the years, including Corsairs, Sea
Furies, Mustangs, Bearcats, Lightnings, and more. In 2015, he was
inducted into the EAA Warbirds of America Hall of Fame. In 2017, he
was seriously injured in the crash of a Sea Fury.
-
28 November: A 1936
Ryan PT-20 (ST-A), N14984,
suffered a propeller-strike during a landing in Modesto, California,
USA. Damage to the aircraft appeared to be minimal.
December 2020:
February 2021:
-
2 February: An
Aeronca 65-TC Defender, N27336,
made a runways excursion after landing in Barstow, Oklahoma, USA.
The aircraft was not damaged and the pilot was not injured.
-
12 February: A
Boeing B75 Stearman, N1450HP,
suffered an engine failure while performing aerobatics, and the
pilot performed an emergency landing in the desert near Gold Canyon,
Arizona, USA. The pilot was not injured, and the aircraft was not
damaged.
-
15 February: A
North American SNJ-6 Texan,
N452WQ, experienced a ground loop and runway excursion after landing
in Kissimmee, Florida, USA. The aircraft suffered minor damage, but
neither of the pilots was injured.
-
22 February: A 1942
North American AT-6C Texan,
N42GK, suffered the collapse of its landing gear while taxiing at
Pompano Beach, Florida, USA. Neither the pilot nor the passenger
were injured. [Local
news link, with several errors>>]
-
23 February: The Flying
Leatherneck Museum, a collection of military aircraft located at
MCAS Miramar in California, has announced that it is closing soon.
The museum director gave "finances" as the reason for the closure.
It is not known what will happen to the collection. [News
link >>]
-
25 February: A
Dassault Mirage F1B, N601AX, operated by defense contractor
Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), was reported to have had
a landing gear issue that resulted in a belly landing at Tyndall
AFB, Florida, USA. During the incident, one pilot ejected and the
other remained with the airplane -- both survived, but are reported
to have been injured. The aircraft was seen on a tracking website to
have taken off, then spent some time circling over the Gulf of
Mexico before returning to base, implying a possible landing gear
anomaly. [Article
at "The Drive" site >>]
-
28 February: An Aero
Vodochody L-39C Albatros, N43722, made a gear-up landing at St.
Petersburg, Florida, USA. Neither occupant of the airplane were
injured. The aircraft sustained moderate damage.
March 2021:
-
5 March: An
Aermacchi MB-326M (Atlas Impala
Mk II), N155TP, operated by the National Test Pilot School,
crashed into open desert near Edwards AFB, California. The two
pilots successfully ejected.
-
17 March: General Des
Barker, a test pilot, prolific safety advisor, and author of two
influential books about airshow/display flying safety, died along
with another pilot in the crash of a rare
Patchen Explorer near Swartkop Air Force Base, South Africa. The
aircraft was operated by the South African Air Force Museum. Both
pilots were highly experienced. Among other works, Barker wrote
"Zero Error Margin" in 2003, by far the most comprehensive
written examination of high-performance display flying in existence.
His newest book was "Anatomy of Airshow Accidents." [News
link>>] [Ed. Note: General Barker's influence in the
airshow community was huge, and he will be missed. Our condolences
to his family, friends and associates.]
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