Author Topic: Air show tragedy - (Read 2678 times)

RAIDER14 · « **Reply #45 on:** July 18, 2006, 04:03:56 AM »

This guy was at the Airshow and he has pictures of the Hawker Hunter

RedTopp · « **Reply #46 on:** July 18, 2006, 10:33:53 AM »

It was a tragic thing to happen. Every year I work the air show on a crash truck provided by my fire station to supplement Hillsboro Fire. I have never seen a house so demolished. There at least 4 people that were minutes if not seconds from death, including 3 children on a swing. If there is a positive in this situation, other than now civilian casualties, it was that the pilot died very quickly, although his last thoughts were probably pretty brutal. One house was completely destroyed, another pretty much gutted. The third lost a deck, and the fourth house directly next to the house that took the plane was saved due to heroic work of my fellow firefighters who worked it. They will have to do some work in the attic and some cosmetic work with smoke removal, but that house will be fixed.
The plane broke into 3 main pieces, with the cockpit landing in the middle of the house. We found the pilot underneath the flooring of the bottom level about 10 feet from his seat. It wasnt pretty, but from what we could tell he did not know anything after impact. For a while, we were concerned that we would come across the occupants, because there were 2 cars in the garage and driveway, but were relieved to hear that the owner was at a garden show and was 20 minutes from the house when it was destroyed.
For the record, as far as we are concerned, the pilot knew he was in trouble on take off. He had two options, turn back to approach on runway 30 at hillsboro, or hit the open field 30 feet or so from the house he hit. As you probably can understand, a single engine jet is a lawn dart with a bad engine, so he was trying the impossible. It was incredible that he did not kills anyone else, and for that he should be remembered as a man who did not eject to save others.

FireAce
IAFF Local 1660

deSelys · « **Reply #47 on:** July 18, 2006, 11:16:07 AM »

It's sad for the pilot but I don't think he deserve a 'hero' status because:

- he didn't choose not to eject if his plane wasn't equipped with an ejection seat (correct me of I'm wrong).

- he crashed in houses, not in an open field. It was only pure luck that nobody else was hurt/killed.

Blue Skies for him anyway.

Debonair · « **Reply #48 on:** July 18, 2006, 12:41:15 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Golfer
...I'm a cynic, a heck of a cynic...

Since you give the benefit of the doubt to guys who drive piston warbirds, I think you're more of a propulsion bigot.

RedTopp · « **Reply #49 on:** July 18, 2006, 01:01:46 PM »

The plane did have an ejection system. Of course there is no way of knowing if it was operational or not since it was an older airplane and I am sure outside of military personnel there are not many places to use for maintaining it, but all the pieces were there for its operation.

Captain Virgil Hilts · « **Reply #50 on:** July 18, 2006, 01:19:03 PM »

Thanks for posting the truth from the scene. It beats Hell out of opinions and conjecture.

AquaShrimp · « **Reply #51 on:** July 18, 2006, 01:47:59 PM »

Well, seeing as how he was a lawyer, anybody given any thought to the idea that he *aimed* for the houses?

Debonair · « **Reply #52 on:** July 18, 2006, 02:01:32 PM »

was just looking here
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/AccList.asp?month=7&year=2006
to see if there was any information from the .gov yet, of course there was not.
maybe by the end of the week
i did notice that this is the 1st reported incident in Oregon this month.
comparing this with the multiple inicidents & multiple fatalities in california & washington, one can only conclude that Oregonians are better pilots

Captain Virgil Hilts · « **Reply #53 on:** July 18, 2006, 05:15:57 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by AquaShrimp
Well, seeing as how he was a lawyer, anybody given any thought to the idea that he *aimed* for the houses?

I'm completely confused. Just what the Hell are you talking about? What the Hell is it that makes you think that he aimed for the houses because he was a lawyer? What reason could he possibly have for aiming for the houses? Maybe his firm would sue the developer for putting the houses there? What reason would anyone have for aiming for the houses, short of being a terrorist suicide pilot?

Maverick · « **Reply #54 on:** July 18, 2006, 05:25:13 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by AquaShrimp
Well, seeing as how he was a lawyer, anybody given any thought to the idea that he *aimed* for the houses?

I dislike lawyers about as much as anyone can or does. Even given that, your statement is simply astoundingly in poor taste. That's simply the nicest thing I can say about it, I had far more descriptive phrases in mind but Skuzzy would spank.

Kurt · « **Reply #55 on:** July 18, 2006, 05:26:36 PM »

Hey Skuzzy,
Is it just me or is it time to lock this one?

AquaShrimp · « **Reply #56 on:** July 18, 2006, 05:38:53 PM »

If you can't laugh at my comment, I truely feel sorry for you. Taking it a step further, you probably have high blood pressure and lots of anger from your lack of sense of humor.

Shoot, now I'm laughing picturing Captain Virgil Hilts
behind a computer, face all red, teeth clinched, shaking with anger.

ChickenHawk · « **Reply #57 on:** July 18, 2006, 06:07:29 PM »

Didn't take long for this to turn ugly did it?

For those of you who were not there, or might not know the layout, the pilot turned right after takeoff not only because that was what the traffic pattern was but if he had turned left he would have flown over the air show crowd with thousands of people closely packed and this tragedy could have turned out much worse. At this point, we don't know if the plane lost power during takeoff or when he was already in the pattern. It also appears that he was aiming for a field which he just missed by 30 feet. It all happened so fast that he had split seconds to make any decisions and I tend to think he did the best he could given the situation.

I was at the air show that day but left early and missed the crash by minutes. I drove right by the spot he crashed right before it happened. Haven't stopped thinking about it since.

For those who think this gentleman was just a lawyer, here's a quick bio on his life as a pilot.

PILOT EXPERIENCE

Ratings:
•Commercial rating
•Instrument rating
• He is the only FAA Authorized Instructor for the Hawker Hunter swept wing, transonic jet fighter; authorized to train pilots to fly this aircraft and recommend them to the FAA; and to requalify pilots after lapse of proficiency. He is also an Authorized Instructor for the Soko Galeb, F4U Corsair, Skyraider, Sea Fury, P-51 Mustang, T-28 and Spitfire.

Hours:
•4,000 + hours since 1961
•44 years as a licensed pilot

Aviation Activities - Past and Present:
•Chairman of the Board, Classic Jet Aircraft Association (promoting private operation of surplus military jet aircraft)
•Co-founder, Warbirds of America, an international organization dedicated to the preservation of military aircraft (presently a division of the Experimental Aircraft Association)
•Chief Pilot, Vice President, Trustee, Museum of Flying, Santa Monica, California
•Founder and President, Mustang Pilot's Club, Inc.
•Vice President, Supermarine Aviation, Ltd.
•Vice President, Liberty Aero Corporation
•Vice-President of NATO Aviation
•Participant since 1970 in Reno Air Races, Unlimited Class
•Counsel to Transonic Flight Test, Ltd., operating Folland Gnat Aircraft
•Counsel to Hunter Flight Test, Ltd., operating Hawker Hunter Jet Fighter Aircraft

Aircraft currently or previously owned:
•Owner/Pilot of a Soko Galeb G-2A Jet Fighter and Hawker Hunter Mk. 58 swept-wing British Fighter
•Former owner/pilot of: racing Corsair, "Blue Max"; P-51 Mustang (2); Hawker Sea Fury; Hawker Hunter T.8C & GA-ll

Qualified as Pilot-In-Command in:
•F4U Corsair (FG-1D, F4U-4, F4U-7)
•Spitfire (Mk IX & Mk XIV)
•F8F Bearcat
•P-51 Mustang
•T-6
•T-28
•AD Skyraider
•Hawker Sea Fury
•Soko Galeb
•Hawker Hunter

http://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/attorneys/robertguilford.htm

Looks like he could have taught even Golfer a thing or two.

Captain Virgil Hilts · « **Reply #58 on:** July 18, 2006, 06:08:27 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by AquaShrimp
If you can't laugh at my comment, I truely feel sorry for you. Taking it a step further, you probably have high blood pressure and lots of anger from your lack of sense of humor.

Shoot, now I'm laughing picturing Captain Virgil Hilts
behind a computer, face all red, teeth clinched, shaking with anger.

I'm not mad. I don't like lawyers, as a rule I dislike them as much as anyone. I'm just confused, and trying to figure out what the Hell you're talking about. Completely confused. I have as sick as sense of humor as most anyone, but I just can't follow your line of "thought".

Captain Virgil Hilts · « **Reply #59 on:** July 18, 2006, 06:12:02 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by ChickenHawk
Didn't take long for this to turn ugly did it?

For those of you who were not there, or might not know the layout, the pilot turned right after takeoff not only because that was what the traffic pattern was but if he had turned left he would have flown over the air show crowd with thousands of people closely packed and this tragedy could have turned out much worse. At this point, we don't know if the plane lost power during takeoff or when he was already in the pattern. It also appears that he was aiming for a field which he just missed by 30 feet. It all happened so fast that he had split seconds to make any decisions and I tend to think he did the best he could given the situation.

I was at the air show that day but left early and missed the crash by minutes. I drove right by the spot he crashed right before it happened. Haven't stopped thinking about it since.

For those who think this gentleman was just a lawyer, here's a quick bio on his life as a pilot.

PILOT EXPERIENCE

Ratings:
•Commercial rating
•Instrument rating
• He is the only FAA Authorized Instructor for the Hawker Hunter swept wing, transonic jet fighter; authorized to train pilots to fly this aircraft and recommend them to the FAA; and to requalify pilots after lapse of proficiency. He is also an Authorized Instructor for the Soko Galeb, F4U Corsair, Skyraider, Sea Fury, P-51 Mustang, T-28 and Spitfire.

Hours:
•4,000 + hours since 1961
•44 years as a licensed pilot

Aviation Activities - Past and Present:
•Chairman of the Board, Classic Jet Aircraft Association (promoting private operation of surplus military jet aircraft)
•Co-founder, Warbirds of America, an international organization dedicated to the preservation of military aircraft (presently a division of the Experimental Aircraft Association)
•Chief Pilot, Vice President, Trustee, Museum of Flying, Santa Monica, California
•Founder and President, Mustang Pilot's Club, Inc.
•Vice President, Supermarine Aviation, Ltd.
•Vice President, Liberty Aero Corporation
•Vice-President of NATO Aviation
•Participant since 1970 in Reno Air Races, Unlimited Class
•Counsel to Transonic Flight Test, Ltd., operating Folland Gnat Aircraft
•Counsel to Hunter Flight Test, Ltd., operating Hawker Hunter Jet Fighter Aircraft

Aircraft currently or previously owned:
•Owner/Pilot of a Soko Galeb G-2A Jet Fighter and Hawker Hunter Mk. 58 swept-wing British Fighter
•Former owner/pilot of: racing Corsair, "Blue Max"; P-51 Mustang (2); Hawker Sea Fury; Hawker Hunter T.8C & GA-ll

Qualified as Pilot-In-Command in:
•F4U Corsair (FG-1D, F4U-4, F4U-7)
•Spitfire (Mk IX & Mk XIV)
•F8F Bearcat
•P-51 Mustang
•T-6
•T-28
•AD Skyraider
•Hawker Sea Fury
•Soko Galeb
•Hawker Hunter

http://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/attorneys/robertguilford.htm

Looks like he could have taught even Golfer a thing or two.

Sounds like he's as good as you could find to fly the plane in question. I have no idea what everyone is blathering about, the damned fires aren't even cold and people are trashing the guy.