'Hawker Hunter' crash in US.

FlyTexas · Post by **FlyTexas** » 17 Jul 2006, 04:41

:crying:

http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=87628

Brian

airboatr · Post by **airboatr** » 17 Jul 2006, 06:07

Very Sad
And ironic that a lawyer for air accidents
would die like that.

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 17 Jul 2006, 07:17

Here's the info on the aircraft, a Hunter Mk.58A, one of 3 registered in the US -

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry ... ertxt=58MX

Sad loss on all counts.

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 17 Jul 2006, 07:26

Here's a picture of the aircraft as it appeared prior to the crash -

http://www.air-and-space.com/20041031%2 ... de%20l.jpg

and what it looked like in 2003 and earlier -

http://www.air-and-space.com/20031018%2 ... ar%20l.jpg

AndyMinx · Post by **AndyMinx** » 17 Jul 2006, 07:38

Sad news indeed.
My condolences to his friends and family.

Cheers,

jonesey2k · Post by **jonesey2k** » 17 Jul 2006, 07:46

Sad loss of a great aircraft and a great pilot.

Did that AC have a bang seat fitted? If so it says something that he stayed with it to the end instead of pulling the handle over a residential area.

airboatr · Post by **airboatr** » 17 Jul 2006, 15:10

Jonesey2k
one report I heard said that the Hawker
had no ejection seat because of the clasification
once the War birds are rated for civillian use the
seat has to come out.
I can't say if that is always true, maybe someone
else may have more imput.

Hot_Charlie · Post by **Hot_Charlie** » 17 Jul 2006, 18:03

airboatr wrote:Jonesey2k
one report I heard said that the Hawker
had no ejection seat because of the clasification
once the War birds are rated for civillian use the
seat has to come out.
I can't say if that is always true, maybe someone
else may have more imput.

Sounds like a one way ticket to somewhere if you have a problem then if that's the case...

JasonK · Post by **JasonK** » 17 Jul 2006, 18:19

I was at the airshow when it happened...it was truly sad. It didnt "loop"..it was slow on the take off and it looked like he was attempting to turn for the runway..a hard turn once he found he was over houses..or so it looked.

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 17 Jul 2006, 22:42

The initial reports from people on scene in another forum was possible compressor stall on takeoff.

As for the ejection seat, unless he has the proper licenses, he has to deactivate the ejection seat as it's a Class 1 explosive and you must be licensed to handle and maintain them. Many insurance companies won't cover an aircraft with an active ejection seat becuase most of those with them are of the "cannon" type and not the "rocket" type which is considered to be an unreliable seat nowdays due to the need for constant maintenance and the fact that their performance isn't garunteed. Too many pilots were killed by those ejection seats for the insurance companies and the FAA to be comfortable with it.

I know that the F-4's that are in the civilian fleet, most of the T-38s, and several of the L-39s have active seats, but again, they're all in the hands of people who are properly certified to work on them themselves in addition to their mechanics, and they have some very expensive insurance (but since they do displays, they can afford it thankfully).