March 2013 Spitfire replica crash.... South Aust.

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17 years 10 months

Posts: 784

The South Australian Police facebook site has posted that a spitfire has crashed in Salisbury (dont know if real or replica), with loss of Pilot.

No other details sorry..

Original post

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17 years 10 months

Posts: 784

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/pilot-killed-in-spitfire-plane-crash-at-salisbury-in-adelaides-northern-suburbs/story-e6freuy9-1226599160065

A PILOT has been killed when his World War II Spitfire plane crashed between two businesses in Adelaide's northern suburbs.

Police said the plane crashed into a fence on Frost Rd, Salisbury, just before 2pm.

It is believed the aircraft was in Adelaide for the Classic Jets airshow at Parafield Airport.

There are only two airworthy Spitfires in Australia, both of which are based in NSW.

The fence runs between two adjoining businesses, which were both closed at the time.

Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the crash to contact the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.

MORE TO COME

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12 years 1 month

Posts: 8

Reports say it was a replica.

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12 years 1 month

Posts: 8

According to reports it was VH-VSF, a Mk26 replica. It had apparently just completed a slow pass with wheels and flaps down before crashing in a near vertical nose down attitude. It was taking part in the Classic Jets airshow at Parafield Airport, just north of Adelaide, South Australia.

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20 years 7 months

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Seen in better times:

http://www.recreationalpilots.com.au/gallery/data/media/69/VHVSF131007YWTO1.jpg

:(

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18 years 8 months

Posts: 563

Very sad indeed, condolences to the family of the pilot

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18 years 10 months

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One of the witnesses (albeit a 12yo kid) said the plane barrel rolled & one of the wings failed. Crash pic shows an aircraft seemingly missing the starboard wing :(

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20 years

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Might have been a tip that came off. If it lost an entire wing, I doubt it would look so complete. Also, wintesses mean well, but very often offer accounts which do not stand up to scrutiny or the known facts.

However, a life has been lost, and our conjecture is just so much hot air. If there are issues of airframe integrity, I imagine the authorities will be on to it.

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18 years 2 months

Posts: 460

One of the witnesses (albeit a 12yo kid) said the plane barrel rolled & one of the wings failed. Crash pic shows an aircraft seemingly missing the starboard wing :(

The 'tail on' shot shows the stbd wing, and if the spectator photo of the plane in a dive, gear down, is pre impact, then it does have the wings attached.

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24 years 2 months

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The account that 'aerobatics' were involved leads one to have some sympathy with the UK LAA view that the type should not be approved for aeros here.

Sad news all the same.

Moggy

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15 years 3 months

Posts: 201

Moggy, the type is stressed the same as your RV, are RV's OK'd for aeros in the UK? The aircraft would have not been doing "Aero's" in the circuit area at Parafield. Newspaper "Aerobatics" can be anything from straight and level to 30 degree turns.
Nobody has said anything about medical problems may have contributed. Inattention or incapacity in slow flight from medical problems can have the same end result.

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15 years 2 months

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Sad news. RIP.

Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 4,796

The 'tail on' shot shows the stbd wing, and if the spectator photo of the plane in a dive, gear down, is pre impact, then it does have the wings attached.

It shows about 3ft of the starboard wing & no impact marks on the tree just behind what's left of the wing.

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20 years 11 months

Posts: 76

Airshow Safety

The account that 'aerobatics' were involved leads one to have some sympathy with the UK LAA view that the type should not be approved for aeros here.

Sad news all the same.

Moggy

Admittedly I was in the car headed for the gate, but I didn't see any Aero's as such, just some fast passes and tightish turns. From what I could see, he was on a downwind leg with gear down when he dived in.
I am just hoping this does not spark another anti airshow debate, as in 50 years of attending airshows, this is the first fatatilty I've witnessed and only the second serious, the first being Neil Williams in a Stampe at Biggin Hill in the 60s..........Digger

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12 years 5 months

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Very sad to hear about this. Condolencies to the pilot's family and friends. Please let's not speculate on what went wrong, that's for the AAIB and also to show some respect for the pilots family.

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11 years

Posts: 2

Spit

Did a drive belt.

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 16,832

Assuming that somewhat enigmatic posting is meant to suggest a drive belt failure as the cause of the accident

1) What is the source for this information?

2) How would the loss of a drive belt, and presumably of all engine power, result in a vertical descent as pictured, rather than a normal glide descent?

Moggy

Member for

11 years

Posts: 2

Spitfire

Some guy reported the engine was screaming and the prop wasn't.This happened with the replica Mustang a while back killed him also.