...... 14) Virginia, 9th July 1966 .... Power Flying Championships .... Spot landing exercise. Jimmy Deal (contestant) and Les Miller (adjudicator) in a Super Emeraude ZS-DTZ. The exercise called for the adjudicator to close the throttle somewhere on he late downwind leg and the contestant then had to execute a glide approach and do a 'fully stalled landing' as close as he could to a line marked on the runway. I was standing on the balcony of the Durban Wings Club waiting for 'DTZ to return so that I could get in some aerobatic practice in preparation for the Aerobatic Championships due to be held the following day.
I saw Jimmy turn finals for runway 23 but because of the distance from my vantage point it was difficult to see how fast he was going or how far exactly he was from the threshold. But I could see that he was at least 30 or so feet high. The next thing the aircraft plummeted vertically down and hit the ground less than 50 metres from the threshold. The wings were level, and the nose was slightly high. A smallish cloud of dust erupted and all I heard was a dull and distant 'thuddd'. Even from where I was standing I could see the two of them still strapped into their seats with their legs dangling in 'fresh air' where once there had been floor boards.
The entire front half of the aircraft .... instrument panel, front wind screen and engine .... simply broke off and was lying on the ground! The aircraft did not skid more than 5 or so metres from the point of impact! I was at the wreck site within 2 or 3 minutes. Les Miller was still clutching his score sheet. Jimmy was a little upset he did not get a prize for the 'shortest' landing! Les Miller acknowledged that the aircraft was fully stalled when it touched down and it was a '3 pointer' ...... but Jimmy had missed the runway!
Noel
The words "cheap", "aviation" and "safe" cannot, in my opinion, be used in the same sentence; not unless you add the word "not"! ... John Howse 1947 - 2010
Saw the Extra 300 crash at Swartkop. About 30 min later I had to depart with a C185 for a paradrop overhead Swartkops. Wasn't a nice feeling.
First to arive at a Bushbaby crash right next to the N7/Melkbos crossing in CT. Both occupants still inside, but unfortunately nothing could be done.
Saw a glider not making the runway after his display at the Tzaneen airshow (about 2006). Really went in with a loud bang about 50m from me, pilot fortunately ok.
Was in the air waiting for my slot during the AAD practice when the L29 whent in. So didn't see it, but heard it.
From inside, engine failure with a C185 after takeoff from Syferfontein in 1993.
Phew let me begin, in no particulate order: as a child at the BaraG Airshow, most likely Noel's Tiger prang into the Bluegums, Nick Turvey's spin and failed recovery at Lanseria, Nick m's extra at Swarties, Karl Heintz Hirsch (?) two wheels up at Virginia (following years) and his clipping the trees and sliding 90 degrees across the runway, his last show! Charlie Rudnick, school friend and i gave him part of his instructors conversion in the SAAF, his horrible accident at Lanseria. The AN-2 just west of Rand, spun in from low alt onto a new freeway not yet open. Tried to assist but heat too great. Fatalities. A 210 at Brakpan Benoni crashed off the end of 34. Pilot, SAA skipper later died of burns. Evelyn at Margate, the Longeze at Margate, the Microlight at La Mercy, right in front of me and my wife of one week! Imp wheels up at Bloemfontein. Various other wheels ups. The P51 at Reno, the most horrific. Ended up covered in all kind of indescribable 'bits'!!! There may be more, memory going. in all if these, there was a season to be learnt. I have taken a bit from each one and hopefully become a better driver as a result. Just sorry for those who perished whilst I learned!
Parraglider wrote:saw a c172 go in at uncle charlies round 1970, 4 fatal, was the hero of the day cause i saw it happen.....then the tri-lander at Lanseria, then one i witnessed from inside as i was PIC in SZ-LGE, wo, no injuries......never put me off flying, although i had some recurring nightmares for a few months about the LGE prang....
Did you not have another one recently?? .........................one that nearly killed you!
Whirly.
that was not in an aircraft or chopper! although i was airborne....
O ja, I witnessed that one. Still think you are very lucky
When I read this initial post I thought "umm do I really want to contribute?”, and then I saw some popular names contributing... I thought - "good, the message hits home” and perhaps in some cases closure... As has been pointed out numerous times it does make one think, as there are times when you are a little in it and those prangs come back to haunt your thoughts… calms one down quickly, “straighten up and fly right!”
I saw the horrible imp crash at Lanseria, the next demo was the Mirage F1 and the pilot appeared very angry and moved (obviously) by the imp going in but I thought he flew one heck of a almost brutal flight, he really was "turning an burning" aggressively, it was one of the saddest yet amazingly flown displays I had ever seen, the Extra and Provost at Swartkops, and at Bara, a Citabria spun in , I got there first and the sight was rather unpleasant, at the time I had about 70 hours and I recall I did not fly for some months after - about 6 months...
Saw the Impala at Lanseria, was actually about 150 m from where it crashed. The heat from that fireball still haunts us. The L29 Sasol Tiger at Vereeniging. Both of these were being viewed through the viewfinder of my camcorder. A microlight at Panorama. My one friends uncle (back in the 70's) in a home built at a farm in Walkerville, crashed after the control cables broke, not fatal but serious.
I still get jumpy when Im at an airshow and jets fly.
Please read with caution – this is extremely graphic in its content. Do not read further if you are sensitive, please go to the nest post please. I still live with it, and it makes me extra careful and grateful that fate has not hunted me yet. I do what I can to keep fate my hunter at bay, and try to learn from others, alive and departed. You can learn more from the alive, as you can ask them to repeat it verbally. I have been extremely fortunate to have been surrounded by those who have lived through some accidents and learn from them.
Pitts S1 ZS-ZAP, Lanseria (1980)- My Dad had had some involvement with Avex Air when he was involved with flying so it was natural that we landed up talking to Nick Turvey for most of the morning in the Avex courtesy tent. I was aviation mad and Dad was helping however he could. Nick kindly treated us to cokes and sandwiches, and then asked to be excused as he was due to fly. A gentleman. I watched him climb into the diminutive ZS-ZAP, and go perform his aerobatic display. His accident was a preview into my future that I was not aware of at the time. Many of my close friends today were part of his aerobatic comrades then. Also, the car Nick hit was parked next to one driven by Micheal Hesse who I was later to become best friends with at University. He was very lucky to live. I learnt that what you drink for lunch can affect your flying.
Taylorcraft BC-12 ZS-ULE, Amsterdam region (1981). The first aviation accident I became intimately involved with, was one I did not witness. In October 1981 Ivan Munn and his 12 year old daughter were killed when he flew his Taylorcraft into IMC near Ansterdam. I was aviation mad and best friends with Wayne, Ivan’s eldest son. I followed the restoration with envy. The accident killed Waynes chances of passing matric that year. It did not put me off flying at all. Ivan introduced me to EAA and I have been involved ever since.
Fairchild F24R ZS-BAH Hibberdene, 1983. This is my most memorable one, as I was a passenger. Tom Burge had kindly offered me a ride in his Cherokee ZS-FTB to EAA Margate in 1983. We flew in loose formation with Bryan Hook and Derek Goslett in Bryan’s Fairchild to Pietermaritzburg, where we stopped for fuel. The Fairchild was covered in oil. Derek made strong protests and did not wish to continue with Bryan. I was 19 Years old and very glad just to be a part of the scene, so when I was asked if I did not mind swopping, it was no big deal. I had flown with Bryan before and thought he was a truly great guy.
Bryan summed up the situation (I cannot remember the exact date, but it was a Thursday and a Public holiday) we had no tools, no hangarage and no friends to support us; but all those were available at Margate. After a lengthy run-up he took off and flew a couple of orbits, and after finding nothing wrong elected to proceed to Margate. Abeam Ixopo, the engine started running rough and then coughing. We had whisps of oil smoke in the cabin. Then the windshield started getting oil splatter. Then the engine started running intermittently, shaking like a wet dog, the windshield was now covered in oil and the cockpit smoke made our eyes water and cough.
To Bryan’s credit he kept the motor going, in fact it never stopped until he pulled power on short finals, but I am getting ahead of the story. We were furiously looking around for a place to do a forced landing. Pietermaritzburg was too far away and uphill. There was just nowhere to go, no roads, no fileds to put down on. So we kept going.
About the time that the Cherokee discovered that we were no longer on track, they came alongside and quickly understood the problems. Every now and then the oil in the cowling would erupt in a flash of fire, the light of the flames lighting up the footwell underneath the instrument panel. I opened my window to scoop in some fresh air, but all I managed to do was burn my hands as you would putting them over a chip fryer.
Bryan kept joggling the throttle and mixture to keep some power. As we lost height so the ground fell away, giving the effect of slowly loosing altitude above ground. We were by now heading direct for the sea, it’s beaches would offer a forced landing opportunity. We were both coughing and crying from the smoke, at times it was thick enough not to see the instrument panel which was close enough to touch.
As we got to the sea I miraculously saw an airfield off to our right. We had long since given up any thought of navigating as we could not see the map which was on my lap along with a handheld fire extinguisher. Bryan set up for immediate finals and we were down into this tennis court they called Hibberdene. He had just managed to get the tailwheel down when we used the last of the available overrun, and hit a rock the size of a school desk hidden in the grass. It nosed in and spun around. We were both out in a heartbeat, Bryan taking a little more time as he did shutdown checks and had to exit on my side.
The damage was a couple of wing ribs, LHS gear, cowlings, and sadly a beautiful wooden prop. The cause was later found to be the number 2 cylinder running over lean, burning a hole in the piston, which led to pressurisation of the crankcase, which blew out the oil seals, which blew the oil out everywhere else. He repaired the Fairchild and invited me to accompany him when we flew it down to Margate the following year.
Tom always laughed for years later that he had promised my Dad to take care of me, and then I promptly crashed in another aircraft!
Supermarine Spitfire Mk9 WR-RR “Evelyn”, Margate (c1984). I was spectator abeam the impact of the Spitfire “Evelyn’s” crash at Margate and took cover to avoid being hit by propeller splinters. I remember talking to Larry Barnett at length the night before.
Rutan Vari-Eze, Margate (c1985). I witnessed Gerhard Gast’s Vari-eze eat its cowling at Margate, and ran to collect the pieces off the runway.
Aircraft Type Unknown, Margate (1985?). I helped retrieve Andrew Pappa’s aircraft that went down at Margate, as well as flew out to see if we could assist a KR-2 that forced landed on the beach to the South of Margate.
Enstrom F28 Shark, Wonderboom (1990). I was first on the scene of an Enstrom crash just south of Wonderboom, with no injuries. Again it seems a case of enthusiasm exceeding ability. That same afternoon I also saw a C210 burst into flames while the engineer was doing something with the fuel selector and a lead light.
Pietenpol Aircamper, Baragwanath (1992?). I witnessed a Pietenpol Aircamper crash on take-off at Baragwanath, on a day that the cross wind was so strong even the resident Baragwanath owls were walking in fear that if they flew they would end up in Cape Town.
Fairchild F24R ZS-BAH Wonderboom 1985. I do not know how to characterise any aircraft crash, but a few will live with me forever. The same Bryan Hook in the same Fairchild, was excited at being part of a 3 ship formation at the Wonderboom Airshow which was the closing event of Pieter Cieller’s Masters Aerobatic Event. The brief was to take off from 24, left turn out and formate, which is what the other two Fairchild’s did. Bryan wanted me to take some photos of the 3 together which included the Museum’s aircraft on display for the first time, otherwise I would have been with him. Although he was the lead aircraft, he was the last to leave the ground. He carried on straight out, then began a right turn to put him on low level downwind for 24. There were no radio calls. The Fairchild did a full one turn spin before impacting the ground vertically at the threshold of 11. It was flat as far as the main spar, with the lengthy engine pushed all the way into the cabin. I remember stupidly praying that the ground had a hollow from which he could recover, or that I had not really witnessed what my eyes told me I had.
I was just 21, he was the first of MY friends to die, and in front of me. It was not an acquaintance or an elderly family relative, but one of MY friends. He and his family had been at my 21st only a couple of weeks beforehand. I took it very hard. Maybe I still do. Dave O Neill, kindly tried to console me at the airport and shield my anguish from the public. I do not remember how or with whom I got a ride home but I do remember being at the Hook home that afternoon, not sure if I was there to offer or receive sympathy. It haunts me still, we lost a good man that day. Of the four of us involved in the original accident, I am the only one alive. Derek died of natural causes, and Tom flew his Chipmunk into the ground during an impromptu aerobatic display. The devastation left by Bryan’s loss has been written about elsewhere on Avcom. But Bryan showed me that you only need enthusiasm to fly – work hard and it will happen, if it does not, you are not working hard enough.
SAAF Silver Falcon Impala (1992?) - We had just completed the Daring Dave shoot out with Snoopy at Lanseria when Charles Rudnick went in. I always remember the airshow announcer saying that “now for their final manoeuvre, one which I always consider spectacular”. The words were not out of his mouth when the wing folded in a low G manoeuver while inverted. You could see him struggle to identify what was wrong and what he should do next. It took him all of 2 seconds, but sadly it was 2 seconds he needed. He punched out but just too late. I remember when I was in the Air Force and having a discussion with someone on the accident board which suggested all he needed was another 0.5 of a second. It haunted me that his wife, and father were in the crowd. It took ages to get the spectators back behind the crowd line that day.
Pitts S-2A ZS-MRT Baragwanath (1993). Colin Brophy had found the Pomp & Jive Airforce to his liking and before we knew it, he was part of the team. He was a Supercub pilot form the Cape, who’s career in banking had mandated a transfer to the big league. He had always wanted to own a Pitts Special and bought a lovely yellow 2 seater from Dieter Ehbling who was moving onto better machinery in his quest for Unlimited Championship. These were the days when all day every Sunday, the aerobatic box at Baragwanath was occupied. The problem was that it was on the reef and to be honest, even a Pitts S-2A did not perform wonderfully 2 up. Colin was a capable pilot, but had no aerobatic experience. So Brian Zeederburg and Dieter agreed to provide him with assistance from the ground. He took off, and climbed to a decent altitude, and started his sequence.
The first inkling I got that something was wrong while attending to the braai was when Dieter’s tone in his voice shouted to Brian “what must I do he will not pull the power”. Colin had entered a stall turn a couple of miles an hour too fast (it needs only to be 3 for this to occur) and had now entered into an inverted flat spin. The rotation is very fast and almost immediately disorientating to those not used to it. The recovery is pull the power (kill the mags if you have to), let the stick go and opposite rudder until the rotation stops. He did not pull the power. We counted 14 turns prior to the engine dying and the Pitts popping out of the spin. Dieter was getting ever more frantic in his helplessness, shouting over the radio. Whether Colin finally pulled the power or the engine stopped due to fuel exhaustion (the inverted tank had a limitation) we will never know. It recovered upright in a shallow arc of a pullout.
All of us were running for crash equipment, and the most amazing thing is that we each went for something different – bolt cutters, first aid kit, fire extinguishers, crash axe, etc. – before the impact. It hit the ground south of, and slightly east of the 31 threshold at Baragwanath, about a kilometre from where were standing.
Eon de Vos along with Colin’s fiancé were the first on the scene to see what had been a handsome 31 year old, was now a grey ashen heap of flames, dismembered body parts and burnt flesh. The shoulder harness had given way and smashed his head into the instrument panel, yet his headset was still on his head although his ears had been burnt off. His left leg had been pulled off the torso but lay next to his still burning body in the cockpit. I had never witnessed someone’s soul depart, but his fiance’s did in front of us. She was too overcome to cry. We put the fires out as best as we could, but his takkie on his left leg stubbornly refused to comply. We had all had such a wonderful time only a fortnight before at his engagement party!
I made a decision to never confuse enthusiasm with ability from that day. Gravity has an unbeaten 100% success rate.
Postscript – Unless my memory has evaded me, it has been nearly 20 years since I have witnessed an accident first hand. I probably attend fewer airshows than I did then, but I can also reflect on the number of guests at my 21st who were not around to be there at my 40th. Only one had died in an aircrash, but many others had died in car accidents and from natural causes. My Dad (who is also no longer with us) was in World War II, and always had a fatalistic view on death. He had witnessed people live through unbelievable accidents, and others die for no reason. While I will not court death, it is a part of life. It would be much sadder to be old and alive but not lived a life!
AEH wrote:Please read with caution – ..........................
Fairchild F24R ZS-BAH Wonderboom 1985. I do not know how to characterise any aircraft crash, but a few will live with me forever. The same Bryan Hook in the same Fairchild, was excited at being part of a 3 ship formation at the Wonderboom Airshow which was the closing event of Pieter Cieller’s Masters Aerobatic Event. The brief was to take off from 24, left turn out and formate, which is what the other two Fairchild’s did. Bryan wanted me to take some photos of the 3 together which included the Museum’s aircraft on display for the first time, otherwise I would have been with him. Although he was the lead aircraft, he was the last to leave the ground. He carried on straight out, then began a right turn to put him on low level downwind for 24. There were no radio calls. The Fairchild did a full one turn spin before impacting the ground vertically at the threshold of 11. It was flat as far as the main spar, with the lengthy engine pushed all the way into the cabin. I remember stupidly praying that the ground had a hollow from which he could recover, or that I had not really witnessed what my eyes told me I had.
....................................!
This crash at Wonderboom claimed the life of a very dear friend of mine ... Peter Hirst (RIP)
Noel
The words "cheap", "aviation" and "safe" cannot, in my opinion, be used in the same sentence; not unless you add the word "not"! ... John Howse 1947 - 2010
But I think you've seen this already ...... (there is a comment from you right below it!)
Just normal wear and tear .... and a fair amount of overheating! The aircraft spent many hours climbing in the circuit followed by 'shock cooling' when gliding to land!
Noel
Thanks Noel! Forgotten about that already!
The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your arm.
That post was a horrible but candid read AEH, the imp crash at Lanseria was a crash that the pilot really had no control over, as with some other crashes and those are the ones that are especially tough to digest, when the pilot does nothing wrong, a technical issue can decide an unfortunate result ... that smoke in cockpit experience could have gone horribly wrong - almost did.. great that you guys made it...
Saw a Chipmunk at Tempe in 1965 go in a flat spin to the ground, burst to flames, both occupants killed. Rode there by bicycle from university to have a closer look. One could make out the two cremated bodies still in A/C. It did not put me off flying at all, although through financial restraints I only started training for PPL in 1987.
It was a Mirage F1 at AFB Hoedspruit on Airforce day 1991 during my EW operators course's Bush survival phase. We were too dirty to be allowed to attend the seremony on the base so we sat outside the base area under a tree watching this "miracle" performing his miracle in the air above the base. He disapeared from view and soon afterwards we heard what sounded like a C130 / C160 coming in to land. We were quite close to the line of flight towards the runway although we did not realise it then. We then saw the mirage coming in very low and very slow and saw the pilot eject at no more than approximately 50 feet agl. The mirage hit the ground in a ditch that ran across the flightpath just outside the concrete fence and exploded on impact. We grabbed our gear and ran to the wreck site and found the pilot to be disorientated but alive and well. The fire brigade arrived first and physically cleared a path from the fence to the site through the typical lowveld bush. We disappeared again without talking to anybody there as we were in very dirty browns and with three to four weeks worth of not shaving, "black is beautiful" and armed to the teeth with "enemy" and "friendly" weapons.
Yes, we did think we were "recces" then.....................!!!!
Was that F1AZ 221 on 5 February 1992? Brigadier General Dick Lord's Vlamgat has it as Major Leon Bath ejecting short of the runway after a bird was ingested into the engine.
.........................one that nearly killed you! 
as with some other crashes and those are the ones that are especially tough to digest, when the pilot does nothing wrong, a technical issue can decide an unfortunate result ... that smoke in cockpit experience could have gone horribly wrong - almost did.. great that you guys made it...
