CAF Air Show Galveston 1973

[bilwor]

Here is the third and last CAF Air Show I attended at Scholes Field, Galveston.

[Holedigger]

Great pics! Really brings back memories! Port Arthur, 1978, the Tora "Zero" attacking the 17 on lift off......guess a lot of the show didn't change a whole lot from field to field. Is the Cat the one they lost in the Gulf? That was a sad affair.

[bilwor]

A quote from another forum about this Catalina:

"On October 13, 1984, a PBY-6 Catalina aircraft owned by Confederate Air Force (assigned to the Lone Star Wing, Tyler Texas) crashed into Laguna Madre, near Padre Island.
7 were killed and 3 were severely injured.
A CAF AT-6 Texan was flying near the PBY-6 for an A2A photoshoot. The AT-6 pilot requested the pilot of the PBY-6 to fly closer to the water so that the AT-6 could obtain better photographs."

bill word

[Obergrafeter]

My God!!! The Germans had PT-19s!!!! Who would have known?

[Jack Cook]

A CAF AT-6 Texan was flying near the PBY-6 for an A2A photoshoot. The AT-6 pilot requested the pilot of the PBY-6 to fly closer to the water so that the AT-6 could obtain better photographs."

Is this the sorry episode when they where more people onboard that seats and the pilot or co flew it into the water in a nose down attitude and all were killed

[aerojock]

A quote from another forum about this Catalina:

"On October 13, 1984, a PBY-6 Catalina aircraft owned by Confederate Air Force (assigned to the Lone Star Wing, Tyler Texas) crashed into Laguna Madre, near Padre Island.
7 were killed and 3 were severely injured.
A CAF AT-6 Texan was flying near the PBY-6 for an A2A photoshoot. The AT-6 pilot requested the pilot of the PBY-6 to fly closer to the water so that the AT-6 could obtain better photographs."

bill word

I thought this was the PBY that crashed in about 1975 killing Dick Disney and four others.

[Jack Cook]

N16KL was the one I was thinking about.
Accident description
languages: Status: Final
Date: 13 OCT 1984
Time: 08:03
Type: Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina
Operator: Confederate Air Force
Registration: N16KL
C/n / msn: 63998
First flight:
Total airframe hrs: 6457
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92
Crew: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Passengers: Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 7
Total: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 9
Airplane damage: Destroyed
Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Port Isabel, TX (United States of America)
Phase: Maneuvering (MNV)
Nature: Photo/air-to-air
Departure airport: Harlingen-Valley International Airport, TX (HRL/KHRL), United States of America
Destination airport: Harlingen-Valley International Airport, TX (HRL/KHRL), United States of America
Narrative:
N16KL departed Harlingen for an aerial photo shoot. The mission called for a simulated water landing (an actual water landing was prohibited) by flying as close as possible to water. The co-pilot was at the controls descended to about 6 feet, then gradually reduced clearance to 6-12 inches above the water at an airspeed of 105 mph. Then the co-pilot inadvertantly allowed the plane to touch the water. On touchdown, the Catalina decelerated violently and broke up, ejecting several of the occupants and coming to rest inverted.

PROBABLE CAUSE:
clearance..misjudged..copilot/second pilot
supervision..inadequate..pilot in command
door,landing gear..overload
door,landing gear..separation
CONTRIBUTING FACTORS:
terrain condition..water,glassy
Very very sad

[Second Air Force]

I shot this photo on 12 October, 1984.


S

[bilwor]

This Catalina is N15KL not N16KL. The CAF obtained this Catalina in 1972 and it crashed in 1975 near Harlingen. The CAF obtained N16KL in 1982. My earlier post about the accident of this aircraft is incorrect.
bill word

[Steve Nelson]

Great pics..keep 'em coming!

I remember seeing many of these aircraft when I attended my first big warbird show at Selfridge Field in 1977. I was 13, and it was the first time I'd seen many of the WWII types in real life. I still have a CAF promotional book I picked up at the show, which features most of these aircraft, in the same paintjobs. I carried it around all through junior high, and nearly wore the thing out.

SN

[npatterson]

My grandfather was killed on N16KL when it crashed on 10.13.84. His name was Oliver Patterson. He had actually flown Catalina in search and rescue missions during WWII and was very excited about getting to see and fly on this aircraft. I can remember how shocked our entire family was at receiving the news of the accident and his death.

I am interested in any additional information or photos surrounding this aircrafts final flight that anyone may have available. I appreciate any direction you can offer.

[67Cougar]

I'm sorry, I don't have anything related to the flight or crash directly. I took these photos of the Cat at the Denton CAF airshow in June of 1984.

[bilwor]

The Catalina in my original post above Galveston 1973 was N15KL. It crashed Aug 18, 1975. See below:
"http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19750818-0"

Sorry, I don't have any photos of N16KL.

bill word

[npatterson]

67 cougar your pictures are great. Thank you for sharing.

[JohnB]

Clearification...

Okay, I'm bit confused.

Is the blue PBY the one lost in 1975?
The silver plane was lost in 1984?

The Blue one crashing in 1975 is not correct. The Chevrolet next to it is a 1977 model.