Red Thunder Team Yak-52 crash, pilot killed

[BK]

A Yak-52 part of the Red Thunder Demo Team crashed today at Wings Over Flagler, Palm Coast, FL. The pilot was killed, RIP.
http://flaglerlive.com/19772/wings-over ... lane-crash

[EDowning]

Did anybody actually read the linked article about this fatality? It reads like somone from Monty Python wrote it. The writer is one dumb ass SOB and the person interviewed on behalf of the airshow is a individual of questionable judgement as well. The article actually says "The show was halted soon after 4:30 p.m. Saturday. It was scheduled to run until 5 p.m." and “This show,” Mills went on, “is going on tomorrow, it’s going to be bigger than it was today, and we’re adding a special tribute that everybody wants to see."

[Kyleb]

On HLN this morning, they mentioned the accident. One of the comments was "No alcohol was involved in the crash."

I was thinking that if the anchor on HLN was involved in a car wreck, would they announce "No methamphetamine was involved in the wreck."?

The comment really annoyed me.

Last edited by Kyleb on Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Steve Nelson]

Unfortunately, that's standard cookie-cutter copy for a car wreck. "Police say no alcohol was involved in the crash" (I wrote news for radio for over 15 years.) Sounds like story was written by someone who doesn't know diddly about aviation, and just "defaulted" to the standard "transportation wreck" format.

SN

[Nathan]

Face it...the news will NEVER get anything right, particularly with aviation. Aviation used to be known to be fun to the general public. Now the news makes out scare tactics about every little thing that happens. Everything is a blame game these days...to which I dont really believe in. If something happens accidently no need to really blame anyone or fire them. IMHO. MY local airport saw a small j-a fuel leak in the farm tank from a busted valve. Someone got fired for that.


Anyhooo.....I am really bumbed about the yak crash. I have currently been talking to a few yak 52 owners in hopes to become friends and maybe help out in return for some flying time in one. Very sad day. Prayers.

[brucev]

that link above reads like a very small town newspaper item, aside from the crass quotes E.D. pointed out the editing is horrid, "the late afternoon crowd watched, agape"

what?


here you go, the Florida Highway Patrol has now confirmed alcohol was not a factor http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/27/florida.pilot.killed/index.html?hpt=T2

[Steve Nelson]

I understand the investigators noting the fact in the official report (gotta dot the i's and cross the t's) but it does seem a bit silly to put it in the news story. If the pilot HAD been drunk while performing at an airshow, now THAT would have been news. To mention that he wasn't is just sloppy journalism by a writer too lazy to do other than quote the official report.

SN

[PbyCat-Guy]

I live 5 minutes from Flagler Airport and today when I drove past, seemed as if nothing had happened, but a flight of Yaks overflew my house and they had the "missing man" formation. I'm sorry for his family.