Curtiss Jenny down in flames

[Fleet16b]

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/2-kille ... /468264185

Not good
Initial reports say both occupants have perished
The pilot is well know in vintage aircraft circles
but I am not going to post names here until there is more confirmation

Last edited by Fleet16b on Fri Nov 18, 2016 11:52 am, edited 1 time in total.

[DB2]

Very sad news. Ron Alexander confirmed as one of the two onboard.

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/EA ... 056-1.html

[Mick G]

Aren't those wings fabric covered?

[Mick G]

Aren't those wings fabric covered?

[DH82EH]

Thoughts and prayers to family and friends.
My sincere condolences.

Andy Scott

[Kyleb]

Aren't those wings fabric covered?

A Jenny is primarily wood structure, covered with fabric. Not sure if the Jenny was covered with the period appropriate dope finishing system or one of the more modern systems like Polyfiber (which Mr Alexander owned).

Just a horrible loss to the entire aviation community.

[JohnB]

Aren't those wings fabric covered?

An understatement.
The entire structure is wood, the only metal in the structure I are fuselage and wing fittings, various bits of hardware, the engine cowl and the fuel tank.

A friend had one which he sold (when he quit flying in his 80s) a couple of years back to a flying museum...I had to make sure this one wasn't his.

A terrible tragedy....my condolences to all involved.

[RandolphB]

Sad loss of life...and also a terrible loss of an outstanding aircraft. Brian K, who did much of the restoration ran an outstanding blog about every single step they went through. It reminded me of how Gary A recorded his work.

http://curtissjennyrestoration.blogspot.com/

[Mick G]

God....a small fuel leak with fabric covered wings and wooden structure in flight wouldn't give a lot time to get back in an emergency. It's easy to see how this could go bad quickly.

[Pogo]

I spend lots of time with a Jenny. This news is particularly horrific to hear. But then ... any accident with loss of life is...

[Fearless Tower]

Just a horrible loss to the entire aviation community.

Very sad indeed. Apparently the passenger (Larry Enlow) was well known in the warbird world as well as an FAA examiner for B-17 and DC-3.

[JimH]

Larry was a true friend to the warbird community. Having worked with him for the last few years, he will be sorely missed, there are some really big shoes to fill at the Orlando FSDO.

Jim

[JohnB]

God....a small fuel leak with fabric covered wings and wooden structure in flight wouldn't give a lot time to get back in an emergency. It's easy to see how this could go bad quickly.

I recall reading about a similar fatal fire in an Ercoupe.
Basically, ANY aircraft with a cowl-mounted fuel tank could have a similar occurrence...a metal structure wouldn't be much help.

[Stephan Wilkinson]

In my Falco, I was a gasoline sandwich: one tank forward of the instrument panel and above my knees, another one immediately behind the baggage area aft of the two seats.

[Flying Pencil]

my condolences, terrible.

Inflight fire?