Biplane crash at Thunder Over Solano Airshow

[Randy Haskin]

Eddie did survive the crash only to die in the fire that started after the aircraft came to rest. I watched from the wing of the Harpoon where I had a clear view of the crash and the fire station.

What did you see specifically that leads you to say that?

[jtramo]

Without going into details there was unpublished evidence I heard of first hand. Horrible and hopefuy something good like future regulation comes out of this. Having the drive equipment through the crowd is a horrible failure of planning and execution.

[Warbirdnerd]

NTSB Preliminary Report:

A preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board describes the fatal crash that occurred during a recent air show at Travis Air Force Base but does not yet include a suspected cause of the crash.

Edward "Eddie" Andreini, 77, was killed in the 1944 Super Stearman biplane he was flying May 4 during the "Thunder Over Solano" air show at Travis.

The NTSB reported that the Boeing E75 Stearman, N68828, was destroyed when it impacted runway 21R. According to the report Andreini flew two flight demonstration airplanes at the event, a North American P-51, and the accident airplane and that all his flights preceding the accident flight were uneventful.

"The accident occurred during a "ribbon-cut maneuver," whereby a ribbon was suspended transversely across the runway, between two poles held by ground crew personnel, and situated about 20 feet above the runway," the report noted. "The planned maneuver consisted of a total of three passes. The first two passes were to be conducted with the airplane upright, and were not planned to contact the ribbon. The final pass was to be conducted inverted, and the airplane would cut the ribbon with its vertical stabilizer.

"The first two passes were successful, but on the third (inverted, ribbon-cut) pass, the airplane was too high, and did not cut the ribbon. The pilot came around for a fourth pass, and rolled the airplane inverted after aligning with the runway. The airplane contacted the runway prior to reaching the ribbon, slid inverted between the ground crew personnel holding the poles, and came to a stop a few hundred feet beyond them."

Additionally, a review of image and ground scar data indicated that the airplane first contacted the runway with its right wing, followed by the tail, the left wing, and then the propeller. Also, the slash marks described an arc, which curved to the left, and which resulted in the airplane coming to rest near the left (southwest) edge of the runway, on a magnetic heading of about 140 degrees. The airplane slid a total distance of about 740 feet, according to the safety board.

There was speculation by spectators that it took too long for fire crews to arrive on scene of the fiery crash, however, the NTSB reported that a review of photographs and video footage indicated that the United State Air Force rescue and firefighting vehicles and personnel arrived at the airplane about 3 to 4 minutes after the accident, and extinguished the fire.

The report noted that a fire became visible just before the airplane came to a stop, and that the fire patterns were consistent with a pool fire of spilled fuel. Within about 50 seconds, the fire encompassed most of the right (downwind) side of the airplane.

Also, a preliminary examination of the wreckage indicated that most of the fabric covering on the fuselage was damaged or consumed by fire.

"The right wing and cockpit furnishings were almost completely consumed by fire, as were some of the aluminum flight control tubes," the safety board reported. The left wing and rudder /vertical stabilizer sustained impact deformation, but the cockpit occupiable volume was not compromised by deformation of any surrounding structure.

Questions have also been raised if the windy conditions played a part in the crash. NTSB would not confirm if the weather impacted the pilots flight, but reported that the SUU 1358 automated weather observation included wind from 240 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 21, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 18,000 feet, temperature 22 degrees C, dew point 12 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.99 inches of mercury.

According to FAA information, the pilot held single- and multi-engine airplane, and instrument airplane ratings, and was authorized to fly several experimental airplanes. His most recent FAA second class medical certificate was issued in June 2013.

Andreini , who had been flying since he was 16 years old, had more than 30 years experience in air shows, according to his website http://www.eddieandreiniairshows.com. He accumulated more than 6,000 hours flight time in a variety of diversified aircraft and was a commercial instrument rated pilot and possessed an FAA aerobatic Ground-Level Waiver.

A full report is expected to be released by the NTSB in nine months.

Found it here:
http://www.thereporter.com/breakingnews ... lane-crash

[CoastieJohn]

.....and personnel arrived at the airplane about 3 to 4 minutes after the accident, and extinguished the fire.

Strictly addressing timing....as I recall from my CG aviation firefighting testing, I believe it was respond within 1 minute and be on scene within 3 minutes. Again, I'd have to look in my notes but those times are what come to mind when we were tested on it.

[Matt Gunsch]

.....and personnel arrived at the airplane about 3 to 4 minutes after the accident, and extinguished the fire.

Strictly addressing timing....as I recall from my CG aviation firefighting testing, I believe it was respond within 1 minute and be on scene within 3 minutes. Again, I'd have to look in my notes but those times are what come to mind when we were tested on it.

There is a difference between sitting in the station and getting a alarm vs being at a airshow. At Oshkosh during the show, the fire equipment is manned and ready to respond as soon as something goes wrong. Look at how long it took them to get water onto the Corsair after it hit Howard and broke apart.

The fire Dept at the base screwed up big time. They should have been forward of the crowd line and ready to roll anytime there was a plane in the air.

[over/out]

Very sad situation, I've seen him preform before. If the fire Dept. was not in in wrong, let's see where they set up in the next show.

[marine air]

700 plus feet is a long way to slide. I've watched Supercubs and Maules land with straight floats on the turf, and they only slide a 100' or so. THe gentleman seemed to be doing everything possible to make it through the crash.
Sadly, this reminds me of the HUGhes crash with the 600 hp. Super Stearman, except he had a wingwalker aboard.

[TAdan]

A nice salute to Mr. Andreini.

Video of Missing Man formation Via Warbird News.

http://vimeo.com/95244343

[oscardeuce]

Eddie did survive the crash only to die in the fire that started after the aircraft came to rest. I watched from the wing of the Harpoon where I had a clear view of the crash and the fire station.

What did you see specifically that leads you to say that?

Yes, please explain the evidence.

This is enough of a tragedy without posts like that.
If you have data, do not just troll, present the data so we may all learn.

[Punisher05]

Easy gents...I've never met him, but Taigh is the last person I'd worry about trolling or mud slinging.

We have a tragic accident combined with some elements of poor planning and execution. Evidence, and the analysis of such, is welcome but let's remember we all want the same thing: to prevent it from happening again.

-Brandon

[51fixer]

A product of this tragedy is the application of placement and readiness of crash response equipment at current and future shows.
For those in the industry this was not how it is supposed to work and it is now a hot topic when attending and performing at shows.
FWIW I will take Taigh's input at face value any day of the week.

[Redtracer]

Eddie did survive the crash only to die in the fire that started after the aircraft came to rest. I watched from the wing of the Harpoon where I had a clear view of the crash and the fire station.

What did you see specifically that leads you to say that?

Yes, please explain the evidence.

This is enough of a tragedy without posts like that.
If you have data, do not just troll, present the data so we may all learn.

So we may all learn? Learn what? Every horibble detail of Eddie's crash? Not posting every horrible detail is hardly trolling. FWIW, I witnessed Eddie's crash and the ensuing emergency responce and am privey to first hand information. Taigh's statement of Eddie surviving the crash is correct.

Fire suppression did not happen in time.

You can't have your cake and eat it too, by saying, you shouldn't post that, now tell me what you know!

[51fixer]

It appears the cockpit area was intact after the slide.

So why wouldn't he have survived the landing?

If he survived the landing he didn't survive the fire.

That is based on the evidence seen and expressed in the news report of info from the NTSB Prelim.

There will always be people in the know who are close to family and friends and its a small world in most regions.
If they know some or all the details and try to express factual info to inform on safety or rebut false or misleading info we are better off for it.
That doesn't mean they need to spill their guts about all the horrible details nor do we have a right to demand they do.
If you don't want to believe what he said, don't. If you can add to the conversation to improve safety or rebut false info join in.

Many in the Warbird and Airshow world are hit hard by this. Losing a friend and associate is hard. Having it happen this way is tough to accept.

[Redtracer]

Well said Rich. Thank you.

I'm sure all will come out in time.

[Badman]

I've been wondering if he survived the crash, did the canopy play a part in his inability to get out? Would've he had an easier time if it were a standard open cockpit Stearman?