Warbird Information Exchange

This is from today's Orlando Sentinel:

POLK COUNTY -- A single-engine plane crashed Monday afternoon in a remote area southeast of Haines City near Lake Hatchineha at the Osceola County line, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

Investigators knew little about the crash, reported about 4:20 p.m. off Firetower Road near County Road 542, but said at least two people died. The crash site was about four miles from a main road, so authorities were using bulldozers to clear the search area.

According to WESH-Channel 2, the 1959 aircraft is registered to the Kissimmee-based Warbird Adventures. The company offers teaching flights on World War II-era planes. The Sheriff's Office said the aircraft was a yellow military training plane.

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http://floridawarbirds.wordpress.com/

Updated twice a week!!

Lets hope Chuck is ok.

But our thoughtsare with the WBA and families, they lost someone very close to them. My prayers go out to them.

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www.tailhookstudio.com

Another AP report on the crash:

LAKE HAMILTON, Fla. -- Two people were killed Monday when a World War II-era airplane crashed in heavy woods in central Florida.

Polk County Sheriff Grady said the plane was a bright yellow SNJ Grummond military trainer.

"The plane appeared to have crashed at a very steep angle," said Judd. He said the impact left a crater.

Judd said investigators were notifying next of kin Monday night and would not release the names of the dead until Tuesday.

The plane had taken off from the municipal airport at Kissimmee, but Judd would not confirm that it was based there. The airport is home to several vintage "warbirds."

Judd said the heavy vegetation made it difficult to get to the crash site.

"It is old Florida country back there," he told The Ledger, of Lakeland. "There's a lot of pines and palmettos and oaks. The woods are very thick."

Lake Hamilton is about 35 miles south of Orlando and 22 miles south of Kissimmee.

Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were expected on the scene Tuesday.

I hope Chuck is OK as well. It would be very sad to loose another member of the WIX (thinking back to Mick). However if Chuck is fine that still means the loss of two individuals. It must be very rough of the families of the two people, whoever they are. I wish them the best in dealing with their grief.

Mike

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Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

Oh man, this sucks.

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Rob Mears
'Surviving Corsairs' Historian
robcmears@yahoo.com
http://www.robmears.com

Chuck is fine, I just talked with him. no details right now. will have to wait for the investigation to be completed.

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FLY SAFE--FLY FAST
F4U Corsair Historian
Mint Moore III

Very glad to hear Chuck is ok. My thoughts & prayers go out to those involved in, & affected by this tragic event. Times like this I really just don't know what the h*ll to say.
Robbie

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Fly Fast Make Noise!

By Amy L. Edwards | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted May 10, 2005, 2:23 PM EDT


Investigators confirmed today that a Warbird Adventures pilot and his passenger, an Oklahoma pilot receiving instructional lessons, were killed Monday when their plane crashed in a remote area southeast of Haines City near the Osceola County line.

Pilot Jonathon Hedgecock of Kissimmee and Jim Kern of Oklahoma were killed in the crash that occurred about 4:20 p.m., according to a Polk County Sheriff's Office report.

Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board arrived at the site this morning and will determine what caused the World War II-era SNJ-6 to crash. The plane took off from the Kissimmee Gateway Airport

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Eric

"I spent most of my money on alcohol, women and skyraiders....and the rest of it I just wasted."

Lets hope that the rumor mill keeps out of this.
Stoney

Amen on the rumor mill! Just hope for safety sake a cause can be determined.
Robbie

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Fly Fast Make Noise!

My thoughts & prayers go out to those involved also. I was at Stallion 51 last Monday and watched it taxi in and out for there flights.


Lynn

I just watched the news here in Florida, they released the names of the pilots, John Hedgecock and Jim Curn. Please pray for their friends and family!

That's very sad.

I didnt recognize the model so it took me a minute.

As listed in the Preliminary Acccident Listing:

IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 453WA Make/Model: SS2P Description: S-2 AG COMMANDER, THRUSH COMMANDER
Date: 05/09/2005 Time: 2017

Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
City: BARTOW State: FL Country: US

DESCRIPTION
ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. THE TWO POB ARE REPORTED FATAL
AND THE ACFT IS REPORTED DESTROYED. BARTOW, FL

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 2
# Crew: 2 Fat: 2 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

WEATHER: METAR KBOW 091950Z VRB05KT 12SM FEW065 28/11 A3002

OTHER DATA
Activity: Training Phase: Unknown Operation: General Aviation

Departed: ISM Dep Date: 05/09/2005 Dep. Time: 2000
Destination: ISM Flt Plan: NONE Wx Briefing: N
Last Radio Cont: NONE
Last Clearance: VFR

FAA FSDO: ORLANDO, FL (SO15) Entry date: 05/10/2005

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N453WA is Assigned


Assigned/Registered Aircraft

Aircraft Description

Serial Number 121-42823 Type Registration Corporation
Manufacturer Name NORTH AMERICAN Certificate Issue Date 11/13/2000
Model SNJ-6 Status Valid
Type Aircraft Fixed Wing Single-Engine Type Engine Reciprocating
Pending Number Change None Dealer No
Date Change Authorized None Mode S Code 51277466
MFR Year 1959 Fractional Owner NO


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Registered Owner

Name WARBIRD ADVENTURES INC
Street 233 N HOAGLAND BLVD
City KISSIMMEE State FLORIDA Zip Code 34741-4531
County OSCEOLA
Country UNITED STATES


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Airworthiness



Engine Manufacturer P&W Classification Standard
Engine Model R1340 SERIES Category
A/W Date 05/05/1959

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"Hindsight is usually 20% off!"

That was the first aircraft I ever flew... N453WA was #3, with the dark green fuselage and yellow wings and tail unit. Took a flight in her in Jan 04, best 15 minutes of my life to that point.

My heart goes out to the staff at Warbird Adventures, as I know they've been through a LOT in the last year... but I'm not ashamed to say that the loss of that particular plane is bitter, bitter news to me. Nothing in comparison to the lost lives, of course, but still...

Godspeed, gentlemen.

Lynn

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Wisdom, courtesy of shrike: "In aviation, as well as marriage, it's often just as important to be seen to be doing something as is to do it properly in the first place."