Wahpeton man killed after planes collide at air show

The Forum ^ | July 28, 2007 | Kim Winnegge

[trussell]

Wahpeton man killed after planes collide at air show Kim Winnegge, The Forum Published Saturday, July 28, 2007

A Wahpeton, N.D., man died Friday after performing in a Wisconsin air show.

Gerald Beck, 58, died after the plane he was flying collided with one flown by Casey Odegaard, 24, of Kindred.

The men each were flying P-51 Mustangs, single-seat fighters used during World War II, at the experimental air show in Osh Kosh, Wis., officials said.

Dick Knapinski, Experimental Aircraft Association spokesman, identified the deceased pilot as Beck. He said Odegaard was able to climb out of his plane after the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the collision with the two P-51 Mustangs happened at 3:17 p.m. after the planes finished a performance at the annual EAA AirVenture show.

RELATED CONTENT Kim Winnegge Archive FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board investigators were on the scene Friday.

NTSB spokesman Ted Lopatkiewicz said the accident occurred when the planes clipped wings on landing. He said an NTSB investigator on the scene scheduled a news briefing for 4 p.m. today at the Wittman Regional Airport terminal.

On Monday, a veteran pilot trying to break a speed record en route to Oshkosh was killed when his small, experimental plane crashed into an apartment building and playground in Switzerland.

The pilot, identified as Hans Georg Schmid, a former Swissair pilot, had been trying to break a world record for a solo single-engine flight. He had planned to fly more than 4,970 miles with a C1-D class of plane, aiming to reach his destination in 30 hours.

The annual convention is considered one of the world's largest gatherings of recreational aviators. It draws more than 600,000 people and 10,000 planes from around the world. The weeklong event ends Sunday.

Read more Sunday in The Forum.

[EGPWS]

He would be the first guy I’d call if the lottery fairy drops a P-51 in my lap.

PSSST, ad, the lottery fairy doesn't tote Mustangs in her bag, only money....

The rest is up to the recipient of it and I doubt the recipient could handle a Mustang without previous experience. ; )

[painter]

OH Man!, I feel bad for you.:( Prayers for the pilots involved.

[agent_delta]

Don’t you worry you pretty little head about me.

winkwink

[raygun]

First Officer Diana Hutchinson Smith (ATA) said that she had an intense dislike for the propensity of the P-51 to stall. She flew 56 different kinds of planes. In delivering many hundreds of aircraft she never bent or broke one, but came very close to it with the Mustang on several occassions. She said that she only flew about a dozen before opting out. She nevertheless studied the White Book thoroughly to become aware of any flight peculiarities.

What roll impetus is imparted due to engine torque of an Allison or Merlin that's spooling up? Does this excacerbate the inherent snap roll of a P-51 in the "stall" envelope?

One thing that is clear is that the P-51 is quite aptly named in its flight handling characteristics. My understanding is that the Allision powered planes actually were a joy to fly. Its when they put the Merlin into it that it became a bronco.

"I respected the P-51D but cannot say I loved it. Remember, I am talking about a fully armed combat aircraft in fighting trim. I made a few flights when I did not take-off with a full load of fuel and ammunition. We always took off on the main fuselage tank (right behind the cockpit) and tried to retain the remainder of that tank to come home and land on. So we always, or almost always, had a half of a tank of fuel sloshing around unpleasantly during combat. A pilot who had not developed the techniques to allow for this could get in serious difficulties during violent manoeuvres such as occured during during low-level bombing and strafing attacks. One of the endearing qualities of the Curtis P-40 was its unfailing habit of shaking the stick at the edge of a stall. The Mustang usually let you know that it had had run out of flying speed by doing a violent snap roll - I never learned to appreciate that characteristic! [Gee, wonder why?] On the other hand the P-51D was easy to fly (perhaps too easy since it tended to make the novice over confident) and its comfortable ride was much appreciated during those long 7 and 7 1/2 hour flights. - Col. Jesse Thompson (55^th F.G.)

My understanding is that by spring of 1942, all the distinguished test pilots of the day that had flown the plane in the U.K. are on record with their impression at the Mustang's handling & performance. For a fighter it was remarkably docile with rather light control forces. The overwhelming complaint being that aileron response was rather weak.

The pilot was robbed of almost everything once he did a pole-plant with the right wing tip.

In my mind the pilot stalled the bird with an angle of attack >50^o AOA after either he or the other plane ran into each other; that is the one below during approach moved left, or he (above) moved right. Is that a downdraft or cross-wind? P-51's are notorious for stalling on downdraughts.

As far as "goosing" anything, that's almost always a really really bad idea. One never gooses an F-50, or a F1 200x (either into or out of the turn). When one is making dilute sulfuric acid, one never dumps the total amount of reagent into the diluting quantity of water in an instant.

Look, what's THE number one rule for stalls during approach? In my F-16, everytime I get into trouble during final I drop the nose, kick up the trottle to AB and pull the gear (in that sequence). Then I deal with roll via rudder, and bank is counterd via aileron. Dropping the nose on approach is probably one of THE most difficult things one can try to do. All I know is that the plane does not fly without airspeed and I need airspeed.

That being said and notwithstanding, prayers throneward for the ministry of the Comforter for those who love the pilots that still have to slog through this thing that we call "life"; we ALL get through it one way or another.

[EGPWS]

If you want to see a BUNCH of them in one place...

I don't know what I would do with myself for I have never, ever been close to a Mustang and of course have NEVER been in one so to save my heart from aggravation I'll have to pass on your invitation.

It's the "ticker" concerns dontchya' know. ; )

[agent_delta]

I understand.

I’m lucky enough to be knee deep in them several weekends per year.

[EGPWS]

Its when they put the Merlin into it that it became a bronco.

Without the Merlin the Mustang was nothing.

The laminar wing augmented by the Merlin engine is what made Goring(sp) to profess the war is lost for Germany when the Mustang was flying over Berlin.

[agent_delta]

Just to torture you.

[EGPWS]

I’m lucky enough to be knee deep in them several weekends per year.

I can tell. ; )

[EGPWS]

Reminds me of at least 100 35mm pictures that I have of the same.

Life has been good.

[agent_delta]

So .. you fib.

[higgmeister]

Condolences for the loss of your Warbird friend.

They serve a noble cause keeping valuable memories alive.

One article said they clipped wings on landing.

[U S Army EOD]

So do the insurance rates.

[EGPWS]

So .. you fib.

You found me out.

Well on to my next evil endeavor...

; )

[U S Army EOD]

Sorry to hear about your friends.

[Abigail Adams]

May God be with you, and with all his loved ones.

[Abigail Adams]

Oh no, not another one! Maybe these things happen in 3s?

[Abigail Adams]

Wow, that is amazing video, and so sad. I will share it with hubby, who is in the air right now flying back from the show.

[wita]

No runway is built to cater to such a dual landing anywhere under civil regulation.

That isn’t exactly the point here. Runways are really wide for a lot of reasons. One of the aircraft was in a no win position, and the only safe exit would have been to go around early, or land passing lead on the opposite side of the runway, conditions that are normally briefed during formation flight, Under emergency conditions, nothing is out of bounds. The number two was gear and flaps down and idle from the look of the prop in the film. He had nowhere to go but strike the other aircraft or somehow keep it on his side of the centerline.

[raygun]

I don’t know if I can agree with that; if the original Allison engined P-51 lacked anything, it obtained it via the Merlin.

Nevertheless, and that notwithstanding, I’m skeptical that this thread is the forum for our disagreement (nor debate in that regard). The only thing lacking would be an old fart that showed up and could qualitatively state that they flew against the P-51.

That’s not the point of this thread (nor any of my comments such as they might foment contention).