Posted on 07/28/2007 12:26:38 PM PDT by 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.
I join in your prayer for Jim’s loved ones!
prayers up for the grieving.
ping
Carolyn
**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.**
That is possibly the primary cause of the accident. #1’s bigger fan acting as a bigger brake (should both a/c reduced power at the same time). I think the speed difference (that wita mentioned) could be from the different fans.
The rt wing appeared to have possibly struck #1’s lt elev/stab, causing yaw to the right, then the prop striking the fuselage. The cw rotating prop’s brief dig into the lead a/c caused even more rt yaw pulling the lt wing (full flaps)up fully into clean air, the rt wing back into dirty air. I don’t think any pilot in that situation could have brought that rt wing back up in time to save it it, imho.
I also think that Mr. Beck made a valiant, last second effort just before the prop strike, simultaniously adding power and elevator, trying to get off his buddy’s back.
I’ve probably got the physics all wrong. It’s really beside the point; I’m just sad that someone perished.
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