Simviation Forums

Hi all, I know this is an abrupt return to SimV, but I have some sad news to share...
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CALERA, Ala. A small plane crashed today during an air show at the Shelby County Airport, killing the three men on board.

F-A-A spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen of Atlanta said the single-engine Beech Bonanza crashed into an airport fence about one p-m- during takeoff. There was no fire.

She said the plane was not involved in air-show stunts, but was giving air tours during the show. Names of the dead are not yet released.

The Wings and Wheels air show draws as many as five-thousand to this small airport off Interstate 65 south of Birmingham.

Connie Smith, spokeswoman for the Birmingham Aero Club, said pilots affiliated with the club donate their time to give airplane rides to raise money for the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham.

She said the plane that crashed apparently just barely got airborne and went down off the end of the runway. She says those who saw the crash said the plane rose a little and went back down.

F-A-A and emergency officials got to the scene of the crash within seconds because they were already on the field for the air show.

The air show was delayed about 30 minutes and resumed with F-A-A approval after the accident.

The crash site was just barely visible from off the airport.

Federal officials began an investigation, but the cause of the crash was not immediately known.
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The scary part about this was that I was supposed to go to this airshow (I live in Birmingham), but I got grounded from it. A day later, this is what happens.

Very sad...!

It is always a worry whenever flight tours are offered to the general public at airshows, etc...
..you always put you life in someone elses hands, not knowing the history of either the aircraft, or its Pilot... ...!

...someone has lost their family/friends during an otherwise enjoyable day...

Paul.... ...!

Its me or I just began that all airshow are very dangerous? Too many accidents, Im really sorry to heard that,But someone like theFAA or any other department should cancel some acrobatic things in front of the public,If there would a show here;i would never to0ok my son to those shows,You will see that some day those act will be phohiben  

[quote]Its me or I just began that all airshow are very dangerous? Too many accidents, Im really sorry to heard that,But someone like theFAA or any other department should cancel some acrobatic things in front of the public,If there would a show here;i would never to0ok my son to those shows,You will see that some day those act will be phohiben

Absolutly Hagar.
I hate the way the media creates these type stories, this is about the 5th accident this year that they magically link to a airshow all becasue it was in the area where a airshow was taking place.

One was a couple that died in a crash ON THE WAY to a airshow, but the media made it appear that it was a airshow accident. Another was a accident that happened 20 miles from the closest airshow site, when a plane lost power and crashed killing one, he was not even going too or from the airshow but just passing by, but a airshow was scheduled that day in the area of the crash so it became a "airshow accident". The media tries their best to make people think that flying is unsafe and airshows are a dangerous activity.

Again the media makes one belive that airshows are dangerous, that the "old planes" are a hazard to be flying etc. and it makes me sick. (Alrot just proved this in his post)

What the media doens't report is the extensive security and saftey measures that take place at these events, or the fact that the FAA requires annual inspections that are more than kicking the tires, and that 99% of pilots completely check over thier aircraft before each and every flight even if they had only been on the ground a few minutes.
If we had these type saftey regulations on our cars you wouldn't see car parts lying on the side of the highway or people with unoperational lights, or bumpers held on with duct tape, or exhust pipes held on with coat hangers

You have a better chance at getting hurt at a airshow triping in a hole on the way to find a seat than any aircraft doing harm.

This is also why any aircraft accident becomes big news, becasue they  don't happen that often, car accidents happen every few seconds so no use in reporting that everyone sees it everyday.

I have been to many airshows and have never witnessed a "airshow" accident, and I won't stop going just because the media wants me to belive that I will be in danger. Sure accidents do happen, and yes sometimes with a tragic outcome, but the chances of me getting hurt are more likely going to or from a airshow than at the airshow itself.
Or my chances of winning the lottery are higher than being injured by a aircraft

Its me or I just began that all airshow are very dangerous? Too many accidents, Im really sorry to heard that,But someone like theFAA or any other department should cancel some acrobatic things in front of the public,If there would a show here;i would never to0ok my son to those shows,You will see that some day those act will be phohiben  

Alrot, you're letting the media do your thinking for you...

("Outrageous!! This should be banned!! Think of the children!! Let's see that video again...")

You should remember that the rules regarding direction of flight and distance from the crowd have gotten very strict in the US... while it is true that there seems to have been a rash of accidents this year, no spectators were injured as far as I know.

And consider this: I've attended something like thirty shows where aerobatics were being performed, and not only was I not hurt, nobody else was. There were no accidents at any of those shows. Not even a little one. Nothing.

Also, I've taken rides with complete strangers in 60-to-70-year-old biplanes and bombers, high-performance aerobatic aircraft, and a homebuilt (gasp!) that the owner didn't build (double-gasp!)... even took a brief hop in an old Enstrom helicopter at an airshow once... and here I am, alive and uninjured.

Maybe your concern is more for sparing your boy the sight of an accident, I certainly understand that, but my opinion is that the thrill of enjoying these shows is well worth the extremely remote chance that one might see an accident.
You're far more likely to see deadly crashes on the highway on any given day...

Ok If I ever had to go to one of those airshows I would like to be in those cages for shark  ;D but stronger,I think no matter the distance ,I remember the Italy catastrophe 2 plane crash directcly into the public killing 60 persons,Yeah Sean,Doug ,and Politically Incorrect are right specialy for this

Alrot, you're letting the media do your thinking for you

francly I would be very scare If I even had to take a simple passenger plane because of it(Media),but if I had a chance to travel I would do it ,after  drinking and entire bottle of tequila to deal with my scaryies ...........

[quote]francly I would be very scare If I even had to take a simple passenger plane because of it(Media),but if I had a chance to travel I would do it ,after

BettyJonesbut if I had a chance to travel I would do it ,after  drinking and entire bottle of tequila to deal with my scaryies ...........

The easiest way to get rid of your "scaries" is to take a flying lesson