Gravity > airplane

[flyboy 28]

http://www.break.com/index/wingless1.html

[lilley91]

holy....!!!!

how on earth did that happen.

i sure hope that the pilot/s is okay, highly doubt it, but i stll hope

james

[beefhole]

I've heard about things like this happening (not quite this bad though)-usually related to an aluminum airframe being through too many high-stress cycles.  Terrible.

[beaky]

I'm with Crumbso. I can't ID that plane, but it sure doesn't look very aerobatic, and that pullup was rather sudden (compare it to the nice loop done earlier).
There may have been nothing at all wrong with the wings- it really looks like he just overloaded them. Remember, Va= the airspeed at which abrupt, full deflection of control surfaces "may result in structural damage".  I'll bet he was above or close to Va, and that pullup put it right outside the envelope. It can happen, even with a brand-new airplane.
And I  don't think anyone could've survived that long ride down, unfortunately.   I really hope I don't die like that; that can't be good at all. Very sad. :-/

[Chris_F]

Seeing as how both wings departed from the airplane, and did so very quickly, I don't think this was a case of slight overstress.  The guy must've really butchered that thing in order to get failure like that.  Had the stress been closer to the threshold I'd think he would've lost just one wing, since it's likely that at least one of the wings was slightly stronger than the other.  That wouldn't matter though if you leaped over the load limit like a frog on a hot skillet.

[beaky]

Seeing as how both wings departed from the airplane, and did so very quickly, I don't think this was a case of slight overstress.  The guy must've really butchered that thing in order to get failure like that.  Had the stress been closer to the threshold I'd think he would've lost just one wing, since it's likely that at least one of the wings was slightly stronger than the other.  That wouldn't matter though if you leaped over the load limit like a frog on a hot skillet.

He sort of did leap over the load limit... if I knew the airspeed I could say for sure, but he was going pretty fast, and pulled up abruptly. What the hell was he trying to do, I wonder-a square or octagon loop? It doesn't make sense. Maybe it was a control failure or something.... but it looks like he just pulled back too quickly for that airspeed.
The first loop was OK, although I doubt I'd try that in that plane (whatever it is)...

[Mobius]

Not too cool.....

[Staiduk]

I notice both wings blew directly outboard of the engine nacelles.

If I had to guess; I would say the pilot had repeatedly overstressed the wings during practice; and this performance was one repetition too many. Just a guess of course; but given that the wings blew where they did; I'd put a buck on it.

The plane appeared to hit clear; I just hope the wings didn't land on anyone.

[cspyro21]

I hope that guy survived!

[Theis]

I hope that guy survived!

Charlie, i highly doubt that he did...
It slammed into the ground like a stone!

Poor guy.. I hope he died instantly..  :-/

Poor fellow, what horror it must have been, rushing down to the ground, no wings, and just seconds left to live..  :(

Remember!


Cheers Theis

[ryan2005]

it was kind of stupid to do aerobatic manuavers in that aircraft. he simple overstressed the airframe and the wings snapped off. Hopefully others will not repeat his mistake. :-/

[beaky]

it was kind of stupid to do aerobatic manuavers in that aircraft. he simple overstressed the airframe and the wings snapped off. Hopefully others will not repeat his mistake. :-/

Not the gentlest way to put it, but... I can't say I disagree.
But don't bet on collective human stupidity being diminished by such examples. There's always an endless supply.

[Theis]

[Hagar]

It would be interesting to know the type of aircraft & the circumstances. It appears to be at an air display in Japan. I don't recognise the type of aircraft or know if it would be stressed for aerobatics. It appeared to lose both wings outboard of the engines at exactly the same moment while in straight & level flight. This is also indicated in the title of the video. I know my eyesight is not what it was but I watched it carefully several times & saw no sharp control movements.

I think it's highly unlikely that the pilot survived. Looks to me that it hit the ground inverted & nose first.