T-33 Crash!

[Tom.]

Link
So sad i saw this jet just 3 days ago
Lucky they walked away and no one was hurt

[Hagar]

That's a darned shame.

Just glad the crew is apparently OK.

[Iwannabeapilot]

"Witnesses reported the two seat jet trainer clipping a tree before somersaulting into the ground and going on fire.

What was it doing flying that low  

Good thing the crew are OK. I hope that T-33 will return to the air  :-[

[F3Hadlow]

[quote]"Witnesses reported the two seat jet trainer clipping a tree before somersaulting into the ground and going on fire.

What was it doing flying that low

[Hagar]

[quote]I hope that T-33 will return to the air

[F3Hadlow]

I assume it's this one, not the one in the other photo on the BBC report. Taken at Old Warden earlier this year.

Yes, it's that one. It was departing DX with the F86 Sabre, both are owned by Golden Apple Operations, enroute to Jersey.

[cheesegrater]

I hope that T-33 will return to the air.

Not a chance.

Just be glad nobody was hurt.

[beaky]

Yep; she's toast. But it had a good long run.
 And the crew walked away...very unusual for a crash in that type of plane.

I'm dubious of the "somersaulting" report; I'll wager they were not "rat-racing" and hit a tree at high speed; I think they most likely had engine trouble and had to try for a field.

[Jakemaster]

Yep; she's toast. But it had a good long run.
 And the crew walked away...very unusual for a crash in that type of plane.

I'm dubious of the "somersaulting" report; I'll wager they were not "rat-racing" and hit a tree at high speed; I think they most likely had engine trouble and had to try for a field.

Ya, thats most likely.  I doubt that anyone would fly low enough to clip a tree intentionally

[beaky]

Ya, thats most likely.  I doubt that anyone would fly low enough to clip a tree intentionally

And if they did, and the plane really "somersaulted" (meaning it went end-over-end) low to the ground, I don't think anyone would've survived.
But the vertical stab got broken off, so... who knows?

[Hagar]

[quote]Yep; she's toast. But it had a good long run.

[beaky]

Who knows what is meant by "somersault"? I'm not impressed by that BBC report. I spotted at least two grammatical errors & it was obviously written by someone who knows very little about aircraft.

I agree... I must say that "somersaulted" is a new one; usually it's "plummeted" or "nosedived"... always after the engine "stalls".... and of course these things only happen when the pilot did not file a flight plan.

[C]

I agree... I must say that "somersaulted" is a new one; usually it's "plummeted" or "nosedived"... always after the engine "stalls".... and of course these things only happen when the pilot did not file a flight plan.

Remembering 90% of witnesses to air crashes have no idea what they're on about...


...such as the Oxford Harrier's left engine failure...

Glad they walked away from it.

[Hagar]

Glad they walked away from it.

Indeed. More photos here. http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006410677,00.html
They were very lucky by the look of it.

[beaky]

"Pilot and Pal Vintage Jet Fireball"... Cripes amighty...

Very interesting. pictures. A testament to Lockheed workmanship and design- the cockpit section is very intact; seems to have broken off "of a piece".
 But they were very lucky, no doubt about it. Talk about Mr. Toad's Wild Ride- I'd pass on that one.

Skill may have also played a role:
"... as the engine stalled, and the old, rickety plane somersaulted, the non-commercial pilot may have managed to minimize the damage of the horrific fireball... thus redeeming himself despite not having filed a flight plan..."