Simviation Forums

by **patchz** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 1:25 pm

My sympathies and prayers to all those involved and their friends and families.

by C » Sat Sep 17, 2011 1:28 pm

[quote]There is a photo circulating now that shows the aircraft clearly while inverted, with the elevator trim tab missing.

by **beaky** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 9:55 pm

I'm just sick over this... a terrible thing for all concerned.

But the "why?" matters, mostly to prevent it from repeating.

The trim tab theory seems to have the most support, and just from the photos I am pretty convinced that even some young whippersnapper would have to be pretty lucky to get out of such an uncommanded pitch-up, and even a pilot with Mr. Leeward's expertise would need luck to recover. That airplane was going about as fast as it could go in level flight when it very suddenly pitched up about 50 or 60 degrees!

It's happened before- with another modified P51 at the 1998 races- and it was dumb luck that saved the pilot, who was considerably younger than Mr. Leeward. From a warbirdaeropress.com article:

"Bob Hannah had a wild ride