Another Airshow Crash

[ccheese]

At about 1220 (EDT) today, at NAS Oceana, Va. one of the GEICO
"Skytypers" crashed. The condition of the aircraft or the pilot was not
given on the news announcement. The "Skytypers" fly modified SNJ
(AT-6) aircraft.

The plane that crashed was their #4 aircraft, and it crashed on the
Air Station, into a wooded area.

I have the local news on, so will up-date this as the story developes

Charles

 

[ToughOmbre]

Just saw the six Skytypers flying back from the Atlantic City airshow a couple of weeks ago. Hope the pilot is OK

TO

 

[ccheese]

Stunt plane crashes at Oceana Naval Air Station

The Virginian-Pilot
Sept. 7, 2007 | Last updated 1:15 PM Sept. 7

VIRGINIA BEACH

City police dispatchers have confirmed that a plane has crashed at Oceana Naval Air Station.

Navy authorities were responding to the crash, they said.

Ralph Roberts with GEICO Skytypers told WAVY news the Skytypers' No. 6 plane went down during an air show rehearsal. The crash occurred "at the very end of their last maneuver," Roberts said.

"We're just hoping for the best," said Troy Snead, a spokesman for Oceana Naval Air Station. "We have an aircraft that went down at the end of the runway, and the emergency crews are on scene."

According to GEICO's Web site, the Skytypers Air Show Team is a squadron of six World War II SNJ-2 airplanes that performs at air shows across the country. The pilots perform low-level flying maneuvers and deliver aerial smoke messages, also called Skytyping.

The site claims that the group is the "only World War II civilian squadron flying today."

The Skytypers release their messages five planes abreat, 250 feet apart and "type" short messages in the sky, according to the company's site.

During exhibitions, the pilots fly in formation and a computer in the lead plane sends radio signals to the smoke systems in each plane, the site says.


This is the "official" announcement.

Charles

 

[evangilder]

I know a couple of guys that are there now. They said they saw it happen, but don't know anything yet. There is some speculation and rumor, but it doesn't look good. Damn, one hell of a way to start the show.

 

[v2]

Bad luck...

 

[evangilder]

Getting unofficial word that the pilot was killed. I will not post the name out of respect for the family until it is officially released. Sad.

 

[ccheese]

The news at 1630 stated the pilot was indeed killed. WTKR TV has video
of the crash, but it's not available for download yet. Sad......

Charles

 

[evangilder]

Word from the guys on the ground say it looked like he lost power as the others were turning to land and lost altitude until it went down.

 

[Micdrow]

This sucks, its been said before. But this has to be the worst year for aviation pilots and vintage aircraft. I wonder how this will affect aviation in the years to come as far as safety checks and such go.

 

[ccheese]

Pilot dies in crash at air-show rehearsal

This from (Norfolk)The Virginian Pilot:

Update: Jan Wildbergh died today when his civilian World War II plane crashed during a practice run for the Oceana Air Show in Virginia Beach, officials say. .....

Charles

 

[evangilder]

 

[ToughOmbre]

Very tough year.

 

[Micdrow]

 

[evangilder]

A brief bio of Jan Wildbergh, from the Geico Skytypers website:

Jan Wildbergh comes to the GEICO Skytypers all the way from the Netherlands but was born in the Sumatra island of Indonesia. Jan has a storied military career as a pilot that began at age 18 when he enlisted in the Dutch Air Force, soloing his first jet during pilot training in the U.S under the MDAP program.

He received his wings in 1954 where he flew in the Dutch Air Force operational squadron 314. In 1959 he demobilized and left for the U.S. as an immigrant finding pilot work as ground personnel for a major international carrier (BA) and eventually a flight instructor, chief pilot and FAA pilot examiner.

Officially retired, Jan currently resides in Freeport, New York and enjoys scuba diving, boating, and flying with the GEICO Skytypers. Jan recently stated that he would some day like to fly the P51, Me109, and Zero.

 

[mkloby]

 

[ccheese]

According to today's Virginian Pilot, "In April, a day after Davis (Lcdr, a Blue
Angel that was killed) died in South Carolina, Wildberg climbed into his
single-engined World War II era plane to pay homage to the Blue Angel pilot.

He said, "You cannot let yourself be mentally devastated by an accident".
You have to get it out of your head". "Nobody likes to 'buy the farm', he said
"But if you've got to buy it, it's a good way to go".

I guess he went the way he wanted to go.... doing what he loved to do.

Farewell and Following Seas....

Charles