TX- Dallas: Mid air crash at Wings Over Dallas air show

[Eloise]

It doesn't look to me that there was a failure of the aircraft. It appears to me that it was a case of the pilot not having awareness of traffic around him.

I know. I'm basing my comments on the visibility from the cockpit in that plane and its suitability for such manouevres in close proximity to people on the ground (and other people in planes).

But generally speaking, they're antiques and should be treated as such and with respect, not recklessly. JMO!

 

[IceIce9]

Every time I hear there is an airshow, I think oh, no.
I know that a crash is a rare event, however I think these planes should stay on the ground.

Here is a compilation of air show plane crashes. Not all are vintage aircraft.

List of air show accidents and incidents in the 21st century - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Gumbeaux]

So. Incredibly. Sad. I admire those with a passion for history, and who live their passions. My young adult (aircraft mechanic) son has volunteered to restore an old warbird, and has flown aboard them many times. Our discussion at home has been that clearly there are few people who can be considered truly qualified to pilot each of them. An air show multiples the dangers.

My heart is with the CAF family, the families, and those who flew them on their original missions. God speed.

 

[IceIce9]

Texas airshow victims shared a passion for flight

 

[Cryptic]

But generally speaking, they're antiques and should be treated as such and with respect, not recklessly. JMO!

I have gone to alot of air shows, and have had ""behind the scenes" contacts / tours of museums. I have spoken to alot of pilots and mechanics. I can assure you, the planes are treated with extreme respect.

The mechanics and pilots that I have met are either retired military or retired from commercial airlines. In either case, they have decades of experience. Other pilots maybe wealthy owners of individual aircraft, but simply owning such a plane does not mean one gets to fly it in an airshow. Rather, one must show they are qualified.

The planes are kept in immaculate condition in regards to hoses, lines, grease, etc. No military aircraft grime anywhere. One could eat off the cockpit floors. There are volunteers whose sole job is: dusting, wiping and cleaning of one aircraft. Mechanical maintenance is rigorous and exacting.

Even short flights involve hour and hours of maintenance, checks, re checks and pilot planning. Nobody takes them up on a whim to "screw around".

But..... At the end of the day, they are flown by humans capable of error and are, well, old- up to 80 years old.

Then factor in that they were built during the largest war in history where rushed production by dedicated patriots of varying levels of experience was the norm. So... initial build quality could... uhmm...."vary".

 

[borndem]

Lots of prayers going up for the souls who were lost.

 

[MsMarple]

One of the key findings from the NTSB says a group of historic fighter planes was told to fly ahead of a formation of bombers without any prior plan for coordinating altitude.

Six people were killed in this crash. They were pilots and crew members. Now, one expert says a common plan that should’ve been in place to prevent this was absent.
...
The NTSB says it’s still early in its investigation. It has not released an analysis or conclusion.

A full report could take 12-18 months.
...
Three days after the crash, FOX 4 initiated an open records request with the FAA for "all necessary permits applied/approved" for the air show.

The FAA says it’s working on the request but has so far failed to provide a timeframe of completion.

NTSB: No altitude advice before Dallas deadly air show crash

One of the key findings from the NTSB says a group of historic fighter planes was told to fly ahead of a formation of bombers without any prior plan for coordinating altitude. SIx people were killed.

www.fox4news.com

Link to the preliminary report, along with additional information can be found in this article:

NTSB Releases Preliminary Report on Fatal Texas Midair Collision - FLYING Magazine

The NTSB released a preliminary report on the fatal midair collision during the Wings Over Dallas airshow on November 12.

www.flyingmag.com

The report says, in part:

According to the recorded audio for the airshow radio transmissions and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data, the air boss directed both formations to maneuver southwest of the runway before returning to the flying display area, which was the designated performance area. He directed the fighter formation to transition to a trail formation, fly in front of the bomber formation, and proceed near the 500 ft show line. The bombers were directed to fly down the 1,000 ft show line. The 500 ft show line and 1,000 ft show line were 500 ft and 1,000 ft respectively from the airshow viewing line behind which the audience viewed the airshow.

There were no altitude deconflictions briefed before the flight or while the airplanes were in the air. When the fighter formation approached the flying display area, the P-63F was in a left bank and it collided with the left side of the B-17G, just aft of the wing section.