Wildcat

[Big John]

Extracted form Houston Chronicle, 19 Sept.

CRASH AFTER AIR SHOW KILLS PILOT

The pilot of a WWII warplane was killed when it crashed near Ellington
Field on Saturday evening.

Houston Aviation Department spokesman, Ernie DeSoto, said the plane
crashed about 6 pm in a field off Clear Lake City Bvd.

Houston Fire Department District Chief, Tommy Dowdy, said the pilot
was a 50 - 55 year old East Coast man who had participated in
Saturdays Wings Over Houston Air Show at Ellington earlier in the day.
The victim's name was not released since his family had not yet been
notified.

Houston Police Spokeswoman, Sandra Aponte, said the single-engine
Navy Wildcat was manufactured in 1944 and is owned by American Air
Power Heritage Group, but is flown and maintained by the Commemorative
Air Force . (~Used to be Confederate Air Force). It was registered in
MIdland (TX) she said.

Officials said the pilot was participating n a photo opportunity when
the crash occured.

Authorities didn't know what caused the accident since investigation
was still in progress, Aponte said.

Dowdy said the planes wings were sheared off by the impact.

"It (the plane) dug in, it hit hard. It's barely recognizable," Dowdy
said of the crash

----clip----

My condolences to the family.


Big John

[Greg Burkhart]

"Big John" > wrote in message
...
> Extracted form Houston Chronicle, 19 Sept.
>
> CRASH AFTER AIR SHOW KILLS PILOT
>
> The pilot of a WWII warplane was killed when it crashed near Ellington
> Field on Saturday evening.
> ----clip----
>
> My condolences to the family.

Mine too...

I was in the Houston area last weekend for the 100th Bomb Group reunion
(www.100thbg.com) with my parents around Ellington, JSC and Lonestar Air
Museum. I read that there was an air show planned for this weekend and wish
I could have stayed down there to see it.

Sorry to hear about this tragic loss!

[Big John]

More info on the crash from TV news tonight.

Pilot was William Johnson.

Bird was a FM-2 (Wildcat). (Improved version of the original F4F but
manufactured by General Motors.)

Was in landing pattern behind B-25.

Guesses by 'jocks' at field:

1. Was trying to get spacing on B-25 and slow and hit the B-25 wash
and stalled.

2. Trying to get spacing and just slowed down to much and stalled.

I would think that both of those birds would have the same pattern
speed (aprox) so should be compatible landing???

Both just WAGS by pilots at Air Show.

Air Show continued Sunday.

Last fatality at show was 5-10 years ago. I saw it. Some 'L' type
birds were landing out of a formation flight and one over ran another
on R/Wand seriously injured the pilot that was run into. He died a day
or two later in hospital.

My deepest feelings for the Johnson family.

Big John



On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 18:24:29 -0500, Big John >
wrote:

>Extracted form Houston Chronicle, 19 Sept.
>
>CRASH AFTER AIR SHOW KILLS PILOT
>
>The pilot of a WWII warplane was killed when it crashed near Ellington
>Field on Saturday evening.
>
>Houston Aviation Department spokesman, Ernie DeSoto, said the plane
>crashed about 6 pm in a field off Clear Lake City Bvd.
>
>Houston Fire Department District Chief, Tommy Dowdy, said the pilot
>was a 50 - 55 year old East Coast man who had participated in
>Saturdays Wings Over Houston Air Show at Ellington earlier in the day.
>The victim's name was not released since his family had not yet been
>notified.
>
>Houston Police Spokeswoman, Sandra Aponte, said the single-engine
>Navy Wildcat was manufactured in 1944 and is owned by American Air
>Power Heritage Group, but is flown and maintained by the Commemorative
>Air Force . (~Used to be Confederate Air Force). It was registered in
>MIdland (TX) she said.
>
>Officials said the pilot was participating n a photo opportunity when
>the crash occured.
>
>Authorities didn't know what caused the accident since investigation
>was still in progress, Aponte said.
>
>Dowdy said the planes wings were sheared off by the impact.
>
>"It (the plane) dug in, it hit hard. It's barely recognizable," Dowdy
>said of the crash
>
>----clip----
>
>My condolences to the family.
>
>
>Big John

[Big John]

Additional info from Monday paper.

Johnson, 62, was from Parkton, NC.

He had 6000 hours when he joined the CAF in 1999.

Was a retired air traffic controller and had owned three vintage
military aircraft, PT-17 Stearman Trainer, an SNJ-6 Navy advanced
trainer and a British AT-19 Reliant navigational trainer.

"Among his peers, he would have been seen as a very experienced
pilot", CAF President, Bob Rice said.

Sure hate to lose plane and crew like this.

Big John


On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 18:24:29 -0500, Big John >
wrote:

>Extracted form Houston Chronicle, 19 Sept.
>
>CRASH AFTER AIR SHOW KILLS PILOT
>
>The pilot of a WWII warplane was killed when it crashed near Ellington
>Field on Saturday evening.
>
>Houston Aviation Department spokesman, Ernie DeSoto, said the plane
>crashed about 6 pm in a field off Clear Lake City Bvd.
>
>Houston Fire Department District Chief, Tommy Dowdy, said the pilot
>was a 50 - 55 year old East Coast man who had participated in
>Saturdays Wings Over Houston Air Show at Ellington earlier in the day.
>The victim's name was not released since his family had not yet been
>notified.
>
>Houston Police Spokeswoman, Sandra Aponte, said the single-engine
>Navy Wildcat was manufactured in 1944 and is owned by American Air
>Power Heritage Group, but is flown and maintained by the Commemorative
>Air Force . (~Used to be Confederate Air Force). It was registered in
>MIdland (TX) she said.
>
>Officials said the pilot was participating n a photo opportunity when
>the crash occured.
>
>Authorities didn't know what caused the accident since investigation
>was still in progress, Aponte said.
>
>Dowdy said the planes wings were sheared off by the impact.
>
>"It (the plane) dug in, it hit hard. It's barely recognizable," Dowdy
>said of the crash
>
>----clip----
>
>My condolences to the family.
>
>
>Big John

[Big John]

NTSB report.

Throttle full forwsrd (ON) position.
Mixture Idle Cut Off
Left Mag selected

????????????

Unusual configuration to crash with.

Big John


On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 18:24:29 -0500, Big John >
wrote:

>Extracted form Houston Chronicle, 19 Sept.
>
>CRASH AFTER AIR SHOW KILLS PILOT
>
>The pilot of a WWII warplane was killed when it crashed near Ellington
>Field on Saturday evening.
>
>Houston Aviation Department spokesman, Ernie DeSoto, said the plane
>crashed about 6 pm in a field off Clear Lake City Bvd.
>
>Houston Fire Department District Chief, Tommy Dowdy, said the pilot
>was a 50 - 55 year old East Coast man who had participated in
>Saturdays Wings Over Houston Air Show at Ellington earlier in the day.
>The victim's name was not released since his family had not yet been
>notified.
>
>Houston Police Spokeswoman, Sandra Aponte, said the single-engine
>Navy Wildcat was manufactured in 1944 and is owned by American Air
>Power Heritage Group, but is flown and maintained by the Commemorative
>Air Force . (~Used to be Confederate Air Force). It was registered in
>MIdland (TX) she said.
>
>Officials said the pilot was participating n a photo opportunity when
>the crash occured.
>
>Authorities didn't know what caused the accident since investigation
>was still in progress, Aponte said.
>
>Dowdy said the planes wings were sheared off by the impact.
>
>"It (the plane) dug in, it hit hard. It's barely recognizable," Dowdy
>said of the crash
>
>----clip----
>
>My condolences to the family.
>
>
>Big John

[Big John]

NTSB report of accident.

Quote

Witnesses who were traveling on a nearby roadway, reported observing
the airplane approximately 200 feet AGL on approach to Elleington
Field trailing a twin-engine (B-25) bomber aircraft. Several witnesses
stated the airplane had executed a series of 360-degree steep turns to
allow for spacing between the slower aircraft that were on approach to
the airport. During a right turn, the airplane pitched nose up, the
wings "wobbled", the airplane descended and entered a partial spin.
One witness stated it appeared the airplane, approximately 50 feet
AGL, attempted to level off, however, then impacted the terrain in a
nose down attitude. Another witness stated the propeller was turning
and did not notice any problems with the airplane or engine. The
witnesses did not observe any smoke or fire from the airplane prior to
the impact.

Unquote


Big John


On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 18:24:29 -0500, Big John >
wrote:

>Extracted form Houston Chronicle, 19 Sept.
>
>CRASH AFTER AIR SHOW KILLS PILOT
>
>The pilot of a WWII warplane was killed when it crashed near Ellington
>Field on Saturday evening.
>
>Houston Aviation Department spokesman, Ernie DeSoto, said the plane
>crashed about 6 pm in a field off Clear Lake City Bvd.
>
>Houston Fire Department District Chief, Tommy Dowdy, said the pilot
>was a 50 - 55 year old East Coast man who had participated in
>Saturdays Wings Over Houston Air Show at Ellington earlier in the day.
>The victim's name was not released since his family had not yet been
>notified.
>
>Houston Police Spokeswoman, Sandra Aponte, said the single-engine
>Navy Wildcat was manufactured in 1944 and is owned by American Air
>Power Heritage Group, but is flown and maintained by the Commemorative
>Air Force . (~Used to be Confederate Air Force). It was registered in
>MIdland (TX) she said.
>
>Officials said the pilot was participating n a photo opportunity when
>the crash occured.
>
>Authorities didn't know what caused the accident since investigation
>was still in progress, Aponte said.
>
>Dowdy said the planes wings were sheared off by the impact.
>
>"It (the plane) dug in, it hit hard. It's barely recognizable," Dowdy
>said of the crash
>
>----clip----
>
>My condolences to the family.
>
>
>Big John

[Big John]

Pardon my spell checker (quote vs uote) and my tying this post to the
wrong thread (should have been "Wildcat").

Sometimes you can't win for trying <G>

Big John

On Wed, 22 Oct 2003 21:35:48 -0500, Big John >
wrote:

>NTSB report of accident.
>
>Quote
>
>Witnesses who were traveling on a nearby roadway, reported observing
>the airplane approximately 200 feet AGL on approach to Elleington
>Field trailing a twin-engine (B-25) bomber aircraft. Several witnesses
>stated the airplane had executed a series of 360-degree steep turns to
>allow for spacing between the slower aircraft that were on approach to
>the airport. During a right turn, the airplane pitched nose up, the
>wings "wobbled", the airplane descended and entered a partial spin.
>One witness stated it appeared the airplane, approximately 50 feet
>AGL, attempted to level off, however, then impacted the terrain in a
>nose down attitude. Another witness stated the propeller was turning
>and did not notice any problems with the airplane or engine. The
>witnesses did not observe any smoke or fire from the airplane prior to
>the impact.
>
>Unquote
>
>
>Big John
>
>
>On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 18:24:29 -0500, Big John >
>wrote:
>
>>Extracted form Houston Chronicle, 19 Sept.
>>
>>CRASH AFTER AIR SHOW KILLS PILOT
>>
>>The pilot of a WWII warplane was killed when it crashed near Ellington
>>Field on Saturday evening.
>>
>>Houston Aviation Department spokesman, Ernie DeSoto, said the plane
>>crashed about 6 pm in a field off Clear Lake City Bvd.
>>
>>Houston Fire Department District Chief, Tommy Dowdy, said the pilot
>>was a 50 - 55 year old East Coast man who had participated in
>>Saturdays Wings Over Houston Air Show at Ellington earlier in the day.
>>The victim's name was not released since his family had not yet been
>>notified.
>>
>>Houston Police Spokeswoman, Sandra Aponte, said the single-engine
>>Navy Wildcat was manufactured in 1944 and is owned by American Air
>>Power Heritage Group, but is flown and maintained by the Commemorative
>>Air Force . (~Used to be Confederate Air Force). It was registered in
>>MIdland (TX) she said.
>>
>>Officials said the pilot was participating n a photo opportunity when
>>the crash occured.
>>
>>Authorities didn't know what caused the accident since investigation
>>was still in progress, Aponte said.
>>
>>Dowdy said the planes wings were sheared off by the impact.
>>
>>"It (the plane) dug in, it hit hard. It's barely recognizable," Dowdy
>>said of the crash
>>
>>----clip----
>>
>>My condolences to the family.
>>
>>
>>Big John