Wildcat

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

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My condolences to the family.


Big John