Experimental down near SA TX

Must have been a mechanical ,or medical problem.may he rest in peace.
 
Low level acro looks impressive -- right up until it doesn't.
 
From the eye witness account-

Crane wants everyone to know, his neighbor was an experienced pilot and that it's unfair to speculate he was doing anything risky Wednesday."I don't want his family to live with that thought, I don't want an investigation to be based on a reckless situation because it was not, it was anything but that," said Crane. "This was a maneuver I had seen him do countless times."
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I'd say that the big scrape on the ground, the little bits of metal everywhere and the body bag say otherwise. :rolleyes:
 
Thunder mustang! That's ALOT of airplane.

Rip
 
A low-level loop in a plane like that is "risky" no matter how you slice it. With the right training it can be made "less risky" but let's face it, as far as flying goes, it is on the riskier end of the spectrum.
 
docmirror said:
Low level acro looks impressive -- right up until it doesn't.
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Did I miss something in the linked story that indicated it was low level acro? I get that it was a loop or a botched loop, but...
 
kyleb said:
Did I miss something in the linked story that indicated it was low level acro? I get that it was a loop or a botched loop, but...
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I guess I presumed that since he did in fact crash into the earth that it was done at some altitude below 3500' AGL. Not sure how low level specific you want to be, but I don't have a problem calling it low level when he smashed into the ground.
 
docmirror said:
I guess I presumed that since he did in fact crash into the earth that it was done at some altitude below 3500' AGL. Not sure how low level specific you want to be, but I don't have a problem calling it low level when he smashed into the ground.
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The FAR's limit aerobatics to >1,500' without a waiver. That is where low level begins IMO. As far as botched aerobatics go, sometimes infinite altitude wouldn't be enough, although more altitude is generally better.
 
There isn't anything inherently dangerous about low level aerobatics, it's just when things go wrong you die sooner.
 
Henning said:
There isn't anything inherently dangerous about low level aerobatics, it's just when things go wrong you die sooner.
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And you have much less room for error/recover from any error. I'd say that makes it much more dangerous (and largely why you need a waiver to do low level)
 
kyleb said:
The FAR's limit aerobatics to >1,500' without a waiver. That is where low level begins IMO. As far as botched aerobatics go, sometimes infinite altitude wouldn't be enough, although more altitude is generally better.
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Ok with me if you want to call it high level acro. Not sure of your logic there when he smashed into the ground so I guess;

whatev
 
docmirror said:
Ok with me if you want to call it high level acro. Not sure of your logic there when he smashed into the ground so I guess;

whatev
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I'm neither calling it high level or low level. I'm in standby mode waiting for facts. For all anyone here knows, he could have had a bird strike, a medical problem, a mechanical problem, or simply botched the maneuver from a respectable altitude.
 
Last time, even after a whatev.

He slammed into the ground.
 
Sad. I used to enjoy watching that plane fly. I've seen them do high level acro and formation work but of course haven't been down there for a while. He should have been pretty familiar with low level stuff. He raced at Reno last year I think.
 
Henning said:
There isn't anything inherently dangerous about low level aerobatics, it's just when things go wrong you die sooner.
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There isn't anything inherently wrong with juggling chainsaws, it's just when things go wrong, you lose fingers quicker. :rolleyes:
 
kyleb said:
I'm neither calling it high level or low level. I'm in standby mode waiting for facts. For all anyone here knows, he could have had a bird strike, a medical problem, a mechanical problem, or simply botched the maneuver from a respectable altitude.
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And that's why you do aerobatics at altitude with a parachute. When you get a mechanical failure, you bail out. Professional airshow performers can, have and will continue to smack into the ground when they get it wrong down low. It's just the nature of the beast.
 
He was a member of our IAC chapter and flew out of my home airport. A very experienced pilot. He will be greatly missed.

From what I've read there is no indication that he started the loop at low level. I don't think it is right to make that assumption just because there was an accident.
 
Cessna150C said:
He was a member of our IAC chapter and flew out of my home airport. A very experienced pilot. He will be greatly missed.
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Are you based in Georgetown, by any chance? I swear I've seen your Pitts taxi there a few times.

I have a friend with a T-6 and a LL aerobatics ticket, I never sleep well when he goes practicing. Not that I think he's a bad pilot but a slight engine hesitation in a loop flown down to a few feet is a bad way to go.
 
BigBadLou said:
Are you based in Georgetown, by any chance? I swear I've seen your Pitts taxi there a few times.

I have a friend with a T-6 and a LL aerobatics ticket, I never sleep well when he goes practicing. Not that I think he's a bad pilot but a slight engine hesitation in a loop flown down to a few feet is a bad way to go.
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No, I've never taken my pitts into GTU. I do know a guy that has a pitts very similar to mine out there though.
 
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