Fatal accident took place yesterday at the annual Shoreham Air Show in West Sussex, UK, when a privately-owned Hawker Hurricane participating in the display crashed into the ground, killing its pilot.

Images from the crash site can be viewed in this article by Daily Mail or this photo feature by Sky News. See also another press story from BBC. You may also watch the videoclip at Argus News.

Shoreham airshow is one of the well-established airshows in the UK, located at the UK's oldest licensed airport. The theme of this year's display was the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. There were more than 20,000 spectators watching the show on Saturday.

Nine Spitfires and three Hurricanes were gathered for the display among more than 50 other aircraft. One of the main points of the programme was to be the Battle of Britain Scenario with the Spitfire and Hurricane scramble, German Bf 108 and Bf 109 "straffing" the airfield, pyrotechnics, mock dogfight and a fly-by at the end of the set piece.

This year's routine was a development of a similar set piece from last year, which can be viewed here at YouTube.

Midway through the dogfight one of the Hurricanes veered off course, turned quite steeply and then went into a straight dive. After crashing into the ground the aircraft immediately catched fire.

The aircraft was Hurricane Mk. XII G-HURR, ex-RCAF machine which during recent years was stationed in Duxford and flew in the markings of AE-C, Hurricane Mk. IIb BD707 of No. 402 Canadian Fighter Squadron. The aircraft was operated by the Real Aeroplane Company.

Our sympathy goes to the family of the pilot, whose name was not disclosed by the media.

This tragic accident is bound to add new fuel to the long-going debate about letting the vintage aircraft to fly to the extent they do at the airshows today. Whilst the standards of aircraft restoration and maintenance and the abilities of pilots flying them are beyond question, there will always be underlying risks in their operation, particularly if the aircraft are cleared for aerobatics. In recent years we have seen a significant growth in numbers of aircraft being restored to airworthy condition, but also a growing number of fatal accidents involving restored aircraft.

Labels: warbirds