ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 31173
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| Date: | Sunday 14 July 1996 |
| Time: | 14:51 LT |
| Type: |  Lockheed P-38J Lightning |
| Owner/operator: | The Fighter Collection |
| Registration: | N3145X |
| MSN: | 422-2054 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Duxford Airfield, Duxford, Cambridgeshire. -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Demo/Airshow/Display |
| Departure airport: | Duxford, Cambridegshire (EGSU) |
| Duxford, Cambridegshire (EGSU) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Crashed while performing at an air show. The pilot attempted two consecutive aileron rolls at low level over the airfield. During the second roll the Lightning lost height and its left wing tip struck the surface of Runway 06.The aircraft cartwheeled and broke up in flames. The pilot (the sole person on board) was killed. N3145X was ex-USAAF 42-67543. According to the following extract from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"At the end of the 'Cuban Eight', the aircraft was passing from east to west (crowd left to right). It pulled up and to the left initially, levelled the wings, then performed a 270 degree roll to the left. The aircraft then came back to pass across the front of the crowd from west to east.
With the aircraft appearing to be at a normal entry height and speed, an aileron roll to the left was commenced as the aircraft crossed the western threshold of the hard surfaced Runway 06. The first 360 degree roll was completed apparently normally, but the aircraft continued, without pause, into a second full roll. While the aircraft was inverted in this second roll, the nose pitched towards the ground and the aircraft began to lose height. while the roll continued.
By the time the aircraft became upright again, it had descended to a very low height above the runway. The aircraft
continued to roll left and struck the runway with its left wing, with some 30 degree of left bank applied, about two thirds of the way along Runway 06.
The left outer wing ruptured and collapsed, followed by an impact of the left engine. At this time, a large fireball erupted as the aircraft began to cartwheel across the airfield, breaking up into multiple fragments as its trajectory took it diagonally away from the main spectator area towards a row of parked light aircraft on the south side of the airfield.
Several of these aircraft were destroyed or severely damaged in the wreckage's path. One of the engines bounced further than the rest of the wreckage, crossing the airfield boundary and then the M11 Motorway, which runs almost
perpendicular to the end of the runway. A passing freight truck sustained some minor damage from pieces of wreckage, but was able to continue travelling northwards along the motorway. The engine came to rest in a field just to the east side of the M11 motorway, close to where several members of the public had been standing in order to watch the flying activities from outside the airfield boundary.
The airfield Fire and Rescue services were quickly at the scene and brought the numerous areas of fire under control in a short time. The pilot was found in the seat, with his four point harness still fastened, among the wreckage of the main fuselage pod. A post-mortem examination found that the pilot had been killed by a severe head injury. No physical condition was found which could have caused any incapacitation of the pilot and no traces of drugs nor alcohol were found to be present. It was assessed that the destruction of the cockpit was such that survival was impossible."
Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "aircreaft destroyed". However the US registration N3415X was only cancelled by the FAA on 5-5-2015, almost nine years later.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422fff1ed915d1371000a61/dft_avsafety_pdf_501731.pdf
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=3145X
3. http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p38registry/p38-4267543.html
4. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_3a.html
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 22-Dec-2010 15:11 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Damage, Narrative] |
| 29-Sep-2012 14:21 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 14-Jun-2016 19:43 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
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