ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 68399
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Tuesday 29 September 2009 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Lindstrand LBL GT110 |
| Owner/operator: | BBC TV/Top Gear Productions |
| Registration: | G-TOPG |
| MSN: | 1266 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Eltisley Cricket Ground, Eltisley, near St. Neots, Cambridgeshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | - |
| Eltisley Cricket Ground, near St. Neots, Cambridgeshire | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
This Hot Air Airship had been rigged up with a caravan replacing the basket for a Top Gear television programme stunt. Show presenter James May was guiding the airship for a landing on the cricket pitch at Eltisley when the craft was blown off course into a tree. The speed of impact was said to be under 5mph. James May was unharmed but the airship was substantially damaged. Some press reports stated that the "crash" was not a "real crash", but a staged stunt (The fact that no AAIB accident report was filed adds to the latter speculation that there was no accident).
Registration G-TOPG cancelled 10/5/2010 as "Permanently withdrawn from use". It was reported that the "caravan" part of this balloon (that was used in lieu of a basket) was presented to the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, Hampshire
Sources:
1. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/6247486/Top-Gear-caravan-stunt-backfires.html
2. http://www.microlightforum.com/showthread.php?2535-James-May-wasn-t-P1-on-G-TOPG-Airship
3. https://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=59726_
4. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/
5. https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/top-gear-is-flop-gear-as-james-421916
6. https://metro.co.uk/2009/12/03/james-mays-top-gear-flying-caravan-stunt-was-fake-619350/
7. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1232622/Top-Gear-stunt-saw-airship-flying-airport-exposed-carefully-orchestrated-fake.html
8. http://www.carsuk.net/top-gears-james-may-crashes/
9. https://www.facebook.com/UKBalloonRegister/photos/a.358227047574076.80465.356738874389560/1188183554578417/?type=3&theater
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-Oct-2009 22:59 | ACW367 | Added |
| 29-Nov-2009 20:59 | Anon. | Updated |
| 15-Sep-2012 15:29 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Nature, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 14-Dec-2014 22:41 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 12-Nov-2016 12:24 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Nov-2016 12:25 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 12-Nov-2016 12:38 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Source] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation