ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 89962
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: | Sunday 3 June 2001 |
| Time: | 14:44 |
| Type: |  Bell P-63A-7BE Kingcobra |
| Owner/operator: | Patina Ltd |
| Registration: | G-BTWR |
| MSN: | 33-37 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1944 |
| Engine model: | Allison V1710-117 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Biggin Hill, Kent (BGQ/EGKB) -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Demo/Airshow/Display |
| Departure airport: | Biggin Hill, Kent (BQH/EGKB) |
| Biggin Hill, Kent (BQH/EGKB) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The Bell P63A Kingcobra aircraft was being flown in an air display at Biggin Hill. The pilot displayed the aircraft successfully on the first day of the airshow but on the second day, at the top of a vertical manoeuvre, he appeared to lose control and the aircraft departed controlled flight before impacting the ground in a steep nose-down attitude.
The P-63 Kingcobra was being flown by Guy Bancroft-Wilson, when it crashed, sadly killing the pilot. Below is an extract from the AAIB report into the accident:
"All three aircraft waited at the holding point for Runway 03 for 15 minutes before takeoff. After take-off the aircraft held to the west of the airport for three minutes prior to commencing their display. They then ran in together and each performed a loop followed by a half cuban eight, following which, the Kingcobra broke away from the other two, as planned.
One minute later, after performing a flypast along the display line at a measured speed of 220 knots and having passed opposite the other two aircraft, the Kingcobra was seen to pull up into a rolling, climbing manoeuvre. At the top of this manoeuvre, with the aircraft partially inverted, the pilot appeared to lose control and the aircraft entered an incipient spin.
The pilot recovered the aircraft, having lost considerable height, and continued with his display. Next he flew past the crowd from left to right, carried out a wingover to the left and returned past the crowd from right to left at 190 to 195 knots. The aircraft then went out of view for some 20 seconds, in which time it was turned to the right through some 220 degrees, before running in directly towards the crowd and pulling up into the first half of a loop.
At the top of this manoeuvre, in the inverted position, full nose-up elevator was maintained and a substantial amount of right rudder was applied. The aircraft yawed to the right and then departed into an upright incipient spin. The nose dropped steeply, full nose-up elevator was maintained, and the rudder returned to neutral. The aircraft did not recover from the ensuing dive and impacted the ground in a nose down attitude at about 160 knots.
There was an immediate fire that was quickly extinguished by the attending fire crew but the pilot had suffered fatal injuries in the impact."
Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "aircraft destroyed". As a result, the registrastion G-BTWR was cancelled by the CAA on 28-08-2002.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422fc3f40f0b61346000933/dft_avsafety_pdf_500062.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=BTWR
3. http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p39-p63registry/p63-4269097.html
4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1367391.stm
5. https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?786-Kingcobra-crash-at-Biggin-Hill-last-year
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Feb-2011 14:27 | harro | Added |
| 23-Nov-2012 17:22 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 31-Aug-2014 06:50 | harro | Updated [Embed code] |
| 17-Jul-2016 13:46 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 17-Jul-2016 13:47 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
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