Air Show, Fatal Accident
Overhead, jet fighters of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the Navy's Blue Angels and the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows performed dramatic aerial acrobatics. Tragically, on the last day of the show, the Thunderbirds experienced their first fatal crash at an air show. Major Joe Howard, flying Thunderbird 3 (Phantom F-4E s/n# 66-0321) experienced a loss of power during a vertical maneuver. Although Howard ejected as the aircraft fell back to earth from about 1,500 feet (460 m) tail first and descended under a good canopy, winds blew him into the blazing crash site.
Another death occurred one day earlier during a sport plane pylon race, when during a turn about a pylon a trailing aircraft's wing and propeller hit the right wing tip of a leading aircraft. The right wing immediately sheared off the fuselage, and the damaged aircraft crashed almost instantly, killing the pilot, Hugh C. Alexander of Louisville, GA. He was a professional Air Racer.
The third, and first chronologically, accident involved a kite, i.e., a variety of hang glider. The aircraft suffered a structural failure and collapsed, killing the pilot.
Transpo Trade/Airshows were planned as recurring events here. Since these fatalities, there have been no other airshows at Dulles International Airport.
Read more about this topic: Transpo '72
Famous quotes containing the words air, fatal and/or accident:
“The air is precious to the red man, for all things share the same breath—the beast, the tree, the man, they all share the same breath. The white man does not seem to notice the air he breathes. Like a man dying for many days, he is numb to the stench.”
—Attributed to Seattle (c. 1784–1866)
“To make a final conquest of all me,
Love did compose so sweet an enemy,
In whom both beauties to my death agree,
Joining themselves in fatal harmony;
That while she with her eyes my heart does bind,
She with her voice might captivate my mind.”
—Andrew Marvell (1621–1678)
“When we seek reconciliation with our enemies, it is commonly out of a desire to better our own condition, a being harassed and tired out with a state of war, and a fear of some ill accident which we are willing to prevent.”
—François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680)