Fiery Crash Kills Pilot in Front of Spectators During Kansas City Air Show
- Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:44am by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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The wreckage of a crashed biplane that killed pilot Brian Jensen at a Kansas City air show. (Kansas City Star)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (The Blaze/AP) — A stunt pilot was killed in fiery crash during a Kansas City air show on Saturday after his plane appeared unable to get out of a downward spiral and plummeted nose-first into the ground, witnesses and authorities said.
Missouri Department of Aviation spokesman Joe McBride said the pilot couldn’t pull out of a maneuver and the biplane crashed at a downtown airfield. No spectators were injured, and McBride said it was the first fatal crash at the annual Kansas City Aviation Expo Air Show.
Event officials identified the pilot as Bryan Jensen. A website promoting a pilot by the same name who was scheduled to perform at the show said he had been flying aerobatics for 15 years, worked for a major airline and had more than 23,000 hours of flight time.
Witnesses told the Kansas City Star that the red biplane was performing loops, then couldn’t pull up from a downward spiral. They said the crowd fell silent when the plane hit the ground and burst into flames.
“It was right in front of the crowd,” said Kansas City Council member Jan Marcason, who was watching the aerial acrobatics when the plane crashed around 1:45 p.m.
Others said it appeared that the pilot was going to gain control of the plane and that the maneuver initially looked scripted.
“It was looking cool at first, like he knew what he was doing,” Jason Cook, of Blue Springs, told the newspaper.
Spectators were asked to leave Wheeler Downtown Airport after the crash, though the show was expected to resume Sunday. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
In a news conference hours after the fatal accident, air show director Ed Noyallis released the pilot’s name but no other information about him.
“Our hearts go out to Bryan’s family and loved ones,” he said.
The website promoting a Bryan Jensen and his red biplane said he grew up on a farm in rural Iowa, took his first flying lesson at age 13 and graduated from the University of North Dakota’s aviation college. The site said he had worked for several commuter and major airlines.
Noyallis said aerobic flying can be extremely dangerous, but said the public was never in danger Saturday.
Air show officials said they consulted with other pilots and agreed the show would continue Sunday.
Editor’s note: Due to an error, the headline for this story originally read “Fiery Crash Kills Pilot in Front of Spectators During Kansas Air Show.“ It has been corrected to read ”Kansas City.”
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Comments (55)
cntrlfrk
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 9:46pm‘
It is truly sad that they showed the video of the man actually losing his life.
I know this is a dumb question, but does the media have any standards any more??
.
Report Post »swampbuck
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 8:44pm“the bubble headed bleach blonde comes on @5 she can tell you bout the plane crash with a gleam in her eye”
Report Post »AmericaFirst1954
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 8:30pmI am on the local airshow committee and every year we discuss what to do if something like this happens, we pray that it don’t but we prepare just in case. I have talked with the pilots and they all know that they are putting themselves in harms way but they wouldn’t trade their lives for any others,they absolutely love what they are doing. i hate to tell you but the vast majority of the pilots also fly for the major airlines this is just a weekend gig. so next time you fly, the one flying your plane may be one of these daredevils and you couldn’t ask for a better pilot.
Report Post »RedPepper2
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:01pmTo the Blaze writer, Kansas City Missouri is in Missouri not Kansas. It was a Missouri Air Show.
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 6:52pmIn all fairness, there is a Kansas City, Kansas as well.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:11pmMy heartfelt sorrow to the family and friends of Bryan Jensen.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:00pmThat downward spiral was taken out of the Thunderbird performances many, many years ago because of the danger it presented. In fact, during a training performance out at Indian Springs, the solo pilot (#6) miscounted the downward spirals and elevation; ended up pulling up too late and skidded the F-16 jet on it’s belly down the runway. Luckily, he survived and the jet did not explode on impact due to the JP-8 fuel and its non-volatility. That was the year the Narrator #7 became the solo pilot and the solo became the Narrator.
Report Post »Thinking Man
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 8:31amThat was not a downward spiral. That was a spin. The spin has never been in the Thunderbird’s show. As for the downward spiral, it’s an emergency maneuver that every commercial pilot is trained to do.
Report Post »TOPOFTHEGAME
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:39pmThat fiery crash was about eight miles from me. And also at that Wheeler airport four months age was three World War II planes, one a B-17 Flying Fortress was there and you could ride in it for $450. About two months that same Flying Fortress caught on fire while in the air and made an emergency landing in a corn field and burned up while the crew members got out.
Report Post »ZengaPA65
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:34pmHow is it the gov‘t hasn’t banned airshows yet since this happens constantly?
Report Post »M 4 Colt
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 5:25pmGee are you going to ban all cars too because they crash all the time ??? Your icon has you pegged, so why dont you roll another blunt and leave the big decisions to those of us that dont get stoned and live in the real world.
Report Post »JesusFreak95
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 6:48pmMore people die in cars in just one hour in the U.S. on a daily basis, so should we ban cars and driving too? It is sad that this happened, but this man was doing what he loved to do. He understood the risks and paid the ultimate price, but it was his choice, as it should be. Not some bureaucrat. He was pursuing happiness in accordance with our constitution. Lets grieve for the loss, but celebrate the freedom he and the rest of us enjoy.
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 6:56pmGee M4 Colt… driving cars to get to work is the same thing as a recreational air show!
Report Post »I’m not saying we ban these air shows, but there is a difference.
One is unnecessary while the other.. well, it’s necessary.
Ready2Rumble
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 7:52pmDitto M4.
Report Post »swampbuck
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 8:41pmsarcasm people…
Report Post »M 4 Colt
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:32amJ J my comment was aimed at zengapa65 whos icon is the zigzag man from the rolling paper packs. I have been a pilot for 29 years and have thousands of hours in high performance aircraft and i will tell you that every time i fly there are risks but i can assure you that the risk from flying an airplane are much less then they are every time i get behind the wheel of my car.
As a matter of fact over 50000 people die on the roads in America every year, in general aviation the lost of human life is less then 200 life’s per year. Now i know that there are millions of cars on the roads everyday in America and only about 200,000 general aviation aircraft are registered in all of the US but due to the annual inspections that are required of the aircraft and the testing of the pilot each year flying is much safer then traveling anywhere by car.
Oh ya one more great thing about flying general aviation aircraft is i don’t have to deal with the TSA at all i just drive out to the airport pull right up to my hanger get out of my car pre flight my plane get in contact the tower get my clearance then take off and i am on my way while your still standing in line waiting for the TSA agent to feel you up. I‘ll tell you what once you try flying for yourself and experiences the convenience you’ll never go back to using the airlines nor will you EVER want to!!!
Report Post »Dggg
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:28pmSo not only did someone forget to look at a map, but I find it odd that they didn’t use a Kansas City news source for the video.
Report Post »becker88
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 1:45pmThat looks pretty intense.
http://politicalbowl.com – Political Videos
Report Post »racer1488
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 1:30pmLove the stupid statement the news reader said at the beginning. Going into the newscast they showed the plane crashing. Then afterwards, when they were going to show it AGAIN, she said some of the video may be graphic. No wonder she’ll be in a small market forever.
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 1:39pmAnd what kills me is these empty skirt newsreaders always have the same tone of voice. You hear it in radio news readers also. They sound the same sort of upbeat way whatever they are reporting.
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 1:42pmShe was just reading the script, she probably didn’t even know some producer showed the crash in the intro. But it was sort of lame the way that worked out.
Report Post »Calamity Jane
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:27pmAB5R……In a TV market the size of Kansas City, if this is a weekend anchorette, she may have written the story herself and some “fresh-from-being-an-intern” producer wrote the intro. Who knows!…OR….The anchorette may have never read the script before airtime….That usually catches these sorts of glaring exercises in stupidity. I spent way too much time in TV newsrooms witnessing the production skills of these journalistic dimwits.
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 1:06pmIt seems as though whenever a plane crashes and people die, even in a case such as this, with one person dying, we all react differently to it, because it involves falling out of the sky. People die all day every day in all sorts of accidents and we pay it little if any attention. What about that man who fell in the meat grinder that was reported on the Blaze a month or two ago. That was really terrible, really a worse way to go than this guy crashing his stunt plane, doing what he loved. But somehow the plane crashing to the ground just hits everyone more.
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:07pmI suppose its because it’s so public and, arguably, but for time and placement, this guy could’ve taken some paying spectators with him. These stories always get my wind up because you know someone, somewhere is saying, “How do I make this safer or should I be the person who moves to end these events altogether.”
Report Post »I love air shows and intend to see one next month as part of my end of summer vacation. I’m more likely to be snuffed out going to and from the event… and no one in the greater world would be the wiser. If I’d happen to be used as a landing strip for an F-16, I’d make the papers. It’s all about shock vs. what is deemed the norm.
Isn’t the element of risk one the draws to many such an event? I’m sure this matter will be scrutinized and some official report will announce pilot error, mechanical failure or some combination thereof.
RIP, flyer. On with the show,
Patriot Rider
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 1:00pmEvery time a pilot gets into that plane, he does so knowing something like this can happen, and they know that accidents like this are indeed a rare occurrence. My prayers and condolences to the friends and family.
Report Post »aaronkcmo
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 12:52pmHello jackasses. The Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport is in Kansas City, MISSOURI! Wake Up!
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 6:57pmRelax.
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 6:59pmYeah, we ALL know where the Charles B Wheeler airport is.
??????????????????? Are you serious? It’s not LAX bro!
Report Post »And there is a Kansas City, Kansas right next door. This isn’t that big of a deal.
Redistributor
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 12:36pmI don‘t know much about planes but it just doesn’t seem like planes are made to do these kinds of maneuvers.
Report Post »willbedone
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 12:39pmTHAT plane was designed to do stunts. The “god” FAA said so.
Report Post »fritz982
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 1:01pmThese planes are specifically designed for these kinds of low level and slow flying maneuvers, and not much else! they are definitely similar in style as flown in early aviation history, but structurally,and mechanically they are a totally different bird.Sorry to say these type of accidents happen( THOUGH rare!) from time to time even to the best of pilots.My thoughts & prayers are with the family.
Report Post »aerialist
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 12:34pmObviously, my condolences to the family. I know many pilots and a few stunt pilots and appreciate their love of flying and their dedication to safety. This was a very unfortunate accident, indeed.
But one point of clarification. The headline states KANSAS but most of Kansas City is in MISSOURI and the airshow was at the downtown airport which is in Missouri. The byline states Missouri, and the Missouri Dept of Aviation was quoted. What part of MISSOURI do these reporters not get?
Report Post »tomdb62
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 12:30pmIt’s tragic…AND….it was in Kansas City, MISSOURI, not Kansas City, KANSAS.
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 12:28pmThat is like Obama piloting the economy. At least the pilot knew what was coming, Obama just flew it right into the ground totally clueless with a dumb smirk on his face.
Report Post »Jim in Houston
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 12:38pmI agree with your assessment of OweBlamer, but this really isn’t the place for it. This was a tragedy and should be treated with dignity and respect for the deceased.
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 12:57pmJim, to the contrary, this man was a STUNT PILOT who clearly knew ALL of the dangers of his CHOSEN endeavor. It does no one any good to engage in over-maudlin wringing of hands and sentimentalism. His family can grieve and they should but it just isn’t a national tragedy that should bring everyone to their knees in mourning. And at least he died doing what he loved, not in some quote unquote “random” even such as being run over by some lowlife youth in a flash mob.
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 1:00pmJim, to the contrary, this man was a STUNT PILOT who clearly knew ALL of the dangers of his CHOSEN endeavor. It does no one any good to engage in over-maudlin wringing of hands and sentimentalism. His family can grieve and they should but it just isn’t a national tragedy that should bring everyone to their knees in mourning. And at least he died doing what he loved, not in some quote unquote “random” event such as being run over by some lowlife youth in a flash mob.
Report Post »RodT82721
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 12:19pmIMHO air shows have been one constant killer of pilots since the beginning of aviation. That’s what keeps the crowds coming. It’s like NASCAR races, fans don’t go to watch the cars go around the oval, their there to see who survives.
Report Post »Patriot Rider
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 1:03pmBeing a long time NASCAR fan, and avid airshow fan, I will have to disagree with your comments. NOBODY wants to see this kind of thing and by making that statement, shows you know nothing about either subject.
Report Post »Napkin
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:52pmPeople go to NASCAR races for the hair pulling. :)
Report Post »adiabat
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 12:18pmStall – spin. Not enough sky to recover.
Report Post »Thankfully, it was a quick end.
banjarmon
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 12:12pmBryan Jensen is Flying FREE Now with the WINGS of GOD.
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 7:02pmWhy do people always assume the best possible outcome for those that have crossed over to the other side?
Report Post »I’m not saying we should assume the worst, but there is an alternative ending and many people will experience it.
SilentReader
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 12:02pmWhat a tragedy.
My condolences go out to his family and friends.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:56amHeartbreaking. as multigenerational EAA members for over 40 years, anytime we hear of these is a heartbreaking sadness. as they also say “the show must go on”. God bless this pilot, he’s flown West.
Report Post »hersey10
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:54amThat’s awful , 2nd deadly air show crash this weekend .
Report Post »Steel Awesome
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:54amThat must have been sickening to watch, and I’m sure very surreal.
Report Post »