World

Pilot Killed in British Red Arrow Stunt Team Crash

Pilot Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging Killed in British Airplane Red Arrow Stunt Team Crash

British authorities said Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging was killed Saturday when his Red Arrow jet crashed during a stunt show. (The Daily Mail)

LONDON (The Blaze/AP) — A plane belonging to the British military’s aerobatic display team crashed and broke into pieces Saturday after taking part in an air show in southern England, police and a witness said. The pilot died at the scene.

The Red Arrows nine-plane stunt team had finished a display over the seafront in Bournemouth, 100 miles south of London, and was returning to the airport when one of the jets crashed.

Police said officers were called to the site just before 2 p.m (1300GMT) by a member of the public who saw the crash. They cordoned off an area near a village where the Royal Air Force Hawk T1 jet came down, about a mile from Bournemouth Airport.

Chief Inspector Steve White of Dorset Police said the aircraft had come to a rest on the banks of the River Stour. “The pilot, who had been thrown from the aircraft, was pronounced dead at the scene,” he said.

The Daily Mail reported the pilot was 33-year-old Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging.

He is the first from the Red Arrows to die since 1971, when four were killed in a mid-air collision.

According to the Daily Mail, a Mayday call was issued just before the jet went out of control. A BBC crew filming the show was ordered to stop once the call was received.

Amateur footage showed one of the jets arcing toward the ground as it flew low over farmland.

Local resident Shaun Spencer-Perkins said the plane came down in fields, near a river.

“I heard a rushing sound and I saw a plane about 15 meters (50 feet) above the ground racing across the fields,” he told the BBC. He said that the jet “hit the ground, exploded into pieces,” and two members of the public jumped into the river to search for the pilot.

The Ministry of Defense said it was aware of an incident involving the Red Arrows and was investigating. It gave no further details.

Police said a military air accident team would investigate the cause of the crash.

The Bournemouth Air Festival, which runs until Sunday, said events were continuing as scheduled.

The Red Arrows are famous for their airborne stunts, red, white and blue vapor trails, dramatic flypasts and trademark diamond formation. Formed in 1965, they have flown more than 4,000 displays in 53 countries. Their red single-engine jet trainers are a familiar sight at air shows and military events.

The pilots are drawn from front-line RAF squadrons, and return to active duty after three years with the Arrows. In 2009, Flight Lt. Kirsty Moore became the first female member of the team.

The nine-pilot team last had an accident in March 2010, when two jets crashed in training in Crete. Neither pilot was seriously injured in that incident.

Other flight demonstration teams, including the United States Air Force’s Thunderbirds and the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels, have had deaths in training and during displays, although they are relatively rare.

In 2007, Blue Angels pilot Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Davis died at an air show in South Carolina when he briefly lost control of his F/A 18 Hornet jet.

Canada’s Snowbirds have had several fatal accidents, most recently a training crash in 2007 that killed a pilot.

Comments (33)

  • Indymaverick
    Posted on August 21, 2011 at 10:33am

    Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.

    Report Post » Indymaverick  
  • ReallyTired
    Posted on August 21, 2011 at 6:30am

    I am constantly amazed at the number I.D.10 tee errors that are made by Blaze commenters. In the future, please engage gray matter before using fingers. Oh, it also helps to actually READ the article before posting.

    First, those of you who think the pilot may have passed out – READ PARA. 7 – a Mayday call was issued just before the jet went out of control. I don’t know how an unconscious pilot can send out a mayday. Also that turn was not a very high gee turn – should not have been a problem for a highly trained pilot.

    Second, jets glide just slightly better than do rocks. VIEW THE VIDEO! From the time the plane appears to lose power until it passes below the horizon is about 5 seconds. If there were houses nearby (as the article seems to indicate), the pilot is trained to try to find unoccupied space in which to land/crash. If he can do that, then he will eject. Witness accounts do not indicate pilot tried to eject.

    Third, no fire is interesting but several possibilities here. They fly with minimum fuel to do the show plus a small safety margin. If they were near the end of the show, the plane would be carrying very little fuel. Also witnesses say wrecked plane was partially in a river.

    And lastly, to all the political posters – SHUT THE H*** UP!

    Aahhh! Now, I feel better.

    Report Post »  
  • pazzo242
    Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:45am

    Charles–they pi$$ me off too. Some people have no class–as exampled by Lorenzo1 and Philoise65

    Report Post » pazzo242  
  • Caerus
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 11:13pm

    My heart goes out to his friends and family.

    When I was in high school I saw a similar accident at Tyndall AFB during an air show. The jet just dropped out of the sky. It was absolutely horrible. I remember the helicopter that was on display being turned on in case the pilot needed an airlift to the hospital. I also remember complete strangers breaking off into prayer groups while we all waited for word about the pilot. He was killed on impact, and also a young man with great potential. Truly heartbreaking.

    Report Post »  
  • scott2012
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:53pm

    Godspeed Lt. Egging

    Report Post »  
  • Viet Vet
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:02pm

    The old anarchist has lived too long.

    Report Post »  
  • bubbamoosecat
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:52pm

    He was amonst the best of the Royal Air Force. A highly trained and skilled pilot, not some daredevil as alluded to in an earlier posting. I’ve seen the Reds perform and they are very good. My thoughts and condolences go out to his family, friends, and colleagues.

    Report Post »  
    • M 4 Colt
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 8:47pm

      I am a pilot and feel if i had to go to my death early i could not think of a better way to go because i love flying and i am sure that this young man probably felt the same way about flying but he will surly will be missed by his love ones

      Report Post »  
  • Cape_Lookout_RW_Extremist
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 7:13pm

    These guys are some of the best I’ve ever seen in all my years of Air Force service. Prayers to the family and God Bless the Red Arrows.

    Report Post » Cape_Lookout_RW_Extremist  
  • poverty.sucks
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 6:18pm

    Do thrill seekers have shorter life spans?

    Are you saved? If you died today, will you go to Heaven?

    http://www.PeaceWithGod.Jesus.Net

    Report Post » poverty.sucks  
  • P4cooler
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 6:04pm

    It looked like a high g-force turn and that may have been a factor too (pilot blacked out)? Too young to depart…..Sad stuff for all.

    Report Post » P4cooler  
  • PeachyinGA
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 6:02pm

    Posters ~ turn him in – I did.

    Report Post » PeachyinGA  
  • p51d007
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 5:22pm

    Prayers going out to the family. He died doing what he loved, and serving his country.
    Probably g-loc, engine problem, FOD locking the controls. Just makes you wonder if there were any houses around, and he augured it in, just to make sure no one else got hurt.

    Report Post » p51d007  
  • BOMUSTGO
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 5:00pm

    He may have experienced G-LOC.

    Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
  • Charles
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 4:47pm

    Why are you spamming this thread? Get out of here.
    ** Can the moderators delete people who gratuitously post totally off topic comments like this?. Especially on a thread following news that one our closest allies hero warriors has died.**

    Report Post »  
  • chazman
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 4:45pm

    Well, he didn’t have time to punch out so something was on his mind. Or maybe he passed out …

    Report Post »  
  • ddg7
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 4:44pm

    My guess is it‘s because she’s always full of it!

    Report Post »  
  • Charles
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 4:43pm

    Not sure why he didn’t eject. These men are top notch. They are heros. It is possible he stayed with the aircraft so he could do everything possible to keep it away from people on the ground. And sacrificed his life doing so. That is what a hero does.

    Report Post »  
    • Charles
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 4:49pm

      These men think fast. Very fast. He called in a mayday. So he had time. If he had a second to punch out after that he would have. If he wanted to.

      Report Post »  
    • rockstone
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 6:11pm

      Hero? What hero? Today, the guy was a dare devil and an entertainer. That’s all. And tragically, foolishly, he died a dare devil and an entertainer.

      This was not combat. This was not a training mission.

      This was a waste.

      Report Post » rockstone  
    • pazzo242
      Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:41am

      Rockstone–Shut up!!! How dare you speak badly about a guy who was just trying to do something good. What a jackass you are.

      Report Post » pazzo242  
  • Charles
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 4:39pm

    shut up spam a**hole

    Report Post »  
  • JLGunner
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 4:14pm

    You hate to see this happen .These are some of the most talented pilots pushing that envelope everytime they preform. God bless his family.

    Report Post » JLGunner  
  • zoo9guy
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 3:42pm

    Prayers to the family and friends……

    Report Post » zoo9guy  
  • Your Name Here
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 3:25pm

    Living in Pensacoa I see the Bue Angles often and I know how dangerous air show flying can be.
    I feel for the pilot’s family and wish them well.

    Oh the other hand I have to say this looked like a display of Obama’s economic recovery strategy: Look at all the OTHER planes while Obama’s crashes.

    Report Post » Your Name Here  
    • Flybot
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 3:34pm

      It appears to me he blacked out

      Report Post » Flybot  
    • nuttyvet
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 3:55pm

      I agree with flybot… it looks like he blacked out in the turn.

      Report Post » nuttyvet  
    • Avi8or
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 4:06pm

      It does look like a high G turn, however, without further information it’s a little early to say he blacked out. (Even though that could be entirely true.) If the Red Bull guys can sustain 9+ Gs for long stretches, a Red Arrows pilot should be able to do the same…

      Report Post » Avi8or  
    • rcw_68
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 4:29pm

      I don’t think he blacked out ’cause he put in a mayday. Anyway, sad he lost his life doing what he loved. People always say, “at least he died doing what he loved.” I’m sure he would feel differently.

      Report Post »  
    • Jus-sayin
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 4:30pm

      No fire at the crash site – maybe a faulty fuel gauge. Out of Fuel – it’s usually something really simple.

      Report Post »  
  • The_Almighty_Creestof
    Posted on August 20, 2011 at 3:20pm

    What a shame for such a young life to be taken. The only bright spot I see is that he was doing something he was passionate about and probably would not have wanted to go any other way…just much later in life.

    Prayers going out to the loved ones he left behind…and his team mates who must be devastated as well.

    Report Post »  

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