A sad day at the Moose Jaw Airshow

groundpilot · Post by **groundpilot** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 7:25 pm

Well I think in my short 8 year aviation career and 24 years of life I saw today the most f'ed up thing I have ever seen, today.

Two biplanes from the "Master's of Disaster's" hit right in front of my eyes about 200 yards away. I still can't believe what I saw. I thought for the two seconds after the collision I was actually dreaming because surly not an airshow would something like this occur in front of thousands of people. Unfortunatey both the pilots died.

I think what really bothers me about this is the fact that the 23 year old son was walking his father's wing in the previous act an hour prior. And when all three of the aircraft were in the air with the jet truck he became the announcer for them. He watched his father and I am sure a good friend of his pass away right in front of his eyes.

Basically after the collison the one airplane became a fireball and the other broke into pieces.

Anyhow I thought writing this might make me feel better and at least raise some thoughts and prayers for the families affected.

Phlyer · Post by **Phlyer** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 7:34 pm

That sucks.
Prayers for all involved.
I'm getting tired of writing this kind of reply - fly safe guys.

Phlyer · Post by **Phlyer** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 7:43 pm

Here's more:

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national ... 50710.html

Biplanes collide in Moose Jaw air show, killing pilots
Last Updated Sun, 10 Jul 2005 21:56:09 EDT
CBC News
Two biplanes that were simulating a First World War dogfight at an air show in Saskatchewan collided in mid-air, killing both pilots instantly.

Thousands of people were watching as three planes simulated the battle late Sunday afternoon at the Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 Air Show in Moose Jaw.

Witnesses said one plane came up from beneath another and their wings clipped.

The planes burst into flames and plunged to the ground.

The pilots were members of the Arkansas-based Masters of Disaster civilian aerobatics team.

The third plane landed safely and no spectators were injured.

Organizers cancelled the air show immediately.

... · Post by **...** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 8:06 pm

CLICK HERE for a picture of the impact for those who wish to view it

fingersmac · Post by **fingersmac** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 8:24 pm

just saw this on the news right now... very sad indeed.

there was a quick blurb afterwards about two more aerobatic planes colliding in the US while practicing for an airshow today.

Out of Control · Post by **Out of Control** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 8:24 pm

My deepest condolences, I will keep them in my prayers.

Blue Side Down · Post by **Blue Side Down** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 9:17 pm

This is terribly tragic news to hear. Many, many pilots out there are feeling this absolutely devastating loss to the aerobatic community...

Mr Franklin was an amazing performer- he had been in the business for decades, and has a renowned reputation. The last time I saw him fly was while he was practicing for the Saskatoon airshow late last summer. I can only imagine what his friends and family (especially his son) are going through.

The other involved was Bobby Younkin- another renowned pilot who performed airshows in either his Decathlon, Twin Beech, Lear 23, or Pitts Samson (the Pitts was the accident aircraft).

May they have Blue Skies Forever

Blue Side Down · Post by **Blue Side Down** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 9:27 pm

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/s ... hub=Canada

U.S. civilian biplanes collide at Saskatchewan Centennial air show, two dead at 23:02 on July 10, 2005, EST.

MOOSE JAW, Sask. (CP) - Nearly 20,000 spectators watched in horror Sunday afternoon as two small biplanes collided then plummeted to the ground in a fireball at the annual air show in Moose Jaw.

Two pilots, members of the Arkansas-based Masters of Disaster civilian aerobatics team, were instantly killed. One of them was Bobby Younkin, his wife confirmed Sunday night by telephone from their home in Fayetteville, Ark.

Some relatives of Younkin and the other pilot, Jimmy Franklin, had been at the air show and were taken to the military base at 15 Wing Moose Jaw while officials tried to notify family members at home in the United States.

Witnesses said three planes were simulating a First World War dogfight, and two of them had crossed past each other when the third came up from underneath and smashed into one of the planes.

"It looked really, really nasty," one man watching the show told a radio station. "As soon as they hit, both burst into flames and just went down to the ground."

"Your first reaction is you're hoping it's part of the show," said witness Brian Hegel. "But a second later you realize it couldn't possibly be part of the show."

The other plane involved managed to land safely.

The 4:20 p.m. accident happened well away from the crowd, but the air show was immediately cancelled.

Witnesses said emergency vehicles were at the crash site within five minutes, spraying foam, but there was nothing that could be done.

"It was a civilian performance that has been practised many, many times and done in a safe manner many, many times," Clive Tolley, executive director of the air show, told a news conference late Sunday.

He said the Transport Safety Board would be arriving Monday to launch an investigation into the crash, adding he had no idea what caused the accident.

"The air show community is a very tight-knit community," said Tolley. "I think you can consider most of the people that perform for a living in the air show industry as family. That's why it's so important for us to take care of them."

Base commander Col. Alain Boyer, who is also vice-chairman of the air show's board of directors, said he had been confident in the practices and procedures involved in the air show.

"Everything was done professionally," he said. "These guys were professional pilots . . . all the safety measures were there."

Tolley said he was sensitive to the fact that the event was also traumatic for the huge crowd on hand.

"The good news out of this terrible tragedy is there was no collateral damage, nobody else was involved with the accident. The civilians attending our performance were completely safe."

Major Ian McLean of the Canadian Snowbirds military aerobatics team had called the Masters of Disasters show "phenomenal," explaining that every show is unscripted.

---------------------------

Agh... another sorrowful day in aviation

. ._ · Post by **. ._** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 9:28 pm

Sad news. It could happen to any of us.

Condolences to the family and friends thereof.

But when you are a pilot, you take the chance that you will die doing what you love. It's sad, but true.

I don't want to be a heartless bastard, but I'd rather die doing what I love, than live a life without taking that risk. I'm sure the pilots involved thought the same way.

It's still sad.

-istp

TG · Post by TG » Sun Jul 10, 2005 10:00 pm

Jim Franklin is/was quite a performer in his modified Waco.

CFV2 · Post by **CFV2** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 10:17 pm

I met Jimmy a good number of years ago, and he seemed like a real good guy, and a top-notch aviator. I never had the opportunity to meet Mr. Younkin.

My father, however, has worked with Mr. Franklin for promotional materials, and has known him for a good number of years.... and has seen him perform probably a couple hundred times. The air show community's is a pretty tight-knit, so everyone knows everyone.

My Dad was, unfortunately, in Moose Jaw at the time of the accident and is understandably very shaken up at the loss of his friend. It'll be some somber days here; I'll probably go see my Dad tomorrow when he comes back from Moose Jaw to see how he's doing.

.... don't really know what else to say.

Blue skies, fellas....

w squared · Post by **w squared** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 10:21 pm

As ISTP said, it is a sad day when a pilot loses his life in an accident of this kind (doubly so now). But we can take some comfort from the fact that these two men were following their dreams.

Sulako · Post by **Sulako** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:08 am

That's truly awful. I saw them perform a couple of years ago and it's really sad to think they will no longer be among us.

My heart goes out to the families and friends of the pilots involved.

Miss Mae · Post by **Miss Mae** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:27 am

What a terrible tragedy..my prayers go out to their families.

wha happen · Post by **wha happen** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:33 am

my deepest condolences to the friends and family affected by this tragedy.

Flybabe · Post by **Flybabe** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 1:52 pm

Godspeed, gentlemen - you'll be missed.

chipmunk · Post by **chipmunk** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:01 am

A picture of Bobby Younkin in his Beech 18 at Oshkosh in 2003. His beautiful, controlled aerobatics mesmerized me, and will always stay in my memory.

Doc · Post by **Doc** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:28 am

Me fears air shows will become a thing of the past. YWG, from what I understand, couldn't get insurance this year, and didn't have one, for the first time in years. This, plus a death in YOO, and I can see the insurance companies throwing yet another wrench into aviation?
Something is very wrong here. If NASCAR, CHAMP, IRL or F1 had this kind of accident rate in the past couple of months?....well, pilots just shouldn't be dying at air shows?

CFV2 · Post by **CFV2** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 11:38 pm

Doc wrote:Me fears air shows will become a thing of the past. YWG, from what I understand, couldn't get insurance this year, and didn't have one, for the first time in years. This, plus a death in YOO, and I can see the insurance companies throwing yet another wrench into aviation?
Something is very wrong here. If NASCAR, CHAMP, IRL or F1 had this kind of accident rate in the past couple of months?....well, pilots just shouldn't be dying at air shows?

There's usually one death every year - or every other year - on the North American air show circuit. My father has said that it's almost a yearly occurrance that there is a "rememberance" ceremony for those killed the year prior, at the annual ICAS (International Council of Air Shows) convention.

The pilots who actually do the flying accept these risks as part of the job - Just ask any of them. Most don't fly aerobatically because it pays well, anyway. And many of them are the absolute best in the business. The two killed in Moose Jaw were two really great aviators; as I said before, just awesome guys.

The set-up of airshows themselves have evolved over the years so that the crowd is fairly well-insulated from any danger involving the acts. The "box" is usually designed so that the risk of an accident like the Italian Frecce Tricolori's "Pierced Heart maneuver" disaster in Germany, which killed 70 people in the crowd, isn't repeated. The performers themselves often have their own insurance.

As for YWG's airshow... yeah, I'll make an educated (and pretty informed) guess in saying they likely couldn't afford insurance every year given their sponsors, and thus why they cancelled their show. Either that, or a sponsor pulled on them. I can get the actual reason for you if you want....

In either case, they might very well move to a biannual show, as many cities have.

The rise in insurance rates in recent years (and we're talking hundreds or thousands of percentage points, here) has had nothing to do with accidents at airshows; many shows and committees across the continent, since the last quarter of 2001, have had to cancel due to skyrocketing insurance rates placed arbitrarily upon them by insurance companies.... regardless of the safety record of air shows.

Two guesses what caused that...

CFV2 · Post by **CFV2** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 12:03 pm

As for the YWG Air Show;

Apparently the YWG Airport Authority had a three-year agreement with the Air Show organizing committee to pay the insurance costs, for 2004, 2005 and 2006.

From what I'm told, someone high up in the Airport Authority axed the Airport's support for the show and the funding for the insurance, without consulting the AA's BoD. Apparently, someone had heard the false assumption that airshows were dangerous for the crowds, or that air shows are not compatable with running an international airport... something to that affect. Either way, it was an arbitrary decision on the part of the Airport Authority.

The air show's organizing committee was thus unable to pay for the insurance and didn't have an airport at which to host the show. They've apparently moved to Brandon in hopes of having a show there.

Again, this is rumor - but from a reliable source. So you can take it with a grain of salt... but I hope this maybe helps clear some things up.

hz2p · Post by **hz2p** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 12:53 pm

If you're in the know ...

What happened to the London airshow this year? It used to be a really big show. I was told one of the organizers ran off with the money, but I'm skeptical of that.

Avro Arrow 206 · Post by **Avro Arrow 206** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 8:59 pm

CFV2 thanks for the airshow, the one in brandon was put together in 8 weeks, was very good this year.

CFV2 · Post by **CFV2** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 7:13 am

Avro Arrow 206 wrote:CFV2 thanks for the airshow, the one in brandon was put together in 8 weeks, was very good this year.

Are you thanking me..? I didn't have anything to do with the organizing committee in YWG\YBR this year. I just know people who do - but I'll pass that along if I talk to any of them.

As for the show in YXU, I'm not sure... my Dad and I have more to do with airshows in the West than those in Ontario and down east. I'll see what I can find, though.

CLguy · Post by **CLguy** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 9:07 am

Jim Franklin is the only air show performer that when he was done his show in his black Waco I actually felt sick to my stomach from just watching it. The most amazing show I have ever seen. I have seen him a few times since over the years and often wondered how long he could go before before something happened.

I have seen Bobby Younkin in Oshkosh a few times ringing out his Beech 18. Real nice show especially when he puts the smoke to the 985's. When he was done you could hardly see the field for smoke.

These two are definitely going to be missed on the airshow circuit. I am glad I had the opportunity to see them perform. They truly were masters at what they did!!!

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 9:51 am

" especially when he puts the smoke to the 985's. When he was done you could hardly see the field for smoke. "

I'm working on getting our Cat rigged up for smoke, different colours for each stack.

A pair of 1830's should really lay down a trail of smoke.

Cat