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Spitfire PL983

Posted by Al on Thu Feb 06, 2003 06:28:37 PM

In reply top Re: Another Crashed Spitfire to be restored posted by John H on Thu Feb 06, 2003 05:55:32 PM

This is the Spitfire that crashed in France, killing Martin Sargeant. June 2001.

"Martin Sargeant was tragically killed as his Spitfire Mk.XI PL983 crashed at an airshow near Rouen in Normandy, France today. A few minutes after taking off he radioed an emergency reporting an engine problem. He was instructed to land on the designated emergency grass strip parallel to the main runway. Eyewitness reports said that he dropped out of the formation, with Charlie Brown in another Spitfire flying alongside shepherding PL983 in. With wheels and flaps down Sargeant had PL983 lined up for a textbook emergency landing when he saw people on the strip, and called the tower to say he could not land there. As he turned, presumably attempting to realign on the hard runway, the Spitfire apparently stalled and hit the ground inverted, exploding on impact, Sargeant was killed instantly."

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