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Re: LSFM P-38 ground accident

Posted by Chuck on Sun Jan 18, 2004 09:44:47 AM

In reply top Re: LSFM P-38 ground accident posted by Blake on Sun Jan 18, 2004 09:09:28 AM

I concur with Blake's story. I saw the entire incident happen from two hundred feet away standing beside the pilot's wife. This situation resulted due to bad planning, poor communication, and lack of understanding. The P-38s nose wheel can turn so that the aircraft can pivot on the main gear on the inside of the turn, to about the same degree as a taiwheel airplane. This event was bad for all involved: the mechanic, the pilot, the airplane, and the museum. Since this happened within a two year period of two P-38 crashes (Proudfoot and Ethell), it was decided to not actively fly the plane anymore.
I will never forget a flight from Galveston to Houston in the B-17, looking outside the waist-gunners position at that P-38 in very tight formation. Awesome!



: The P-38 did NOT hit a marshaller. Chuck and I were both
: marshalling that day. I was on the opposite end of the fl
: ight line. I'm not sure exactly where Chuck was working.
: Those are not fond memories.
:
: The accident occurred back in 1998 (I think). The NTSB re
: port is on-line, but their site doesn't seem to work this
: morning. What was hit was a Cushman 3-wheel scooter (with
: roof), with a mechanic sitting inside. The mechanic laid
: down across the seat to try to get out of harm's way. He
: had a chunk taken out of the back of his calf. He's a ve
: ry lucky guy. Both the P-38 and the mechanic were repaire
: d and are fully operational today.
:
: The accident occurred early in the morning, before very mu
: ch public had arrived. The plane made a sharp 180-degree
: turn to the left to exit the pit and hit the scooter, whic
: h was parked at about its 7 o'clock position, with the idl
: ing, inboard (left) prop.
:
: Blake
: Volunteer - Lone Star Flight Museum

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