Taken seconds after: In 2015 a Hawker Hunter T7 crashed into the A27 near Lancing, West Sussex after failing to perform a loop at the Shoreham Airshow, the pilot Andy Hill would survive, but 11 others engulfed in jet fuel would not
Andy Hill was an experienced pilot, flying Harriers in the RAF and being one of British Airways' most experienced pilots
he loop should have been started at a height of 500 feet (150 m) and a speed of at least 350 knots (650 km/h), attaining a height of 4,000 feet (1,200 m) and 150 knots (280 km/h) at the top of the loop. Only 2,700 feet (820 m) and 105 knots (194 km/h) were achieved from an initial entry speed of 310 knots (570 km/h).
The Hunter came down in a nose up position and crashed into cars on the A27 dual carriage way, killing 11 and injuring 16. Hill ejected and survived with critical injuries and was placed ina coma at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and was released a month later.
The AAIB (Air Accidents Investigation Branch) came to the conclusion that it was pilot error and Hill was charged with manslaughter and in 2019 was found not guilty
God I remember this. I worked at local car dealer in Shoreham at the time. I remember coming out onto the forecourt to my two colleagues talking about how this plane did a loop and didn't reappear after dipping below a tree line just across from us. As they said that, we could see thick black smoke beginning to rise high above the tree line. It looked to be in the direction of the A27 dual carriageway but we wasn't sure if it actually hit the road.
For perspective, that part of the A27 is very busy much of the time, especially so on weekends. The particular part where the plane crashed was right on the traffic light junction section (as you can see from the pics) where large amounts of cars would que at the lights. Spectators of the airshow would also gather here in large numbers. Its so tragic and so unlucky that civilians were just going about their journey and something like that happens. A few people local to my hometown lost their lives. Was very fortunate I wasn't on a test drive or something at the time. This event haunted local people for a long time, and arguably still does.
DecisionLivid on June 11st, 2021 at 23:18 UTC »
Andy Hill was an experienced pilot, flying Harriers in the RAF and being one of British Airways' most experienced pilots
he loop should have been started at a height of 500 feet (150 m) and a speed of at least 350 knots (650 km/h), attaining a height of 4,000 feet (1,200 m) and 150 knots (280 km/h) at the top of the loop. Only 2,700 feet (820 m) and 105 knots (194 km/h) were achieved from an initial entry speed of 310 knots (570 km/h).
The Hunter came down in a nose up position and crashed into cars on the A27 dual carriage way, killing 11 and injuring 16. Hill ejected and survived with critical injuries and was placed ina coma at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and was released a month later.
The AAIB (Air Accidents Investigation Branch) came to the conclusion that it was pilot error and Hill was charged with manslaughter and in 2019 was found not guilty
Salty_Tree_Monster on June 12nd, 2021 at 00:21 UTC »
My uncle was a firefighter who was one of the first responders. Describing the crash as catastrophic is an understatement.
badman458 on June 12nd, 2021 at 00:35 UTC »
God I remember this. I worked at local car dealer in Shoreham at the time. I remember coming out onto the forecourt to my two colleagues talking about how this plane did a loop and didn't reappear after dipping below a tree line just across from us. As they said that, we could see thick black smoke beginning to rise high above the tree line. It looked to be in the direction of the A27 dual carriageway but we wasn't sure if it actually hit the road.
For perspective, that part of the A27 is very busy much of the time, especially so on weekends. The particular part where the plane crashed was right on the traffic light junction section (as you can see from the pics) where large amounts of cars would que at the lights. Spectators of the airshow would also gather here in large numbers. Its so tragic and so unlucky that civilians were just going about their journey and something like that happens. A few people local to my hometown lost their lives. Was very fortunate I wasn't on a test drive or something at the time. This event haunted local people for a long time, and arguably still does.