NTSB Identification: CEN17WA008
Accident occurred Sunday, October 02, 2016 in East Anglia, United Kingdom
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN P-51D, registration:
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious.
The foreign authority was the source of this information.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. The foreign authority was the source of this information.
On October 2, 2016, at 1438 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), a North American P-51D, British registration G-MSTG, impacted an open field during a go-around near Hardwick Airfield, East Anglia, United Kingdom (U.K.). Of the two persons on board, one was fatally injured and the other was seriously injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The registered owner and operator have yet to be determined. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from an unknown location at an unknown time, and was destined for East Anglia.
This investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) of the United Kingdom. Under the provisions of Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation as a State of Design, the United States has designated an accredited representative to participate in the investigation. Any further information may be obtained from:
AAIB
Farnborough House
Berkshire Copse Road
Aldershot, Hampshire
GU11 2HH, United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0) 1252 510300
Facsimile: +44 (0) 1252 376999
E-mail: investigations@aaib.gov.uk
Investigator-in-Charge
Mr. Philip Sleight
Telephone: +44 1252 510300
E-mail: psleight@aaib.gov.uk
This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by, or obtained from, the AAIB of the United Kingdom.
Maurice Hammond, the pilot of the North American P-51D Mustang which crashed in Topcroft.
A pilot who was seriously injured when his plane crashed has undergone surgery at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Engineer Maurice Hammond, who owns a fleet of vintage planes known as the Hardwick Warbirds, had been flying one of his two Mustang planes on Sunday afternoon when the crash happened close to the former RAF Hardwick airfield, near Bungay.
The passenger in the plane, a man in his 80s, died at the scene.
Mr. Hammond, a 58-year-old father-of-two and grandfather-of-three from near Eye in Suffolk, is currently being treated at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Nik Coleman, a family friend of the Hammonds, and acting spokesman for them, said: “Maurice is now in aftercare having undergone a surgical procedure today to strengthen and protect his spinal cord, neck upwards.
“This was a planned procedure by the staff at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital as part of the overall recovery programme for him. “We are informed by medical staff that the surgery, whilst complex, is a normal procedure in collision cases where the patient was wearing a helmet and has suffered neck tissue and ligament trauma.
“It is important to note his spinal cord is wholly unaffected. His CT scans give no reason for concern.”
He said members of Mr Hammond’s family were encouraged by the fact that his medical team considered him strong enough to undergo surgery and that they remained “strong and optimistic.”
“Sedation was reduced at one point yesterday for assessment purposes and Maurice reacted positively, opened his eyes and demonstrated reflex reactions,” he said.
Mr. Coleman said the family and the Hardwick team continued to express their condolences to all affected by the incident.
As previously reported, members of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) have this week been investigating the incident and the remains of the Mustang plane have been moved to the AAIB’s hangar at Farnborough, Hampshire.
The North American P-51D Mustang was worth around £1m-£1.5m, Mr. Coleman previously stated.
Maurice Hammond is an expert on old aircraft. Pic: hardwickwarbirds.com
The pilot of a vintage plane that crashed in Norfolk, killing the only passenger on board, is an expert on old aircraft and the star of a TV show on how to restore them.
The plane, a Mustang built in 1945, crashed and burst into flames near an airfield on Sunday.
The passenger, a man in his 80s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Pilot Maurice Hammond, who owned the historic US fighter plane, was airlifted to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and is in a critical condition.
He has restored vintage planes for a series called Plane Resurrection that is shown on Netflix, the Discovery channel and the History channel, according to a friend.
Mr Hammond, who is in his 50s, has spent thousands of hours flying Mustang aircraft and restoring them, he said.
The plane that crashed was a P51 D Model Mustang, one of a batch of 10, and was built in Dallas, Texas.
The Mustang planes were used during World War Two, when they flew countless missions, including in raids over Germany.
"We need to keep the history alive and remember what these aeroplanes did and what they represent," Mr Hammond said in a trailer for Plane Resurrection.
He bought the Mustang airframe in 1997 and spent four years restoring it.
On 13 July, 2001, the Mustang, which was nicknamed Janie, had its first post-military flight. Since then the aircraft has flown at air shows across the country.
The plane crashed in a field just a few hundred yards from the Hardwick airstrip, which is believed to belong to a farmer who owns several vintage aircraft.
Charles Christian, who lives near the airfield, said the plane "was flying in and coming into land quite normally and flew right over my head".
"It flew on toward the runway, which is about a quarter of a mile away, and disappeared behind the trees to land.
"Normally when that plane lands they cut off the engine so you sort of hear it backfiring, a spluttering noise, and then it grinds to a halt.
"It was noticeable that this time there was the spluttering noise and then it stopped very quietly and then a few seconds later there was another bang, which I am guessing was the explosion."
Source: http://news.sky.com
The plane, a Mustang built in 1945, crashed and burst into flames near an airfield on Sunday.
The passenger, a man in his 80s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Pilot Maurice Hammond, who owned the historic US fighter plane, was airlifted to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and is in a critical condition.
He has restored vintage planes for a series called Plane Resurrection that is shown on Netflix, the Discovery channel and the History channel, according to a friend.
Mr Hammond, who is in his 50s, has spent thousands of hours flying Mustang aircraft and restoring them, he said.
The plane that crashed was a P51 D Model Mustang, one of a batch of 10, and was built in Dallas, Texas.
The Mustang planes were used during World War Two, when they flew countless missions, including in raids over Germany.
"We need to keep the history alive and remember what these aeroplanes did and what they represent," Mr Hammond said in a trailer for Plane Resurrection.
He bought the Mustang airframe in 1997 and spent four years restoring it.
On 13 July, 2001, the Mustang, which was nicknamed Janie, had its first post-military flight. Since then the aircraft has flown at air shows across the country.
The plane crashed in a field just a few hundred yards from the Hardwick airstrip, which is believed to belong to a farmer who owns several vintage aircraft.
Charles Christian, who lives near the airfield, said the plane "was flying in and coming into land quite normally and flew right over my head".
"It flew on toward the runway, which is about a quarter of a mile away, and disappeared behind the trees to land.
"Normally when that plane lands they cut off the engine so you sort of hear it backfiring, a spluttering noise, and then it grinds to a halt.
"It was noticeable that this time there was the spluttering noise and then it stopped very quietly and then a few seconds later there was another bang, which I am guessing was the explosion."
Source: http://news.sky.com
