Horrible Accident at Wings Over Dallas Airshow ...

[Daleandee]

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[Winthrop]

I understand the P-63 has poor visibility due to the unusual engine placement, but I have no personal knowledge. I think the simple reality is hat these air shows are inherently dangerous.

 

[Ron Wanttaja]

I understand the P-63 has poor visibility due to the unusual engine placement, but I have no personal knowledge. I think the simple reality is hat these air shows are inherently dangerous.

Actually, if anything, the P-63 should have *better* forward visibility than a typical WWII fighter, as the engine is behind the pilot and thus doesn't block the view.

However, visibility is affected by other factors as well, such as the size and positioning of the windows.

Ron Wanttaja

 

[Winthrop]

visibility is affected by other factors as well, such as the size and positioning of the windows.

I have never even seen a P-63 outside of a book. I will have to see how the pilot position might differ due to the placement of the engine, but generally what you are saying seems cogent.

The angle the two aircraft impacted though suggests the pilot of the P-63 was following the fighter in front and likely could not see the B-17 despite, tragically, being virtually on top of it.

 

[Jim Logajan]

I found this pilot's head cam video of a P63 flying formation, which gives some idea of visibility:

 

[rotorwrench]

However, visibility is affected by other factors as well,

... like the P-63 did not anticipate the B-17 to be there so he wouldn't be looking for it? There is a comment on another forum that suggests the fighters were using a higher altitude and the bombers a lower altitude with the option for the fighters to join the bomber level when it was clear. The commenter goes on to state the AirBoss, believing the bombers were clear of runway centerline, cleared the fighters to enter the bomber altitude block which enabled the P-63 to look into the turn for the centerline instead of at the B-17. And given there was no apparent last minute evasive maneuver by the P-63 on the videos, I would think that narrative could be true in that the P-63 never saw it.

 

[Rush]

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

First hand eye-witness account to this tragedy at Air Facts - https://airfactsjournal.com/2022/11...w-tragedy-an-eyewitness-account-from-a-pilot/

 

[Rush]

First hand eye-witness account to this tragedy at Air Facts - https://airfactsjournal.com/2022/11...w-tragedy-an-eyewitness-account-from-a-pilot/

Very good article.

 

[rotorwrench]

Preliminary report released:
https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106276/pdf

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

Does look bad for the air boss per this analysis

 

[Richard_Allred]

Juan Brown from the Blancolirio channel just released this video on the accident a few days ago.