Zlin 50 Impacted Near End Of Runway During Performance
From the sound of it, Rob Harrison
is one lucky guy. The 66-year-old air show performer is recovering
in a Modesto, CA hospital, after his Zlin 50 impacted the ground
near the end of his routine at Modesto Airport Appreciation Day on
Saturday.
Harrison was performing a rolling maneuver when the aircraft
crashed in the grass off the end of the runway, according to The
San Francisco Chronicle.
Harrison's aircraft slid for about 100 feet following impact...
with the plane's wing and landing gear sheared off by impact
forces, and the fuselage separating into two pieces after of the
cockpit. Despite the seriousness of the accident, Harrison --
who performs under the nickname "Tumbling Bear" -- said he was
"okay" as rescuers helped him from the stricken aircraft.
"He just slammed right into the ground," witness Michael
Coughlin, 55 told The Modesto Bee. "He partially pulled himself out
of the wreck and waved his hand high like he was saying 'here I am,
come and get me.'"
"We were watching all these wonderful maneuvers," added Shirley
Gray. "(The pilot) had just come out of a loop but he didn’t
pull up. He just lost it. The plane just came down flat."
Air show coordinator Jerry Waymire said Harrison was transported
via helicopter to a local hospital in serious, but stable,
condition.
Collin Shaddy, who is a vice-president at Harrison's engineering
consulting business, told The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin the
pilot broke both ankles and some bones in his left hand, and
fractured several ribs. His condition has since been upgraded to
"fair."
In a message posted Tuesday on Harrison's website, Susan
Harrison wrote her husband "is doing well, and is moving around...
Today, when waking up in the morning, he first asked where the food
was."
It was the first accident in the 13-year history of the
show.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 6660K
Make/Model: EXP Description:
EXP- ZLIN 50LX
Date: 05/10/2008 Time: 2005
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury:
Serious Mid Air: N
Missing: N
Damage: Substantial
LOCATION
City: MODESTO State: CA Country:
US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT CRASHED WHILE PERFORMING BARREL ROLLS DURING AN
AIRSHOW, MODESTO
AIRPORT, MODESTO, CA
INJURY DATA Total
Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat:
0 Ser:
1 Min:
0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat:
0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Grnd:
Fat: 0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
WEATHER: 2011Z 29003KTS 10SM CLR 27/06 A2998
OTHER DATA
Activity: Business Phase:
Maneuver Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: FRESNO, CA
(WP17)
Entry date: 05/12/2008