Seven dead after Hawker Hunter hits cars

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Perhaps there was no intention of the stunt being performed over a road? All we have is a video of what happened with no details of what led to that point.
 
There's some fairly horrible pics on the BBC website of the road post crash and it doesn't look good, already cars with sheets covering them :(
 
Very sad to see such a wonderful aircraft have this fate.

There was also a light aircraft crash at Sandown on the Isle of Wight, the pilot was pulled alive from that.

I don't believe the pilot would have survived this so reports might be getting crossed.

I've seen this fly many times, it was based at North Weald (Just off the M11/M25 junction) which I used to fly out of regularly. This airfield is also the home to the Gnat display team which also had an accident a few weeks back.

Terrible news, the aviation world looses another iconic aircraft and superb pilot.
 
chief barker said:
Hmm...
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No Hmm about it. The pilots who fly these aircraft are nearly all ex-forces, highly experienced and trained and tested to standard far beyond any armchair pilot like yourself will ever achieve. They are not run of the mill private pilots, you don't just buy a hunter and become a display pilot over night.

Until such time as the reasons for this crash are confirmed I would not create personal attacks on the pilots ability.

As for being over the road, standard stuff. How could one avoid roads full stop? It happens at every airshow.

As for the canopy, the force of the impact would be sufficient to open it.
 
I saw it. I was standing on Mill Hill overlooking the airfield and the A27.

He did a loop and was coming in to do a low pass over the runway, from the north. This means flying over the A27. From what I saw he seemed to drop onto the road belly first. As in lose power.

Unfortunately there was a very large queue of traffic waiting at the traffic lights, and a lot of those waiting to get into the airshow.

The aftermath I saw was very grim.

My thoughts are with all those affected.
 
Update from Sussex police:

A number of people are known to have died when a historic military jet crashed into a busy main road at Shoreham in Sussex.

The Hawker Hunter was taking part in an air show at the airport adjacent to the A27 when it crashed on to the road and ended up in a bush at 1.20pm on Saturday (22 August).

Emergency services have declared a major incident and a number of helicopters have been deployed to the scene to evacuate casualties to hospital.

The A27 has been closed at Lancing and to the north of Hove and is expected to remain closed for some considerable time.

South East Coast Ambulance Service has confimed that there have been seven fatalities declared at the scene, one patient with serious life-threatening injuries has been transported to Royal Sussex County Hospital and further 14 patients treated for minor injuries.

The casualties are all believed to have occurred on the road at this time and there are not thought to be any injuries to anyone actually on the airfield.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service has sent ten appliances to the scene.

The Air Accident Investigation Bureau is attending the scene and have asked anyone who has video or photographs of the plane in the time leading up to and including the crash to hold on to them and await advice as to whether they may be wanted to assist with the investigation.
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How horrific. :(
 
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