A vintage Spitfire plane made a crash-landing in a field in Woodchurch, Kent, England, on the morning of September 7.
The plane crashed when the 68-year-old pilot, identified as Rob Davies MBE, was trying to make an emergency landing due to engine failure.
The plane sustained significant damage.
The pilot remained safe and walked away after the crash.
On Jan 2, 2013, a Luscombe 8A Silvaire crashed in Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation area, a park in San Luis Obispo County. State Park rangers and Five Cities Fire Authority arrived on the scene.
The pilot’s name, Glen Philip Ray, was released Thursday along with his cause of death: sharp force trauma injuries.
The only one aboard the vintage plane (circa 1937) was the pilot. A memorial celebrating Ray is scheduled on Jan. 13 at noon at Art Craft Paint in Santa Maria.
The pilot, who is a former marine, flew commercial cargo planes, restored planes and took side jobs working on various aircraft. He owned his plane but on the ground, instead of a car, he mostly got around by bike.
The NTSB investigator handling this accident is Howard Plagens. The investigation is expected to take a year, although a preliminary report will probably be available in ten days.
What: private Tiger Moth
Where: Jandakot Airport Australia
When: Dec 14, 2012, 10:15 a.m.
Who: pilot and passenger
Why: The flight was en route when smoke started coming from the engine. The smoke was seen at 10: 15.
Shortly later, the pilot made a safe landing at Jandakot Airport Australia with four crews of emergency services standing by.
The smoke seemed to originate from an oil leak.
What: Central Aviation Waco UPF-7
Where: Rockcliffe, Ottawa, ON Canada
When: June 17, 2012
Who: 3 aboard
Why: On landing after a sightseeing excursion, a 73 year old biplane plane flipped on the runway. The 66 and 64 year old passengers were hospitalized with minor injuries. The 53 year old pilot (Gary) went home. Fire crews applied foam to the leaked fuel and flipped the plane right side up.
What: ex-military Gazelle helicopter en route from Stratford-upon-Avon to Yeovilton in Somerset. The helicopter was co-owned by Rod (Rick) Praskey and fellow flying enthusiast Christopher Evans. Christopher Evans was NOT aboard.
Where: in open grassland about 800-900 feet high – one of the highest spots in Gloucestershire, crashed in a field at Langley Hill Farm in Winchcombe, near Cheltenham.
When: Noon Nov 1
Who: Two men (both West Midland company directors) and a woman; Pilot Rod Paskey, aged 55, from Fazeley, near Tamworth director of Dekko Exclusive Gifts, Laurence Bailey an executive of Cunningham Cash Registers. The 27 year old woman’s name has not been released.
Why: poor visibility is conjectured to be part of the cause of the crash. It had been flying in heavy mist. No survivors, no cause known yet. The helicopter was described as a wreck of mangled metal. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is investigating. Post Mortem examinations were due to be carried out Tues Nov 4
