Stunt plane hits water hard

Three Rivers Regatta on Aug. 4, 1996. Pilot Clancy Speal, age 43.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• plane
• water
• hard
• crash
• accident
• airplane
• Three
• Rivers
• Regatta

[CRWTower]

"With his wife and three children among the thousands watching in horror, and with KDKA-TV's cameras rolling, a stunt pilot performing at the Three Rivers Regatta on Aug. 4, 1996.

The body of the pilot, Clancy Speal, 43, of New Alexandria, Westmoreland County, was recovered two days later. He had flown more than 1,200 hours at air shows.

Cracks at the base of one of the planes wings were thought to have contributed to the crash."

Pittsburgh Tribune

[jordan8705]

Also the water is not compressible. When you reach higher speeds, steel becomes more maleable than water.

[tarrizzzzzzzzz]

@maggot12190 how could you possibly know that was the reason he didn't jump out?

[Matijahs]

Press 6: SLASH xD

[philosofiza]

@JesperA86 jordan has simplified a little but but is essenially correct, a combination of surface adhesion physics (the difficulty of breaking a materials surface tension) and the coefficient of restitution. All very geeky and not my field of kinetics. A paper dart which i could crush against my hand at low speed can pass through steel plate when traveling fast enough (fired from rail gun usually in vacuum)

[Leofox94]

hm, just 3 of 6 billion people died. makes no sense.

[JesperA86]

@jordan8705 Totally false, i cant believe this myth is still going

[RontoTheDog]

@CRWTower

Cracks in the wings? And no one did anything about it before the flight?

[maggot12190]

this was my uncle he dident jump out to keep the plane from going near the crowd i was 6 when this happened

[daniel15869453]

good landing ^^

[basimpsn]

He try a knife edge landing.

[SenorSpode]

Correct. That would be the Partenavia P-68C in Plainview, TX on Sept. 11, 1983. Pilot exceeded Vne by 27 knots and pulled suddenly on yoke, breaking wings.