An old Mk. 18 Spit accident…need details…

Yeah, John owned the Spitfire….he died with Red in his T-28 about a year later…hence the ‘rough year’ comment about losing these three guys….

Mark

Mk 12-

In conversation with Bill Greenwood the other day on the phone, we both agreed that the Spitfire’s pilot Larry Diehl, while a nice guy and a very capable pilot (maybe that should read AIRLINE pilot), was a bit of a big head when it came to airplanes and clearly, in Greenwood’s estimation, was’nt ready for the Mk. 18 cross country yet (hence the prior incident where he chewed up the prop tips on one flight)…Greenwood offered back seat time in his Mk. 9 trainer Spitfire prior to Diehl attempting this cross country flight to Canada, but it was turned down and the result was tragic…unfortunately a bunch of bad decisions cost us a great plane and pilot here in Colorado and later with the death of John Breit a burgeoning collector was also lost, and TWO nice guys went down in his T-28 accident (Red Williams, another local T-6 pilot and mechanic and one HELLUVA nice guy) died in that crash…all in the space of roughly one year. A serious blow to Colorado warbird aviation that really never has been recovered from…a couple of VERY BIG holes were left and continue to be felt out here…

Mark

John Breit was the owner of the Mk XVIII TP298 at the time of the crash.

Mark

Mk 12-

In conversation with Bill Greenwood the other day on the phone, we both agreed that the Spitfire’s pilot Larry Diehl, while a nice guy and a very capable pilot (maybe that should read AIRLINE pilot), was a bit of a big head when it came to airplanes and clearly, in Greenwood’s estimation, was’nt ready for the Mk. 18 cross country yet (hence the prior incident where he chewed up the prop tips on one flight)…Greenwood offered back seat time in his Mk. 9 trainer Spitfire prior to Diehl attempting this cross country flight to Canada, but it was turned down and the result was tragic…unfortunately a bunch of bad decisions cost us a great plane and pilot here in Colorado and later with the death of John Breit a burgeoning collector was also lost, and TWO nice guys went down in his T-28 accident (Red Williams, another local T-6 pilot and mechanic and one HELLUVA nice guy) died in that crash…all in the space of roughly one year. A serious blow to Colorado warbird aviation that really never has been recovered from…a couple of VERY BIG holes were left and continue to be felt out here…

Mark

I think there’s been some discussion about TP298 on here before. Possible rebuild (if not already under rebuild)??

MK. X, great stuff….thanks for finding that…says the airplane was completely destroyed, huh? Unfortunate…some folks I had heard from said the plane looked as though it had belly landed in and the pilot was just sitting in the cockpit, dead…apparently not the case….everything ELSE jives with what I have heard though, that they were scud running and doing stuff with the Spit they should’nt be doing….even Bill Greenwood said they were just running on the main tank which would’ve severely limited the fuel supply, not a good idea in that terrain…

Mark

Mark,

Destroyed in ‘general aviation’ terms but not in Spitfire terms. It flew smack in to the slope of the hillside and spread itself around in several large pieces. I have the local press photos but not for this forum.

The remnants were acquired by a US enthusiast who had visions of rebuilding it. It was subsequently purchased by a Thai based Brit and shipped to Oz to join another ‘joint venture’ project but this seems to have run aground.

As I recall TP298 was only fitted with stock period flight instruments with minimum or zero modern aids. Dumb for flying in mountain laden cloud. 🙁

Mark

MK. X, great stuff….thanks for finding that…says the airplane was completely destroyed, huh? Unfortunate…some folks I had heard from said the plane looked as though it had belly landed in and the pilot was just sitting in the cockpit, dead…apparently not the case….everything ELSE jives with what I have heard though, that they were scud running and doing stuff with the Spit they should’nt be doing….even Bill Greenwood said they were just running on the main tank which would’ve severely limited the fuel supply, not a good idea in that terrain…

Mark

From NTSB site

NTSB Identification: SEA94LA122 .
The docket is stored in the Docket Management System (DMS). Please contact Public Inquiries
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, May 19, 1994 in GREAT FALLS, MT
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/7/1994
Aircraft: VICKERS SPITFIRE MARK XVIII, registration: N41702
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
WHILE MANEUVERING IN AN AREA WHERE THE CLOUDS HAD LOWERED TO SOME OF THE RIDGES, THE PILOT OF THE SPITFIRE BECAME SEPARATED FROM THE ACCOMPANYING AIRCRAFT. AT THE POINT OF SEPARATION, THE PILOT OF THE ACCOMPANYING AIRCRAFT EXECUTED A CLIMB THROUGH INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), TO VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) ABOVE. AFTER DISCUSSING THEIR REJOIN OPTIONS, THE SPITFIRE PILOT ELECTED TO ATTEMPT AN IMC CLIMB TO REJOIN THE OTHER AIRCRAFT ABOVE THE CLOUDS. DURING HIS CLIMB IN THE WORLD WAR II VINTAGE FIGHTER, WHICH WAS NOT CERTIFICATED FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) OPERATION, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND DESCENDED INTO THE TERRAIN.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

THE PILOT’S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHILE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). FACTORS INCLUDE THE PILOT’S POOR INFLIGHT DECISION TO ATTEMPT AN IMC CLIMB IN AN AIRCRAFT NOT CERTIFIED FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) OPERATION, AND HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT’S IMC CAPABILITIES. OTHER FACTORS INCLUDE LOW CLOUDS ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT.

SEA94LA122
On May 19, 1994, approximately 1740 mountain daylight time (MDT), a Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Mark XVIII, N41702, impacted the terrain about 41 miles east of Great Falls Airport, Great Falls, Montana. The airline transport rated pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, received fatal injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed. According to witnesses on the ground, the personal pleasure flight, which departed Billings Logan International Airport, Billings, Montana, at 1648 MDT, was operating in an area were the ceiling was less than 1,000 feet, and the visibility was occasionally less than three miles. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation.

According to individuals in an accompanying aircraft, the flight of two had entered an area where the clouds had lowered to ground level on some of the ridges, and visibility was reduced by numerous surrounding rain showers. While maneuvering through the area in an attempt to find a passable route to Great Falls, the two aircraft became separated, and the accompanying aircraft climbed through instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), to visual meteorological conditions (VMC) above. The two aircraft maintained radio contact for about five minutes, discussing whether they should meet at an airport, or whether the Spitfire pilot would “…get on top…”, and rejoin in the air. At the end of the five minute period,, the pilot of the Spitfire said, “I’m going to climb now.” No further visual or radio contact was made after this final transmission.

A review of the aircraft’s log books, and a discussion with the aircraft’s owner, revealed that the World War II vintage fighter was not certified for flight in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).

Bingo, Daz, nail on the head….impressive. Knew you’d come through on this one….so what ever happened to the airframe? John Breit was unfortunately killed a year or two later when the tail of his T-28 came off during some aerobatic maneuvers near Denver, killing a very nice man who was trying to start a warbird collection here in Denver (the Spit 18, a Mustang, C-45, T-28 and a Beech 18 under restoration)….

M

You’d be thinking of TP298, Mark.

See the first couple of pics on the following link.

Panther Spits