EE Lightning Crash In Overberg SA, 14/11/09

Been out of the loop for a while. sympathies to the family and all the crew at thundercity.

Deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Dave Stock and XS451

Despite what some of the scuttlebutt would have people believe, i think Mike and his crew at ThunderCity should be commended for operating the Lightning without a major mishap for almost a decade, she’s probably one of the hardest jets out there to maintain and thus far the crew have done an exemplary job, given the beast the Lightning can be it was probabaly sadly inevitable however that they would one day lose one of these magnificent machines.

If it was, it’s odd that it’s still not been uploaded to the SACAA website, which is still currently listing the only report as the Interim one.

Update – yes its the one titled interim at http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20center/accidents%20&%20incid/reports/2009/ZU-BEX.pdf My mistake – as the document is ten pages long with photos and diagrams I incorrectly assumed it was the final report. My apologies.

I believe it was published a couple of months ago – but I don’t have a direct link to hand I’m afraid.

If it was, it’s odd that it’s still not been uploaded to the SACAA website, which is still currently listing the only report as the Interim one.

I believe it was published a couple of months ago – but I don’t have a direct link to hand I’m afraid.

Thanks anyway!:)

I believe it was published a couple of months ago – but I don’t have a direct link to hand I’m afraid.

Is there a final report availiable??

Flights or just engine runs ? I was thinking that maybe the South African CAA might have withdrawn their permits to fly pending the final reports. I must have been a great shock, and personal loss, to all at Thunder City and hope that they have the heart and enthusiasm to continue.

452 hasnt carried a passenger since the loss, the flights are i beleive infrequent and mainly to maintain currency on the aircraft

Thanks for clarifying hunterXF

And seen here http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=100291&highlight=coventry+midland+air+museum, taken a couple of weeks ago! Along with the Hunter which I didn’t realise was yours until now, very nice too!
The Lightning does look fantastic, and the Saudi scheme has really grown on me more recently. Be nice to see a Kuwaiti marked one aswel IMO.

Forgot about that thread – despite viewing it myself 😮

Just want to make it clear – I’m custodian of the Hunter not owner…. before the Museum shoot me 😀
I did used to work on her in RAF service at Brawdy, and wish I did own it, but it’s a permanent loan airframe from the USAF Museum because it was built as part of the 1950’s US / UK Military Aid Programme (financial aid given my the US to fund production batches of UK made aircraft)

Sorry this is going off-topic a bit 😮

only anti det flights i believe

Flights or just engine runs ? I was thinking that maybe the South African CAA might have withdrawn their permits to fly pending the final reports. I must have been a great shock, and personal loss, to all at Thunder City and hope that they have the heart and enthusiasm to continue.

Have asked this question before, but dont remember getting an answer.
Have any of the other Thunder City Lightnings flown since last years accident?

only anti det flights i believe

please don’t forget the pristine example at the Midland Air Museum..

And seen here http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=100291&highlight=coventry+midland+air+museum, taken a couple of weeks ago! Along with the Hunter which I didn’t realise was yours until now, very nice too!
The Lightning does look fantastic, and the Saudi scheme has really grown on me more recently. Be nice to see a Kuwaiti marked one aswel IMO.

oops apologies guys.. didnt realise that.

I hadn’t seen it Peter, thanks for flagging it up. As has been said, an interesting read… 🙁

Have asked this question before, but dont remember getting an answer.
Have any of the other Thunder City Lightnings flown since last years accident?

oops apologies guys.. didnt realise that.

That only seems to be the interim report that was released a few months ago.

Yup, that’s just the intial interim report released a few days before Christmas.

Woodbridge,
You are right about the Saudi airframes but shamefully BAE left them to languish in open storage and they suffered big time, they were moved on and some were used as props in a film (Wing Commander I think) and some found there way to museums, the most notable is the one at Gatwick aviation museum which is slowly and impressively being returned to ground running condition.
John.

Just to add to the point about ex-Saudi airframes and their condition – please don’t forget the pristine example at the Midland Air Museum which now carries FULL Saudi markings after permission had to be sought to carry them again!

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Saudi-Arabia–/English-Electric-Lightning/1691034/L/&sid=73d5f1ad7d14e9d172b597e270d83019 Photo found on Airliners.Net

CAA report released..
http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20center/accidents%20&%20incid/reports/2009/ZU-BEX.pdf

That only seems to be the interim report that was released a few months ago.

Thanks for that, it’s an interesting read.