ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 188046
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| Date: | Sunday 21 April 1996 |
| Time: | 13:45 |
| Type: |  Boeing-Stearman A75N1 (PT-17) |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | G-BIXN |
| MSN: | 75-2248 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Frensham Pond, near Farnham, Surrey -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Frensham Pond, near Farnham, Surrey |
| Frensham Pond, near Farnham, Surrey | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
EX-USAAF 41-8689; initially became N51132 on the US Registry. First UK registered as G-BIXN on 15-6-1981. Written off (destroyed) 21-4-1996 when crashed on take off from a grass airstrip at Frensham Pond, near Farnham, Surrey. According to the following extract from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"On the day of the accident, the pilot made two flights from the grass strip at Frensham Pond. The first flight was uneventful, and the pilot decided to fly again about one hour later. For this second flight, the pilot estimated the surface wind as south-easterly at 6 knots.
The take-off run was normal and the aircraft became airborne at about 80 mph. The pilot stated that, at between 30 and 40 feet agl, he experienced a strong gust of wind from the aircraft's starboard quarter from which he recovered by the lowering the aircraft's nose. A few seconds later, he experienced a second, and more powerful, gust which rolled the aircraft between 70 and 80 degrees to the left.
Apparently the gust was so strong, that its effect exceeded the control authority of the ailerons and rudder, and the pilot was unable to regain a wings-level attitude, before the aircraft struck the ground. Both the pilot and his passenger were wearing full harnesses and neither was injured in the crash."
Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "Aircraft Destroyed". However, that was not the end of this particular aircraft, and from this point on, the matter of the fate of G-BIXN becomes complex: the aircraft was sold on 31-7-1996 to a new owner in Poole, Dorset, who sold it on again on 5-10-2000 to the owner of Rendcomb Airfield in Gloucestershire. The airfield is home to the Breitling Wing Walking aerobatic display team of "wing walkers", who use Boeing Stearmans as their chosen display aircraft.
It was believed that G-BIXN was acquired for use as a source of spares for the display teams other Stearmans, but, some sources state the G-BIXN has been on a protracted rebuild since 2011 (see links #3 and 4).It is notable that the registration never has been cancelled but G-BIXN hasn't had a Certificate of Airworthiness since August 1996.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422faa9ed915d13710007d3/dft_avsafety_pdf_501136.pdf
2. CAA: https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-BIXN.pdf
3. G-BIXN at Dunsfold 1-7-1989: https://www.flickr.com/photos/39860650@N02/5237673444
4. http://www.eurodemobbed.org.uk/locations.php?location=2126
5. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1941_2.html
6. http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=51132
7. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000421606.html
8. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=17618.0
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Jun-2016 17:43 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 12-Jun-2016 17:44 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 10-Nov-2020 00:28 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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