Yak-9 flipped at Tyabb

[Adam the Akrodude]

It appears Jimmy Wickham's Yak-9 has flipped on landing at Tyabb. Appears pilot is OK - PHEW! Very lucky!



http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/09/06/14/42/man-miraculously-escapes-injury-after-plane-flips-at-victorian-airport

[tor lives]

Yeah....bad news for the Yak. but good news that no one was hurt.
TOR

[RHB785]

Oh dear. Well, at least the pilot was injured. One thing about Russian aircraft is they're tough.

Regards,
RHB.

[Adam the Akrodude]

Yes the Yak's are very tough birds. Pilots ain't as tough of course. Many pilots have been killed over the years in roll over accidents. The famed Charlie Hillard (one time World Aerobatic Champ and in the "Eagles" formation aerobatic team) died when his Sea Fury flipped on landing in a cross wind.

Tyabb runway has a pretty narrow sealed section. I know this once having done a touch and go in a Pitts. You see bugger all of the sealed section of the strip once flaring. It's a matter of finding some part of the sealed runway to look at out to the side so to maintain going in the right and straight direction (using the "Force" a bit!). Who knows what caused this - cross wind, a locked brake, whatever. Just so glad he's OK. Yak obviously more survivable in a flip over than a Sea Fury!

I once had a chat to Nigel Arnot (one time Aussie aerobatics champ) around the time he was flying a Sea Fury and Yak-3 (Steve Hart's little airforce - which ended up being confiscated by the Fed Police!). He had a engine failure once just after t/o at Archerfield @ around 30 feet off the runway. He got the aeroplane down and stopped just before end of the runway - only damage was some shattered nerves! It was some electrical issue just caused the engine to quit. Had it happened a few seconds later, Nigel would have been trying to avoid crashing into factories just beyond the airfield. I really take my hat off to those who fly high performance warbirds. Up to a third of casualties in prop fighters during WW2 was during training - not exactly forgiving aeroplanes!