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Pilot is Injured in Crash at Claremore Air Show

Posted on: Wednesday, 27 July 2005, 12:00 CDT

The pilot, who is in serious condition, was attempting a low- altitude roll and crashed inverted, authorities said.

CLAREMORE -- A pilot was hospitalized Saturday after his plane crashed during an air-show performance, FAA officials reported.

The pilot, whose name was not released, was participating in "Wings Over Oklahoma" at Claremore Regional Airport at the time of the accident, airport officials said.

Preliminary reports indicated that the accident happened about 12:30 p.m. as the pilot was attempting a low-altitude roll in a Yak- 52 aircraft, FAA officials said.

The aircraft is a Russian-made, fixed-wing, propeller-driven plane, FAA officials said.

The pilot apparently had taken off only a short time before the crash, FAA spokesman Roland Herwig said.

"It was departing and was doing a low-level aerilon roll, from preliminary reports," Herwig said. "It then crashed inverted."

Firefighters and emergency medical personnel were at the air show and responded quickly to the crash, airport officials said.

The pilot was reported to be in serious condition following the crash, Herwig said.

Airport officials called off the air show for the rest of the day but plan to resume events Sunday morning.

Herwig said a probable cause of the accident likely will not be known for a week or so.

The investigation will not be concluded until the plane is examined thoroughly, he said.

Herwig said heat can affect how aircraft function, but he could not say whether high temperatures Saturday played any role in the accident.

"Heat is a factor, but whether that has anything to do with this particular accident, we still don't know," he said.

Shaun Epperson 581-8369

shaun.epperson@tulsaworld.com

Source: Tulsa World

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