88-Year-Old Aircraft Crash Lands in Cambridge, London

Emergency services and a crane were made available to attend to the nosedived aeroplane at IWM Duxford, Sunday morning

The popular Summer Airshow at the Imperial War Museums, IWM Duxford, near Cambridge, in England, has experienced a slight hitch with the crash landing of an 88-year-old aircraft, de Havilland aircraft Dragon Rapide.

The Dragon Rapide bi-plane reportedly nose-dived into the ground at Duxford Air Show with eight (8) passengers on board and one pilot but no casualty was recorded.

Emergency services and a crane were dispatched, although a little late, to the scene of the air accident at Duxford Airshow.

An eyewitness account expressed gratitude to God that the aircraft landed away from the spectators and none on board was injured.

The airshow had also been described as a commercial success with the tickets for all the segments of the show, for exhibitors of various genres, kiosks of various sorts, and stands for spectators were sold out and the turnout was unprecedented.

According to a report by CambridgeshireLive, the spokesperson for IWM Duxford said: “This morning, there was a minor incident with an aircraft at IWM Duxford. No one involved was injured, the incident has been fully dealt with and the flying programme for today’s event will run as planned.”

Another eyewitness at the show said just about the time the aeroplane nose-dived, there was a ‘strong gust of wind’.

However, against the widely reported crashlanding, the airshow went on unhindered and ran its full course successfully without overt harassment from any quarter, be it UK CAA or the Police.

In another clime, such nature of landing, under any guise and at whatever event, would have been classified as an air accident despite no injury to the occupants. It will also be very doubtful if not impossible for the show to continue.

It is a general belief that civil aviation standards as prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, are universally adopted and operate with its terms, definitions and recommended practices.

The editorial crew of NTH will like to be re-educated if, by the position of the aircraft at landing, if that was an accident or serious incident fit merely for occurrence report?

de Havilland Dragon Rapide bi-plane

de Havilland Dragon Rapide, was first built in 1934. The airplane was made preponderantly from a plywood construction for short-haul flights.

During the 2nd World War, WW11, the airplane played a role in aerial couriers between Britain and France.

Much later, a military-oriented version of the plane was developed

DUXFORD UNITED KINGDOM

According to Hexcel Corporation; “Duxford is situated just south of Cambridge, location of the famous University that was founded in 1209.

Duxford itself is home to the Imperial War Museum, Europe’s top aviation museum, housing more than 180 historical aircraft. The Cambridgeshire area enjoys a dynamic business environment and is a leading center for IT and biotechnology.

Hexcel’s Duxford site was founded in 1934 by Cambridge University don, Dr. Norman De Bruyne, a pioneer in structural adhesives and composite materials. Today, the Duxford plant has six manufacturing buildings and is also Hexcel’s European Center for Research and Technology.

The Duxford facility manufactures an extensive range of prepregs – epoxy, phenolic or BMI resin systems that are reinforced with carbon, glass or aramid fibers.

Duxford also manufactures hotmelt prepreg resin films, a range of adhesives and honeycomb.

Key applications for products made at Hexcel’s Duxford site are commercial aerospace primary and secondary structures, helicopters, defence aircraft and aero-engines”.

= =Hexcel Corporation

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