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RV mid air

From the ASN:

Two aircraft were performing an aerobatics display along the coastline at Alba Adriatica, Italy, when they collided in mid-air. One aircraft, Van's RV-8 I-LOVI, lost a wing and crashed into the sea, killing the pilot.
The pilot of the other aircraft, Van's RV-7 I-AMEL, managed to make a forced landing on the shoreline, causing the airplane to flip upside down.
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Horrific to watch, but thankful that there was help to rescue the RV-7 pilot. That could be very difficult to self rescue inverted in shallow water.
 
Ditching versus trees

Recalling the prior discussion of ditching versus landing in trees, I think I'll take my chances in the trees. John
 
scrollF4 said:
Roll call. Does anybody know the pilots' identities? VAFers? Luca?
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Two aircraft were performing an aerobatics display along the coastline at Alba Adriatica, Italy, when they collided in mid-air. One aircraft, Van's RV-8 I-LOVI, lost a wing and crashed into the sea, killing the pilot.
The pilot of the other aircraft, Van's RV-7 I-AMEL, managed to make a forced landing on the shoreline, causing the airplane to flip upside down.
 
Very sad, I know Luigi and have met him several times in Italy.
I hope he has not been injured.

Barry
 
Mark Albery said:
From the ASN:



Horrific to watch, but thankful that there was help to rescue the RV-7 pilot. That could be very difficult to self rescue inverted in shallow water.
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Horrific indeed. Thankfully the RV7 pilot has done an excellent job of controlling his damaged aircraft and putting it down right where help was available. Hope he is ok.

Ditching in an RV is one of my greatest concerns so I hope we can learn more about this event. I watched several of the video clips and it's clear from one of the views the pilot managed to get the slider canopy almost fully open prior to ditching, but in another view the high deceleration from the first contact with the water appears to have slammed it shut even before the aircraft went over. That in itself could cause a head injury. I have a lifehammer attached to the side panel but I doubt it's effectiveness in a ditching.
 
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Rv7 pilot walks away in the video, crowd can be heard clapping

Rv8 pilot did not make it based on reports
 
In the head on vid of him aproaching to ditch in the water you can see the L wing leading edge badly damaged and torn, prop stoped and broken. and he glided it in no power great aircraft control. amazing to see how well this plane flew all tore up.
 
Here are a few more videos of the accident an Luigis water landing.
It looks as though the leading edge of his left wing was badly damaged.
Perhaps that is why he made a no flap dead stick splash down.
A great bit of flying on his part as after the shock he brought the plane down very close to the shoreline as there seems so have been no one in the sea.

Apparently Luigi managed to walk away from the accident so that was good news.

http://www.youreporter.it/video_Alba_l_impatto_in_mare_di_uno_dei_2_velivoli_coinvolti

http://www.youreporter.it/video_Air_show_l_impatto_in_mare_e_i_soccorsi_video_ravvicinato

http://www.youreporter.it/video_Incidente_air_show_Alba_Adriatica_impatto_video_ingrandito


Barry RV6a sold France
 
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Yikes

That is horrible.
The inverted plane rolled over and into the level plane, wow thats got to be horrible sight in the windscreen with no time to react, the two planes where tangled together and dropping and miraculously the lower plane broke free, recovered, and with damage and engine out managed to ditch and even open canopy prior to touch down.... Wow, that is some great pilot work keeping your wits about you and saving your bacon.

Sad to watch but just shows you that no matter how bad, fly the plane....right to the ground.
 
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556c5da6c7f6c.jpg
 
My condolences to the family of the pilot that lost his life.

To the other members of "The Good Fellas" you have my sincerest sympathy for the loss of your friend and team member.
 
Very very sad!!!

We are flying formation aerobatics here in Chile with two more RV fellows, and watching this make us wonder if we should continue or not.

Big question is why the aircraft number one suddenly roll out of his inverted pass, at least at our team I call clear to aircraft number one to roll out of this maneuver, if he is in trouble he has to call before roll out!!!

My condolence to family and friends.
 
Hi everyone, Luigi was released from the the hospital a couple of days ago, he's fine, at least physically speaking.

Fernando, the cause is still unknown, but for sure that wasn't the point where the upper aircraft was supposed to roll out, they were just at the beginning of the display line... Maybe a technical problem, but who knows... We have to wait for the investigation.

This is how the two aircraft look now. :(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quFFdjwN0jk
 
Ettore, thanks for that link... Is the narrator just describing what you're looking at in the video, or does he say anything that we can't already learn from the video itself?
 
Snowflake said:
Ettore, thanks for that link... Is the narrator just describing what you're looking at in the video, or does he say anything that we can't already learn from the video itself?
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Yes, he's just describing what you see in the vid.
 
Thanks to everyone

Hi guys,

thanks for the nice messagges, I am Luigi, the other pilot of the mid air collision.

Barry, Riccardo told me that you contacted him, thank you again.

Ciao
Luigi
 
Luigi,
Amazing job on the recovery and landing from that horrible accident. Best wishes for a speedy recovery and hope you get back in the air soon.
jd
 
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