Former Auto Racers Among Victims Of Farnborough Citation Downing | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-10.28.24

Airborne-NextGen-10.29.24

Airborne-Unlimited-10.30.24

Airborne-Unlimited-10.24.24

Airborne-Unlimited-10.25.24

Mon, Mar 31, 2008

Former Auto Racers Among Victims Of Farnborough Citation Downing

Five Lost When Jet Goes Down On Takeoff From Kent Airport

Reports from the scene of Sunday's downing of a Cessna Citation 501 business jet in Farnborough, England indicate two former automobile racers were among the five victims onboard the stricken aircraft... but possible reasons why the business jet experienced problems immediately after takeoff are hard to come by at this time.

According to numerous news reports, the Citation I departed Biggin Hill Airport in Kent bound for Pau, France Sunday afternoon. The jet (file photo of type, shown below) was less than five miles from its departure airport when the pilot issued a mayday call, and apparently attempted to steer the plane back to Biggin Hill.

"The plane was coming down with its landing gear down as if to make an emergency landing on the field," witness Gary Walcraft, 16, told CNN. "I could see someone in the plane waving frantically out of the window at us to get out of the way... But at the last second the pilot pulled up somehow and gained some height. He was trying to avoid hitting us but then he clipped some trees and smashed into the house."

The Citation impacted a vacant home in a residential area two miles from the field. The owners of the house were away on vacation when the accident occurred, and no one on the ground was injured.

Among the five victims onboard the jet were former British Touring Car Championship driver David Leslie, 54, and Apex Motorsport head Richard Lloyd, 63. The London Times identified the pilots as Michael Roberts, 63, and Michael Chapman, 57. The fifth victim was Christopher Allarton, 25.

An investigation has been launched into the downing of the aircraft, with the National Transportation Safety Board also offering its assistance.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.apexmotorsports.com

Advertisement

More News

Senator Pushes FAA to Accelerate Rocket Launch Licensing

States That Current Process is Damaging National Aerospace Development US Senator Jerry Morgan is pushing the FAA to speed up the process for rocket launch licensing. He argues tha>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: RJ Gritter - Part of Aviation’s Bright New Future

From 2015 (YouTube Edition): Model Aviator Aims For Full-Scale Career While at the 2015 Indoor Electric RC Festival, referred to as eFest, ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell>[...]

Aero-FAQ: Dave Juwel's Aviation Marketing Stories -- ITBOA BNITBOB

Dave Juwel's Aviation Marketing Stories ITBOA BNITBOB ... what does that mean? It's not gibberish, it's a lengthy acronym for "In The Business Of Aviation ... But Not In The Busine>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (10.27.24)

Aero Linx: Cardinal Flyers Online The Cardinal Flyers Online Web site was created and is maintained by me, Keith Peterson. My wife Debbie and I have owned a 1976 RG since 1985. Wit>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (10.27.24): Clearance Void If Not Off By (Time)

Clearance Void If Not Off By (Time) Used by ATC to advise an aircraft that the departure release is automatically canceled if takeoff is not made prior to a specified time. The exp>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC