Thu, Jan 24, 2013
Impressive Details Coming In...
Airshow pilot Kirby Chambliss, in preparation for an airshow in El Salvador has suffered an engine failure but is reported to be OK... though we understand the airplane is totaled.
Preparing for the Ilopango Air Show in San Salvador on the 26th and 27th of January, Chambliss was flying with at least one other aircraft when the engine failed and he was left with few landing options near the end of the runway... and some pretty rough terrain.
Fellow airshow pilot, Skip Stewart posted an update to Facebook in which he noted that, "There is a lot of false information about Kirby out there. I was flying off his wing practicing a dual routine when it happened. So this is the correct information. We were flying a formation high alpha pass. At the end of the runway Kirby's engine quit. There was nowhere to land. He descended into a rocky ravine and crashed onto the side of a steep embankment. I was watching him the whole way.
The plane crashed into small trees and flipped over. The airplane was badly damaged, but Kirby extracted himself and walked to a clearing. I had immediately called for the rescue helicopter and they were there very quickly. A testament to the readiness of the El Salvadorian military. Kirby is fine with superficial scrapes and bruises."
Pictures of the aircraft being airlifted form the crash site by helicopter do confirm extensive damage to the aircraft and pictures of Chambliss, afterwards, show him smiling and 'celebrating' his survival (as shown in last photo, below). All in all, this is an accident that could have gone a LOT worse.
Chambliss, flying a Zivko "Edge 540" has an impressive resume... including being the 5 time US National Aerobatic Champion, 2004 and 2006 Red Bull Air Race World Champion, the winner of 2 bronze medals at the 2005 World Aerobatic Championships, 1 Silver and 1 bronze at the 2003 World Aerobatic Championships, and the Men's Free Program World Champion at the 2000 World Aerobatic Championships.
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