Ultralight Trainer Crash Claims Two | 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-12.09.24

Airborne-NextGen-12.10.24

Airborne-Unlimited-12.11.24

Airborne Flt Training-12.05.24

Airborne-Unlimited-12.06.24

Tue, May 13, 2003

Ultralight Trainer Crash Claims Two

Witness Says Engine Apparently Failed In-Flight

It was about 9:15 Saturday morning when Ernie Brockman heard an unusual sound in the sky outside his house. Brockelman tells the Salina Journal he stepped out and saw a brightly-colored ultralight buzz past at about 350 ft. AGL. Brockman says he watched for a moment, then went back into his kitchen for another cup of coffee.

Suddenly, he says, the humming noise stopped. "I heard the engine try to restart, but it didn't," Brockelman told the Journal. "There was kind of a sputter, then a pow and a thud. You could tell something hit something."

What Brockelman heard was the Mitchell T-10D Flying Wing trainer (file photos) impacting the ground near a pond a few hundred yards from his house, north of Salina (KS). Brockelman tells the Journal he rushed outside again and saw a cloud of grey-white smoke, and something moving on the other side of the pond. It was the ultralight coming to rest.

"I thought I was in the middle of a bad dream," said Brockelman. "I stood there and looked at it, thinking I was going to see a fire or somebody moving."

But there was no fire and, sadly, no one was moving. The two men aboard the aircraft, Terrance F. Thornton, 64 of Culver (KS) and Jerry A. Holsinger, 60, of Petersburg (VA) were pronounced dead at the scene.

Thornton was described as inseperable from the Mitchell Wing T-10 manufacturer. In fact, all training tasks were handed over to Thornton, who operated two of the T-10D trainers - the only two be flying. He also ran a bed and breakfast in Culver, where his guests were often his pupils.

Scene Of Impact

Brockelman says he called 911, then raced to the crash site. The ultralight appeared to have nosed into the bank of a stock pond. The wings seemed to have folded forward from the force of the impact.

The aircraft was eventually hauled away on the back of a tow-truck. "We've got the aircraft on hold," said Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Chris Farthing. He said state officials called the FAA, "but they don't respond to ultralight accidents."

"It looks like the aircraft probably stalled and came down," the trooper told the Journal. "It was moving forward, but it dropped and landed on the front part of the aircraft."

Brockelman was still rattled hours after the accident. "You don't see this kind of stuff every day," he said. "My feelings are for them (the pilots) and their families."

FMI: www.kansashighwaypatrol.org, www.ameriplanes.com

Advertisement

More News

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (12.10.24)

“We’re watching the very nature of warfare change. The speed of technology is absolutely meteoric.” Source: Maj. Gen. Clair Gill, commanding general of the Fort N>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (12.10.24): Handoff

Handoff An action taken to transfer the radar identification of an aircraft from one controller to another if the aircraft will enter the receiving controller's airspace and radio >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (12.10.24)

Aero Linx: European Association of Aviation Training and Education Organizations – EATEO EATEO aspires to be the European voice for driving the best aviation training and edu>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (12.11.24)

“Think spacious modules with large windows to view Earth, our blue origin, while experiencing the thrill of weightlessness in complete comfort. Distinct quarters will be desi>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (12.11.24): Altitude Restriction

Altitude Restriction An altitude or altitudes, stated in the order flown, which are to be maintained until reaching a specific point or time. Altitude restrictions may be issued by>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

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