Model B Lands in Trees in Virginia

They were among the first airplanes, but, by modern standards, they weren't very good. Remarkable, absolutely. Clever, incredibly; but good fliers -- that takes a while.

Monday evening, just after 7 o'clock (not Tuesday, as the preliminary report shows), Ken Hyde's beautiful Wright Model B, with Ken himself seated at the controls, was badly damaged in what could have been a very bad accident. Fortunately, Ken's mostly OK. Unfortunately, the Model B probably isn't. Years of work, and even sponsorship from Northrop Grumman and Curtiss-Wright, couldn't override the laws of physics, as the machine, on a short test flight, surprised its builder and suddenly headed for the trees.

The Virginia State Police told ANN that a witness, who was out on his porch, grilling dinner, said he saw the machine "spiral in." The police report quotes Mr. Hyde, who received cuts and suffered a broken arm, as saying that he had started a left turn, and that the machine started into a spin, and he lost control.

The police told ANN that, as of Tuesday morning, the plane was "still 30 feet up in the trees."

--Please read our follow-up, exclusive interview with Ken Hyde, the builder/pilot of this machine, in the Wednesday edition of Aero-News. There's new information for you! --

[Photo of Ken at the controls, and the machine in the tree, from www.wrightexperience.com --ed.]

**   Report created 5/20/2003   Record 1  **
IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 1911K    Make/Model: EXP   Description: WRIGHT MODEL B
  Date: 05/20/2003     Time: 2320
  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Minor   Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial
LOCATION
  City: WARRENTON   State: VA   Country: US
DESCRIPTION
  ACFT CRASHED INTO TREES UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, WARRENTON, VA
INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:  1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   1     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
WEATHER: METAR KIAD 192351Z 13003KT 10SM BKN250 18/10 A3031
OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Unknown      Operation: General Aviation
  Departed: WARRENTON, VA               Dep Date:    Dep. Time:
  Destination: WARRENTON, VA            Flt Plan: UNK          Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: UNK
  Last Clearance: UNK
  FAA FSDO: WASHINGTON IAD, DC  (EA27)            Entry date: 05/20/2003

FMI: www.wrightexperience.com/progress/aircraft.htm