Zlin 50 Impacted Near End Of Runway During Performance

From the sound of it, Rob Harrison is one lucky guy. The 66-year-old air show performer is recovering in a Modesto, CA hospital, after his Zlin 50 impacted the ground near the end of his routine at Modesto Airport Appreciation Day on Saturday.

Harrison was performing a rolling maneuver when the aircraft crashed in the grass off the end of the runway, according to The San Francisco Chronicle.

Harrison's aircraft slid for about 100 feet following impact... with the plane's wing and landing gear sheared off by impact forces, and the fuselage separating into two pieces after of the cockpit.  Despite the seriousness of the accident, Harrison -- who performs under the nickname "Tumbling Bear" -- said he was "okay" as rescuers helped him from the stricken aircraft.

"He just slammed right into the ground," witness Michael Coughlin, 55 told The Modesto Bee. "He partially pulled himself out of the wreck and waved his hand high like he was saying 'here I am, come and get me.'"

"We were watching all these wonderful maneuvers," added Shirley Gray. "(The pilot) had just come out of a loop but he didn’t pull up. He just lost it. The plane just came down flat."

Air show coordinator Jerry Waymire said Harrison was transported via helicopter to a local hospital in serious, but stable, condition.

Collin Shaddy, who is a vice-president at Harrison's engineering consulting business, told The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin the pilot broke both ankles and some bones in his left hand, and fractured several ribs. His condition has since been upgraded to "fair."

In a message posted Tuesday on Harrison's website, Susan Harrison wrote her husband "is doing well, and is moving around... Today, when waking up in the morning, he first asked where the food was."

It was the first accident in the 13-year history of the show.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 6660K        Make/Model: EXP       Description: EXP- ZLIN 50LX
  Date: 05/10/2008     Time: 2005

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Serious     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: MODESTO   State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED WHILE PERFORMING BARREL ROLLS DURING AN AIRSHOW, MODESTO
  AIRPORT, MODESTO, CA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   1     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: 2011Z 29003KTS 10SM CLR 27/06 A2998

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Business      Phase: Maneuver      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: FRESNO, CA  (WP17)                    Entry date: 05/12/2008

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.harrisonairshows.com/