The Biggin Hill Invader crash was an accident involving a twin-engined Douglas A-26 Invader aircraft which crashed during an airshow on 21 September 1980.[2] The pilot and six passengers were killed, prompting the Civil Aviation Authority to introduce rules preventing passengers from being carried during air displays.[3]

Accident

During the Biggin Hill Battle of Britain airshow, the Invader made a fast run along the crowd line at 150 feet (46 m) then attempted to carry out either a barrel-roll or a wing over. When the aircraft was inverted the roll rate increased and it dived into the ground in the valley at the end of the runway. The pilot and the six passengers were killed. [4]

Aircraft

The Douglas A-26 Invader was an American medium bomber built for the United States Army Air Force around 1943.[4] It was sold after the war and was operated from England since the mid 1970s as a warbird in USAAF markings as "322612", with the nickname "Double Trouble”.

References

  1. ^ "USAF Serial Number Search Results". cgibin.rcn.com. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  2. ^ description for Accident Douglas A-26C Invader N3710G, 21 Sep 1980 N3710G Douglas A-26 Invader at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 4 July 2021.
  3. ^ "B-26 crash at Biggin Hill".
  4. ^ a b Stewart Tendler (22 September 1980). "Seven killed as bomber crashes at Biggin Hill". The Times. No. 60730. London. p. 1.