1988 Precious Metal crash

[speeddemon]

Here are a couple of snapshots from 1988. Right after the Gold Race, Hacker and I hiked down into Lemmon Valley and trudged through the dried mud to the crash site. Took a few photos, grabbed a few 'souveniers', and hiked back before the Police set up the perimeter and wouldn't let anyone else out there.

[Aeronut7]

Re: Precious Metal crash

I almost had a heart attack when I saw that title!! *sigh of relief* Thanks for sharing the history! (I wasn't even alive in 1988)

[spacegrrrl]

Re: Precious Metal crash

Having been there I can tell you watching Precious Metal head for the valley was a very unpleasant "deja vu" moment!

Michele

[speeddemon]

Re: Precious Metal crash

Having been there I can tell you watching Precious Metal head for the valley was a very unpleasant "deja vu" moment!

Michele

Agreed. I was standing on the top row of the grandstands and saw him pull out of the formation as the planes came down over the highway. Don set up for what looked like a straight-in landing on 32. But on long final, the plane looked like it stalled, nosed over, and the last thing I remember seeing was the airplane disappearing behind some buildings on the bluff--going almost straight down. I thought for sure he was going to go into the houses on the west side of the valley.

A friend of mine was standing next to me videotaping the race, and just as Hoover lets the racers go, you can hear me say "Oh sh*t!!". I kept waiting for smoke, but thankfully none appeared. What I always found disturbing was that Don never called a Mayday over race frequency, and Sandy Sanders never once acknowledged that Precious Metal wasn't even in the race...even though he had been in the line-up and taken off with the formation.

I think as soon as Shelton crossed the finish line, Hacker and I took off at a dead run down into the Valley. Took about 20 minutes to get out there, and Don was driving away in one of the Sheriff's jeeps as we walked up. There were probably 10 other people there. Michael O'Leary was one of them. I always thought it was kind of funny that his pictures that were in Air Classics were almost identical to mine. The crew came back with him a few minutes later. Have some other photos of everyone standing around the plane with a "Well....what do we do now?" look on their faces.

At least everyone was okay.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: Precious Metal crash

I almost had a heart attack when I saw that title!! *sigh of relief* Thanks for sharing the history! (I wasn't even alive in 1988)

Me too seeing that I am on that crew now. Stinks that I have to wait almost a year to get ya back. Oh wait that's perfect... you will never see it coming.

[Leo]

Re: Precious Metal crash

OK, I'm breathing again.
Don't do that to us! Most of us are too old to handle it!

First year my father-in-law went, his favorite plane, the first time he saw it fly, and the first crash. All in one day!

[aerojock]

Re: Precious Metal crash

I too have got down there before they taped it off. They let me walk around without even a second look. Nice shots. I took almost the exact pictures. It looks like you could have taken them out of my scrapbook. If I can i'll post them but I am short on time.


Aero

[RandyGoss75]

Re: Precious Metal crash

Oh man- did it HOWL!!!!!!

Sounded alot like when John Crocker and Skip Holm had their props run away- but with that deeper Griffon roar.......YIKES RG

[chuck]

Re: Precious Metal crash

Don't do that anymore. I almost had the big one too.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: 1988 Precious Metal crash

I took the liberty of editing the thread and adding the date. We don't need anyone having any grief over reading this headline!

Oh Yea... Speed... you read your Press Credential signoff... right???

That same hike today would get you the lifelong scissor treatment!!

[Randy Haskin]

Re: 1988 Precious Metal crash

For those of us without press credentials, what would violate the agreement?

I don't even remember having to hop any property fences, ropes, or anything like that to get out there.

At the time of the crash, there were all ready people out there, and no emergency services or police said a word when we walked up and started looking around, and no body subsequently told us to leave the area.

I was also very surprised that Sandy Sanders did not say anything about PM dropping down out of sight...Whittington flew out from behind the mountain with the starting formation, and very obviously dropped out of formation approaching the grandstands. Everyone that was standing around with Brad and I seemed to observe it, and we spent most of the rest of the race asking 'what happened to PM'?

[Leo]

Re: 1988 Precious Metal crash

I did the same thing to the RB crash, just walked right up to it.
I went back and watched my video of that year. You can see him coming down the chute. They pass the tower and he's already dropping out of the scene. I did'nt even see it at the time, just wondered where he'd gone.
Similiar thing happened in 83 when Chuck Hall lost a valve just after passing the home pylon in Sandburg's mustang. He flew off into the distance and never landed. I don't remember them EVER announcing he was down in the desert. I heard it from another crew member.

[John]

Re: 1988 Precious Metal crash

That same hike today would get you the lifelong scissor treatment!!

That same year I could have gotten the "lifelong scissor treatment" for
walking over the fence and out into the valley of speed during unlimited
practice. I had some low observable clothes on, but that didn't keep this
one guy in a Sea Fury from flying right over my head every lap. I could
have sworn he must have seen me but didn't see how he could. It stopped
me from going out there ever again. Wish I would have taken the camera
though.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: 1988 Precious Metal crash

That same year I could have gotten the "lifelong scissor treatment" for
walking over the fence and out into the valley of speed during unlimited
practice. I had some low observable clothes on, but that didn't keep this
one guy in a Sea Fury from flying right over my head every lap. I could
have sworn he must have seen me but didn't see how he could. It stopped
me from going out there ever again. Wish I would have taken the camera
though.

Grrr.... Guys who went over that fence, are the reason that there is a HIGHER fence now.....

I remember seeing guys jump it just to throw a football back and forth... ????

WTF??

So, now, if you want to shoot or watch out there and not do it THROUGH that fence, you need a ladder or tailgate....

grrrrr!

[John]

Re: 1988 Precious Metal crash

Grrr.... Guys who went over that fence, are the reason that there is a HIGHER fence now.....

I remember seeing guys jump it just to throw a football back and forth... ????

WTF??

So, now, if you want to shoot or watch out there and not do it THROUGH that fence, you need a ladder or tailgate....

grrrrr!

...dang, me too, about the fence that is. Last time we were along the
valley of speed was 1997, and I don't remember a tall fence then? We
didn't go out into the valley, mind you, we were just parked along the
fence. Windy that year, and Strega had a rough landing. Bear started
a fire in the desert too. Miss Ashley 2 was lookin' real smooth and
efficient. Levitz did so well that he was last in line to land. The Griffon
is an awesome sound.