Silverstone 22nd August

I went to Silverstone yesterday to drive in an Exige experience. The cars were great and I had just completed my first 4 laps of the Southern circuit and returned to the pit to change drivers. Planes had been practising overhead for next weekends World Aerobatic Championship to be held at Silverstone. Sadly I saw a small single engined plane plunge maybe 500 feet, nose first into the ground. A female Califonian pilot was killed. No noise, no smoke, no fire, no chance.
I am certain she died doing what she enjoyed the most.....Flying.
A rather sad Lotus fan today.
CAM

How sad. Tragedy is never far away

Yes I heard about this today ... extremely sad and depressing. Thoughts are with her family.

Latest news
A female American pilot died when her light aircraft crashed during an aerobatic show at the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit this afternoon.

The pilot, a 40-year-old woman from California, was the only person on board the plane when it went down just after noon today.

Her Edge E40 plane crashed 10 metres from the track in the south-west corner of the Northamptonshire race circuit, close to the Hangar straight.

No other aircraft are believed to have been involved and no one else was injured in the crash.

The pilot, who has not been named, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch and Thames Valley Police are now investigating the incident.

A spokeswoman for Thames Valley Police said the force was contacted by Northamptonshire Police at 12.12pm today.

She said: “Thames Valley Police is currently at the scene of an aircraft crash at Silverstone, Dadford Road, Buckingham.

“Police were notified at 12.12pm that a single aircraft taking part in an acrobatic show at Silverstone had come down on the circuit.

“The pilot, an American woman, was pronounced dead at the scene.

“No one else was injured in the incident.

“Investigators from the Civil Aviation Authority are on their way to the scene to begin their investigation.”
Thoughts are with her family on this sad news.
Edward King.

I saw these guys practicing last Monday. I always have this nagging doubt about the outcome whenever I watch flying displays, something I simply don't get from motor racing. I suppose the thing is that there is a good cahnce you'll survive an accident on the ground. But one that starts in the sky.... not a chance.

How sad for everybody involved especially in this 'blame culture' society that we live in. It will be investigated until they can blame someone. How sad is that too?????

Chris, I hope it doesn't affect you too much but no doubt you'll never enjoy another air display.....

We've (VSCC) just had an incident free 11 race programme at Mallory Park today during which a Lancaster made a brief, and un-scheduled, appearance.

Mike,

There was a spectator who was killed recently whilst watching a rally.

A car left the road, rolled several times and ended up a long way off the stage, never the less, you expected the inevitable hunt for someone to blame. It was reported in Motorsport News and I fully expected to see comments along the lines of, "the marshalls did not control the crowd properly", "there were no warning signs", "the course was particulaly dangerous" etc etc.

It was very refreshing to read a statement from the grieving family who said that no one was to blame, it was a freak accident and one that could not have been forseen. They went out of their way to place no blame on the marshalls or event organisers and even wished the driver and navigator well, hoping that this would not put them off competing in the future. The spectator was an elderly gentleman who by all accounts had follwed all types of motor sport for many many years and at the time he was killed was doing something from which he had derived great pleasure, namely spectating.

At a time when the emotions of the family must be raw an stretched to the limit I have nothing but admiration for they way they handled the situation and an honest acknowledgement of what sadly was an extrordinately piece of bad luck.

Kim,

I agree, that's a very refreshing piece of news.