Thunder City English Electric Lightning T.5 ZU-BEX
HEADLINES (discontinued) Lightning crashes during display
Image ID: 69683
Views: 8041
Operator: Thunder City - ZU-BEX
Aircraft: English Electric - Lightning T.5
Airport: South Africa - Overberg (OVG / FAOB)
Category: Main database
Photo taken on 2009-11-14 by Heather Arnold [Contact]
EXIF information is not available.
Photographer's remark
(15.11.2009, 08:26 CET)
BEX crashed at AFB Overberg on 14 November 2009, after a hydraulic failure, and then complete loss of control (so it is said). Apparently the pilot (Dave Stock) unsuccesfully tried to eject 3 times before the aircraft hit the ground. Sadly, Dave didn't survive the crash. This photo was taken about 9 minutes before the crash. (An exception has been made due to the newsworthy nature of this photograph. AP Editor.)
1 Jacques
(15 November 2009 - 08:50 CET)
Dave will be very missed, he was one of the finest pilots I have met. He died doing what
he loved most. Awesome pic Heather.
2 Grant
(15 November 2009 - 11:21 CET)
Was at the Air Show, it was a very sad event to all who was there. It was said that he
dumped some fuel over the sea to prevent a bigger acident. what a hero....
3 Heather Arnold
(15 November 2009 - 12:39 CET)
Thanks Jacques.
Rest in Peace, Dave.
4 Kevin
(15 November 2009 - 14:49 CET)
A great man who will be sorely missed, professional to the end. Our hearts go out to his
loved ones and those who hear the burden of this tragedy. Dave you were taken too early.
5 Mickey
(15 November 2009 - 18:58 CET)
I was at the show. It was very sad. A guy next to me had a CB radio with him. We overheard
his last few minutes.He made sure that the plane is close enough to the runway, but far
from the populated area. As far as I know, he did eject after several unsuccessfull tries.
RIP Dave- you're a real hero
I'll be back in two years, for the best airshow in
the Southern Hemisphere. I hope to see a Lightning here again.
Does enyone know
when this Lightning was build?
6 Matthew
(16 November 2009 - 07:24 CET)
It was a very sad day , waiting for the news was hardest..to a real professional,may you
rest in peace.
7 EDreyer
(17 November 2009 - 15:47 CET)
I understand that this Lightning had her maiden flight on 29 March 1962. We can just hope
that the remaining Lightnings will be allowed to fly as the CAA is conducting an
investigation. I hope that the outcome of this will not cause all of Thunder City's
airplane not being allowed to fly anymore. I always enjoyed it when either the Lightning,
Hawker Hunter or Buccaneer flew over our house. So sad that Dave lost his life while
entertaining all the aviation enthusiasts.
8 MJ
(18 November 2009 - 13:25 CET)
guys, as a lightning engineer, Im sad to say that this will probably spell the end for the
Lightnings flying in SA. The cause of the crash was all too common in RAF service.
Although they never had such problems with the Saudi Lightnings, The SACAA will only look
at the RAF service record, and this incident.
9 Grant
(18 November 2009 - 16:16 CET)
This chap was a legend within SAAF circles, my best wishes to the family.
Thanks for
the entertainment over the years Dave.
10 Stuart
(24 November 2009 - 17:43 CET)
I was privileged to fly with Dave many years ago when I was a submariner in the SA Navy
and he was an instructor at AFB Langebaanweg. I had the back seat in an Aermacchi Impala
MK1 jet trainer for an hour and a half. What a pilot, and what a flight. RIP Dave
11 Michael T Keating
(30 November 2009 - 17:50 CET)
To say that this terrible news came as a shock would be an understatement! A tragedy. I
did not personally know Dave Stock, but I do know a number of the guys at Thunder City,
including Mike Beachyhead. My condolances to all of Dave's family at a very difficult
time, and my best wishes to all at Thunder City. I know from experience that the safety
checks and re-checks were immpeccable, which shows in the amount of sorties carried out
over the past 10 years. I was lucky enough to have flown in this aircraft, so the news
seems even more close to home. RIP Dave Stock.
12 Gail Botwinski
(3 December 2009 - 02:30 CET)
My late husband told me he had yearned to fly an English Electric Lightning ever since he
saw one when he was 10 years old (1965). So, 5 years ago whilst visiting SA, I insisted
he went to Thunder City to fly one. The pilot who took him up was Dave Stock - I met him
too. After the flight, the smile on my hubby's face never went away for weeks
afterwards. Mark (my husband) rigged up a camcorder in the cockpit and I still have the
DVD of the flight. A year after the flight, Mark was diagnosed with an inoperable brain
tumour and given between 2-5 months to live. The one thing that got Mark through those
horrendous months was being able to play back to friends his flight with Dave Stock in the
aeroplane that he'd always dreamed of flying. I am looking at a photograph of Dave and
Mark as I type this message. Mark was given a flying suit on the day he flew the
Lightning with Dave. Before he died, he told me he wanted to be dressed in it when he was
cremated. I honoured that wish. I remember Mark saying to Dave "you must be the
luckiest guy in the world - you live in Hermanus and you fly English Electric
Lightnings". Thank you Dave for making Mark's dream come true. I was devastated to
hear the news.
Gail Botwinski x
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