German Flight Show Crash Kills 1, Injures 38

A vintage biplane drove off a runway while trying to take off during the air show at Lillinghof airfield in Germany on Sunday. This caused the aircraft to veer into the crowd, killing a woman and injuring 38 other people.

The pilot of the plane lost control during takeoff while up to 5,000 gathered to watch the flight show. Authorities still don’t know what caused the 70-year-old to lose control (as of this post). A witness told one newspaper that they were having coffee when the benches and tables were suddenly flying through the air. They had the propeller in front of them, they added.

A big group of rescue workers was there to provide emotional support and treat minor injuries. A police spokesman said that 5 people were seriously injured, 22 others were taken to the hospital and another 11 were slightly injured – among them was a 7-year-old. The pilot wasn’t hurt during the incident, but a woman, age 46, was killed after suffering serious injuries from being hit with a propeller.

The airfield has now been shut down by the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation for a probe. The German air show was suppose to include stunts by small planes and sky divers. There were also helicopter tours and tours of a Russian-built Antonov An-2 biplane set to take place.

According to reports, however, this wasn’t the first fatality at the air show over the weekend. This incident actually came the day after a 50-year-old woman died when the hang glider she was flying crashed into a plane that was parked at the event.