The Worst or Luckiest Airshow Ever? The Day That Missed 3 Disasters

YouTube / Dark Footage

Expected Turbulence

Built on a leveled hill, the airport was subject to high winds leading to a lot of turbulence. Nevertheless, an airshow was greenlit for its grand opening. What seemed like a normal airshow turned out to be a series of close calls.

First Disaster Strikes

The Sunderland was doing a low pass on the runway but the high winds made it harder to control its descent. As a result, it flew too low and its belly hit the runway before gaining altitude. The aircraft was gushing water while it flew back home for repairs.

Another Close Call

After the Sunderlandโ€™s failed stunt, the Vulcan followed soon after. It did 2 touch-and-goes before committing to a landing for its third try. Again, the plane suffered from the winds which forced it to lean port-side. Its wheels shattered and the wing almost hit the ground as the pilot wrestled for control of the aircraft.

Further Repairs

Thanks to the pilotโ€™s skills, the plane became stable enough to fly right back up. It managed to do an emergency landing near its home base with only the starboard and nose landing gear. A specialized team from the UK had to be called in to repair the damages.

The Third Strike

For the last stunt, a Vampire Aerobatic Team was going to dive towards the ground and pull up. However, the pilotsโ€™ visions were obscured by the clouds before the dive but they still did it anyway. As they dove, one plane was about 3 meters away from the ground before it pulled up.