Dayton Air Show: Two previous crashes

Since 1990, there have been 160 crashes at air shows and air races across America. Not a single year during that time was there not a crash. Wingwalker Jane Wicker, 46, and pilot Charlie Schwenker, 64, crashed and were killed at the Vectren Dayton Air Show on Saturday, June 22. The biplane appears to have crashed just inside the 500-foot show line which is marked by orange construction barrels seen at right. TY GREENLEES / STAFF

Since 1990, there have been 160 crashes at air shows and air races across America. Not a single year during that time was there not a crash. Wingwalker Jane Wicker, 46, and pilot Charlie Schwenker, 64, crashed and were killed at the Vectren Dayton Air Show on Saturday, June 22. The biplane appears to have crashed just inside the 500-foot show line which is marked by orange construction barrels seen at right. TY GREENLEES / STAFF
Local News
By Michael Tyler
June 23, 2017
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An F-16 Thunderbird jet skidded off the runway and flipped on its top during the 2017 Vectren Dayton Air Show on Friday at the Dayton International Airport.

The Vectren Dayton Air Show brings aviation enthusiasts from around the area to enjoy the spectacle of flight.  Unfortunately, plane crashes have occurred during its history with two being fatal.

>>LATEST: Thunderbird military plane crashes at Dayton Air Show

2013 Crash - 2 killed

Since 1990, there have been 160 crashes at air shows and air races across America. Not a single year during that time was there not a crash. Wingwalker Jane Wicker, 46, and pilot Charlie Schwenker, 64, crashed and were killed at the Vectren Dayton Air Show on Saturday, June 22. The biplane appears to have crashed just inside the 500-foot show line which is marked by orange construction barrels seen at right. TY GREENLEES / STAFF

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A stunt pilot and a wing-walking performer were killed in a fiery crash at the Vectren Dayton Air Show Saturday.

The pair was identified as Jane Wicker and pilot Charlie Schwenker.

Wicker was wing walking at the time of the crash, sitting on the underside of the inverted 450 HP Stearman named “Aurora”.

The plane did a cartwheel and burst into flames as it hit the ground. A fire truck was at the crash within two minutes and extinguished the flames.

>>MORE: Fatal air show crash stuns thousands

2007 Crash - 1 killed

People on the ground watch as Jim Leroy's plane burns following his crash at the Vectren Dayton Air Show, Saturday, July 28, 2007.

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Aerobatic pilot Jim LeRoy failed to maintain clearance from the ground during an acrobatics routine and crashed his 400-horsepower, single-seat biplane, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The safety board found that “smoke oil” present in the air where the performers were flying also contributed to the crash.

>>PHOTOS: 2007 Dayton Air Show crash

LeRoy’s yellow Bulldog Pitts continued from a spiral spin into the ground, slid 300 feet and burst into flames. LeRoy was part of a two-plane aerobatics team known as Codename: Mary’s Lamb.

LeRoy was killed on impact.

DAYTON AIR SHOW CRASH COVERAGE

>>MORE: Thunderbirds at Dayton Air Show: What you need to know

>>PHOTOS: Thunderbird flips on its top at Dayton Air Show

>>MORE: Second fatal crash in Dayton Air Show history

>>RELATED: U.S. air show fatal crashes, 2000-14

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About the Author

Michael Tyler