1972 Sacramento Canadair Sabre accident

1972 aviation accident in the United States February 2025 38 31 16 N 121 29 57 W type:event title 1972 Sacramento Canadair Sabre accident Accident Canadair Sabre 0258.jpg 1.3 A Canadair Sabre, similar to the aircraftinvolved in the accident September 24, 1972 Runway overrun on takeoffdue to pilot error Sacramento Executive Airport, Sacramento, California, U.S. 38 31 16 N 121 29 57 W 22 28 Canadair Sabre Mk 5 Spectrum Air N275X Sacramento Executive Airport Oakland International Airport 1 1 0 1 1 22; 21 (direct), 1 (indirect) 27 On September 24, 1972, a privately owned Canadair Sabre Mk. 5 fighter jet, piloted by Richard L. Bingham, failed to take off while leaving the "Golden West Sport Aviation Air Show" at Sacramento Executive Airport in Sacramento, California, United States. The airplane crashed into a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor, killing 22 people on the ground and injuring 28, including the pilot.https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR7306.pdf Aircraft Accident Report Spectrum Air, Inc. Sabre Mark 5, N275X National Transportation Safety Board March 28, 1973 July 25, 2017 - Version at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Universityhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CRtOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gOwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6732%2C4613407 Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) Associated Press Ice cream shop death toll high September 25, 1972 1 Google News Archivehttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ud1VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LuEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5658%2C6189484 Eugene Register-Guard (Oregon) wire service dispatches Crippled jet crashes into ice cream parlor; 22 die September 25, 1972 5A Google News Archivehttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NlNYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=g_cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1923%2C6294513 Bend Bulletin (Oregon) UPI Burning jet crashes into ice cream parlor, 22 die September 25, 1972 1 Google News Archive Accident The crash occurred on Sunday, the second day of the air show, at approximately 4:24 pm PDT. The Canadair Sabre failed to gain sufficient altitude upon takeoff from runway 30, with eyewitnesses suggesting the nose was over-rotated. The F-86 Sabre has a dangerous and often fatal handling characteristic upon takeoff if the nose is raised prematurely from the runway.June 2024 What's exactly this dangerous handling characteristic? This handling characteristic of the F-86 was acknowledged from the early 1950s.Hoover R.A. "Bob" Forever Flying : Fifty Years of High-Flying Adventures, from Barnstorming in Prop Planes to Dogfighting Germans to Testing Supersonic Jets : an autobiography : with Mark Shaw : foreword by Chuck Yeager 1997 Pocket Books New York 0-671-53761-X 184 https://archive.org/details/foreverflying00rabo/page/184 The aircraft overran the runway, struck an earthen berm, and ripped through a chain link fence. Two external underwing fuel tanks ruptured and ignited upon impact with the fence, creating a massive fireball. The plane continued across Freeport Boulevard, crashing into a moving car, and struck a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor at around 150 mph. http://www.sacbee.com/2002/04/01/4556786/after-30-years-a-farrells-healing.html Sacramento Bee After 30 years, a Farrell's healing Tony Bizjak April 1, 2002 January 12, 2014 January 12, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140112214954/http://www.sacbee.com/2002/04/01/4556786/after-30-years-a-farrells-healing.html dead Occupants of the parlor included the Sacramento 49ers junior football team. http://www.sacbee.com/1999/12/31/4556808/farrells-disaster-claimed-22-lives.html Farrell's disaster claimed 22 lives Stephen Magagnini December 31, 1999 January 12, 2014 Sacramento Bee January 12, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140112214944/http://www.sacbee.com/1999/12/31/4556808/farrells-disaster-claimed-22-lives.html dead Twenty-two people on the ground were killed; ten adults and twelve children.Blubaugh Ronald Raimundo Jeff September 25, 1972 Old Jet Plane Kills 22 In Crash Into Crossroads Ice Cream Shop A1 Sacramento Bee https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85891231/old-jet-plane-kills-22-in-crash-into/ Newspapers.com September 24, 2021 An eight-year-old survivor of the accident lost nine family members: both parents, two brothers, a sister, two grandparents, and two cousins. A family of four also died in the accident. Two people were killed in the car struck on Freeport Boulevard. Immediately after the crash, an elderly couple trying to cross the street to the crash site were struck by a vehicle, killing the wife.The Crash at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor in Sacramento, CA – September 24, 1972 Check Six 2002 http://www.check-six.com/Crash_Sites/Sabrejet_crash_site.htm January 12, 2014 Had either the external fuel tanks not ruptured prior to impact or the aircraft not been slowed by hitting the moving car and other vehicles parked in front of the restaurant, the accident could have claimed many more lives. Bingham, the pilot, suffered a broken leg and arm. Aircraft The Canadair Sabre was a single-engine jet fighter built for the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1954. This Sabre was withdrawn from service in 1961 and placed in long-term storage. It was sold as surplus in the United States in 1971 and was bought by Spectrum Air, Inc., of Novato, California, in the same year. Aftermath The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that the accident was the result of pilot error as a result of the pilot's lack of experience on the aircraft. Bingham had logged fewer than four hours of flying time in the Sabre. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) modified the rules governing the flight of ex-military jets over densely populated areas and mandated clearance for such flights. Pilot requirements were also tightened: they would require a checkout by the manufacturer or military, and take-offs and landings would have to be observed by an FAA inspector to confirm proficiency. http://www.flightjournal.com/blog/2012/09/24/farrells-crash-remembered-40-years-later/ Flight Journal Farrell's Crash Remembered 40 Years Later Mike Harbour September 24, 2012 January 12, 2014 February 22, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140222153639/http://www.flightjournal.com/blog/2012/09/24/farrells-crash-remembered-40-years-later/ dead The Firefighters Burn Institute was instituted a year after the accident, funded from donations and special payroll deductions from local firefighters. There were at least 26 active lawsuits stemming from the crash, seeking awards for relatives of the dead and for those injured. The trial began on October 26, 1975, with defendants including the aircraft owner, pilot, the City of Sacramento, Sacramento County, the State of California, Farrell’s, and the company’s architect. The aircraft owner, William Penn Patrick, died in the crash of another surplus military plane less than a year after the Sacramento tragedy, and his estate was a party in the suit. Settlements in the amount of five million dollars were awarded in May 1976. Memorial thumb|alt=Canadair Sabre accident memorial|The memorial plaque, dedicated in 2003, to the victims of the accident In 2002, a memorial was built at the site of the accident (now part of Freeport Square Shopping Center) and dedicated in March 2003. It consists of a rose garden with two benches, a fountain, a concrete marker, and two metal plaques with the names of those who died. In 2012, a service to commemorate the 40th anniversary was held to remember the victims of the accident.http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/24/4847905/somber-event-recalls-farrells.html Sacramento Bee Somber event recalls Farrell's jet-crash disaster Alan Pierleoni January 12, 2014 September 24, 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20140112211942/http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/24/4847905/somber-event-recalls-farrells.html January 12, 2014 See also 1987 Indianapolis Ramada Inn A-7D Corsair II crash 2008 San Diego F/A-18 crash 2002 Pirelli Tower airplane crash References 2 External links Photo gallery of the accident in The Sacramento Bee Video of the aftermath from Associated Press Archive NTSB Aircraft Accident Report (archive) The Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour Disaster (YouTube) Category:Aviation accidents and incidents at air shows Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States in 1972 Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in California Category:1972 in California Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving military aircraft Category:September 1972 in the United States Category:20th century in Sacramento, California Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving runway overruns