Both these guys are classic extremes of how dumb luck can rule!
Blanton survived in spite of himself while Wittman died because of
himself. - Barnyard BOb -

Not so fast, BoOb. Wittman was around 90 when he died. At the time he
covered his aircraft with polyester fabric and used dope to glue and finish
it, it was a popular thing to do. - jls
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

GEEZUS!!!!

Perhaps you did not see Dave Hyde's post regarding Wittman....

"AILERON-WING FLUTTER INDUCED BY
SEPARATION AT THE TRAILING EDGE OF AN UNBONDED
PORTION OF WING FABRIC AT AN AILERON WING STATION.
THE DEBONDING OF THE WING FABRIC WAS A RESULT OF
IMPROPER INSTALLATION."

Also...
Steve Wittman Accident

http://www.beginat.com/EAA724/newsltrs/96-02.htm
The February Sport Aviation has a summary of the findings of the NTSB
on the cause of the crash of Steve Wittman’s O&O Special last April.
To condense and simplify the article greatly, it appeared that Steve
painted the Poly-Fiber covering to the plywood wing with the nitrate
dope he had used for years with natural fiber wing coverings, instead
of with the approved Poly-Brush. The O&O Special flew for 10 years.
The NTSB believes that on the April trip back to Oshkosh, the fabric
in front of the right aileron finally debonded and ballooned up, which
caused the aileron and then both wings to flutter. The wings separated
from the aircraft. The article stresses the importance of using
components approved by the manufacturer when covering an aircraft.

MY POINT for you guys too dense to understand --
One is never too young, too old or too famous to
*NOT* 'screw the pooch'. --- correction

screw+the+pooch...
buy the farm...not just a screw up...
the most major screw up...
like auger in...
ask a pilot

JFK JR, screwed the pooch!

screw+the+pooch....
to **** up


Barnyard BOb --