High Speed Passes & the FAA

Our barn has that gray grungy look that old wood gets, so I have been
power-washing it in preparation for a coat of clear Urethane. Now power washing
is a monotonous task, so I started thinking about Finish Line Accidents. Surely
we must have had some, then, way up at the top of my 20 foot ladder, I
remembered ONE. Uvalde, August, 1986. It was the first Nationals at Uvalde,
15 meter I think Anyway, this ASW-20 driver hit the Finish Line, low and fast
(in those days, 5 feet was OK) He then pulled up and proceeded off the airport
to the North and crashed in a housing area. KS remembers, we helped remove the
wreckage from this guys pick-up truck and front yard. Pilot was severely
injured, but recovered satisfactorily.

It was widely suspected that the pilot was suffering from dehydration. So, not
a Finish Line Accident, just a medical condition, Right? Dr. Cannon has
lectured frequently about dehydration in contests, he says a dehydrated pilot
can be functioning OK, even though he is becoming seriously dehydrated. He can
find Uvalde (this was before GPS) He can perform his high speed, low altitude
pass through the Finish Line, But when he pulls some G's in his pull-up, the
G's can be more than his severely dehydrated mind can handle and
.............................................CRUNC H, he crashes in a housing
area.

I finished up the back of the barn and was washing the South side (much easier,
don't need the ladder) and I remembered ANOTHER Finish Line Accident. Cal City,
Nimbus 2, (Cindy can give dates & details) This Nimbus 2 driver comes in low,
but not very fast, flew through the Finish Line and pulled up very steeply,
stalled and was killed, right in front of the Finish Line. It was widely
believed that the pilot was dehydrated, was able to find Cal City, performed
his low pass through the Finish Line and
................................................

Your Honor, The Prosecution Rests,
JJ Sinclair