Sean Tucker Mayday

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Tue, 04 Apr '06
ANN REALTIME Update: 04.04.06, 1532 EDT: It appears that the control malfunction that downed Sean Tucker's beloved biplane was a broken control stick. According to a number of reports, Sean's control stick broke shortly after takeoff from the Red River Regional Airport and required some fancy flying to keep it in the air, and to nurse it to a safe altitude and area while he attempted to diagnose the problem and the chances for a safe landing.
Upon determining that a safe landing was not possible (and let's face it, if anyone could have, Sean is the guy), Sean maneuvered over unpopulated territory and exited the aircraft., Despite getting hung up temporarily on the tail, Sean freed himself and managed a controlled deployment and safe landing using a Para-Phernalia emergency parachute.
Initial Report, 04.04.06, 1251 EDT: Details are somewhat sketchy for the moment, but ANN has confirmed that Aerobatic Pilot Sean D. Tucker had to bail out of his 'Oracle Challenger' biplane today.
The aircraft was being used in a practice session when a control malfunction occurred requiring some 15 minutes of trouble-shooting before Sean was forced to leave the aircraft at a reported 8000 feet.

The aircraft went down over Coushatta, some 40 nm South of Shreveport, Louisiana and impacted in an open field after Sean deliberately chose an area likely to produce no hazards to anyone. The accident occurred at 1045 local time, the aircraft is pretty much destroyed, and most important of all -- Sean landed with no injuries.
While Sean was scheduled to perform in Lakeland this weekend, there is no word on the future status of his airshow schedule.
ANN will have more info when it becomes available.
FMI: www.poweraerobatics.com

[crazyextra]

man!!, I'm so glad hes ok, I've seen him at a few airshows and he is no doubt one of the best aerobatic pilots out there!! Hope hes back in the air soon

[JoeAirPort]

Really glad he made it. He's awesome to watch at the Oshkosh fly-in. I bet that stick takes a serious beaten from all those manuevers.

[JeeUm]

Holy Cow! Glad to see he made it out ok.

[FlyAlot]

I'm glad he's in one piece!!! He has so graciously performed at our Hollister ca. IMAC the past two years, but was unable to do so this year due to his season starting early this year...I'll bet they're scrambling down at the hangar already to get the back-up plane ready...


Dave

[Cracky]

that sucks....glad to hear he made it out ok.......

[Boulder]

Holy Shiznit!!!

Thank God and Shaun's skills for bringing him home safe. Too bad about the Oracle, but much better the plane than Shaun.

[GremlinX]

Heard about this 10 minutes after it happened. Whats sad is I am not at the airshow... I could have flown all over the place in a Texan today had WORK not been happening..LOL Glad Sean is ok.. we were just talking about him too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A customer owns a Pitts Stinker, Citabria, and a Pitts S2C.... Very small and strange world. Glad Sean had chute...

[krashmaster81]

I bet he's glad he had his chute on!

[Robby]

Here is account of incedent:

http://www.aero-news.net/

[torquen]

Very glad Sean is ok, he is an awesome guy and I would without a thought that he is my favorite aerobatic pilot. Hopefully he will be able to get another one custom built because that plane was like and old shoe to him. He knew all of its limits and pushed them every time he went out.
Garrett Morrison

[cbk07]

Glad he is OK and no one got hurt. It just shows, anything can happen. Imagine if the stick had broken during a performance....
Craig