Wing-walker and stunt pilot crashed into the sea due power loss

Wing-walker and stunt pilot crashed into the sea due to airshow power loss caused by oil fault, report finds

• The plane ditched in Poole Harbour during the Bournemouth Air Festival in 2021
• The Boeing A75N1 (PT17) Stearman biplane had a complete loss of engine power
• Pilot David Barrell, 57, flew along the coast trying to get back to the local airport
• Wing-walker Kirsten Pobjoy, 25, from Stroud, returned to her seat in the cockpit 

A wing-walker stunt plane that crashed into the sea suffered a loss of power caused by an oil supply failure, a report has found.

The Boeing A75N1 (PT17) Stearman biplane ditched in Poole Harbour during the Bournemouth Air Festival in September 2021. 

The plane was performing an aerobatic wing walking display over the sea when it experienced the loss of engine power.

Pilot David Barrell, 57, stopped the display and flew along the coast trying to get back to the local airport.

Wing-walker Kirsten Pobjoy, 25, from Stroud, Gloucestershire, returned to her seat in the cockpit.

But the AeroSuperBatics biplane had a complete loss of power and came down in the sea off Sandbanks at the entrance to Poole Harbour three miles away from safety boats.

Pilot David Barrell, 57, and wing-walker Kirsten Pobjoy (pictured), 25, from Stroud, escaped with minor injuries 

The Boeing A75N1 (PT17) Stearman biplane ditched in Poole Harbour during the Bournemouth Air Festival in September 2021

The plane flipped over as it hit the water but the pair got out unaided and were treated in hospital before being discharged.

An Air Accident Investigation Branch report said the engine failure was caused due a fatigued oil inlet pipe which prevented oil being supplied to the engine. 

A metal strap which supported the weight of the oil inlet pipe failed because a retaining nut had been overtightened.

The plane had been part of a two aircraft display.

Following this accident the operator introduced new hand signals to enable a wing walker to inform a pilot of any oil or fuel leaks and a pilot to inform the walker of an intention to ditch.

A statement from the AAIB said: ‘While performing an aerobatic wing walking display over the sea at Bournemouth Air Festival, the aircraft experienced a reduction in engine power.

David and Kirsten pictured revisiting the spot where they were forced to ditch the plane a year later

An Air Accident Investigation Branch report said the engine failure was caused due a fatigued oil inlet pipe which prevented oil being supplied to the engine

‘The pilot stopped the routine and flew the aircraft west, while the wing-walker returned to her seat in the front cockpit. The engine subsequently experienced a complete loss of power and the pilot ditched in the entrance of Poole Harbour.

‘The aircraft flipped over on contact with the water but both the pilot and the wing walker were able to exit the aircraft unaided.

‘The investigation found that the loss of engine power was due to a failure of the oil inlet pipe most likely due to fatigue, which prevented oil being supplied to the engine.

‘This was precipitated by a fatigue failure of the metal strap which supported the weight of the oil inlet pipe. The fatigue failure was initiated at an area of mechanical damage on the surface of the support strap, which had been caused by over-tightening of the retaining nut.’

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