Posted: 4/24/2025 5:12:41 PM EDT
[Last Edit: CFII][Edited]
|
And it was just ferrying to the airport, not during a performance. Sad. Info on Rob https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a6b1ec&lat=37.084&lon=-76.377&zoom=12.8&showTrace=2025-04-24&trackLabels His IG confirmed. |
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
It's hard to imagine how this is even possible for someone of Rob's acumen?  Flightaware shows he was on a ferry flight to Langley. Meat and potatoes, nothing fancy. Tracking ends over the runway threshold. It had to be something catastrophic. Wing falls off. Control linkage breaks. Giant bird comes through the canopy and knocks him out. Medical emergency. I can't think of any lesser emergency that would challenge a pilot of his standing.  I had the great good fortune to get to fly with Rob in his Pitts many moons ago before he became famous. Fate might be the Hunter, but if so it had to work extra hard for this one. |
| I'm pretty sure I'm an above average pilot (don't we all think that?). Several thousand hours...a bunch of type ratings...instructor in multiple airplanes for the Air Force and Navy...captain at my airline. But when you hear of this happening to this caliber of pilot, to include Snort Snodgrass, Richard McSpadden, etc...shit man, I'm certain there's no amount of experience that is enough. It's humbling. RIP. |
|
So, with the witness report saying one of the wings separated from the aircraft in flight....I'm trying to rectify that with the ADS-B data that shows him over the runway. Attached File |
|
Originally Posted By CFII: Yup. After flying and doing dumb shit in the military, I basically see it as your time is up when its up. That is the realization I came to within the last two years, sometimes it's almost crippling to think about. Looking at his descent profile I don't see anything way out of the ordinary. Did he just blow a tire and ball up on the side of the runway? |
| Would not depend on ADS-B giving accurate info. I was told he did overhead and on break the wing departed. One Aileron was found 200 feet from wreckage. So aileron flutter is possible. Very important to check aileron hinges…they loosen up, no saying that’s what was going on…but something to check. |
|
Originally Posted By MudEagle: Alternately, there's no level of skill, training, or experience that can save you if there's a catastrophic failure. Correct. Much like that tour helicopter in NYC the other week. We all should just enjoy life while we can. |
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
|
Originally Posted By CFII: Correct. Much like that tour helicopter in NYC the other week. We all should just enjoy life while we can. As Warren Zevon said, "enjoy every sandwich."  Warren Zevon & David Letterman - Enjoy Every Sandwich (October 30, 2002) |
|
Originally Posted By aa777888-2: Same RUMINT seen here. Someone in the aviation reddit group posted that this had happened to another MXS sometime ago, but I can't find any citations confirming that. This is the only other loss of control incident I can find. https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/148964 |
|
Don't know that Rob could have picked me out of a line up but I have interacted with him and his family dozens and dozens of times at our airshow. He was the most approachable down to earth airshow pilot I have ever met and I have met quite a few. He set the standard. He will be missed. I pray for peace for his family. When I heard about this yesterday my mind after screaming no, no, no went to it had to be catastrophic failure. There is no way Rob messed up a simple landing. I have also heard the same reports about a wing separating. It will be interesting to see what comes out. |
|
Originally Posted By USMC2671: This is the only other loss of control incident I can find. https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/148964 Thanks for that. Poor construction is probably not a relevant cause in Rob's case, of course. |
|
Originally Posted By CFII: Correct. Much like that tour helicopter in NYC the other week. We all should just enjoy life while we can. This is a dangerous business. Particularly for military and airshow pilots. I never met Rob, but everything I've heard about his is that he was a wonderful guy. Ask yourself if you die tomorrow, where will you spend eternity? |
Dave Funk
Past President and now a Board of Directors member Iowa Firearms Coalition.
Past President and now a Board of Directors member Iowa Firearms Coalition.
USPSA Master Race
Joined:
Feb 2023
Posts:
18252
EE: 100% (49)
WI, USA
|
Pictures of the parts in question are in this reddit thread. https://www.reddit.com/r/aviation/comments/1kd9ufs/rob_holland_crash_likely_caused_by_elevator/ |
WhyTanFox : "the world is exponentially more complicated every decade, yet at the same time it has become increasingly simple to demonstrate your ignorance to a large audience. "
USPSA Master Race
Joined:
Feb 2023
Posts:
18262
EE: 100% (49)
WI, USA
|
Originally Posted By Never_A_Wick: I saw those pics on the report. Doesn’t look like there’s a way to safety wire them. What keeps them from backing out? Friction. I'm guessing this particular mode of failure wasn't considered when the decision was made to put them there. Whatever maintenance inspection interval that they should have been looked at obviously didn't occur. |
USPSA Master Race
Joined:
Feb 2023
Posts:
18264
EE: 100% (49)
WI, USA
|
Originally Posted By Never_A_Wick: That seems insane to me given the somewhat obvious repercussions of that plug backing out. But, I don’t know. Snap ring in a groove would have easily worked. 5 cents could have prevented disaster 
|
“ Well, it feels like someone took a rubber band and snapped it right on the edge of your anus.” -JThompson
|
Originally Posted By MudEagle: Alternately, there's no level of skill, training, or experience that can save you if there's a catastrophic failure. Seems to be truth. |
"According to Argonne National Laboratory, it takes 100 pounds of battery in an EV to go a distance achieved by only one pound of gasoline in an ICE vehicle"
|
Originally Posted By CFII: Yup. After flying and doing dumb shit in the military, I basically see it as your time is up when its up. It is all good until suddenly it isn't. Do crazy shit and get by, by the skin of your teeth and then one day while doing something mundane, you are done. |