The Interview with Shockwave on 7-11-08
Shockwave (Episode 28) Schedule
The interview was scheduled for Friday the 11th of July at a hangar at the local airport. My friend Kris Larson flew the Sky Arrow from Fullerton the day before. We arrived at the airport around 12:30 PM and were greeted by Kris and the folks from the program.
They started shooting as soon as I arrived, they wanted to show me driving up to the hangar and getting out of my van. Kris was the first to shake my hand as I drove my wheelchair out of the van. My dad and brother Steve drove with me to the airport.
Once we were in the hangar I met with Doug Bruckner, he is the one doing the interview with me and Kris. The camera was set and I put myself in position in front of the camera. They had me in position sitting in front of the Sky Arrow.
Doug began with me introducing myself and then asking questions about my earliest memories I had of flying. As I told him I was about 3 or 4 years old watching the TV series Sky King. I do believe that's what planted the seed in my mind of being a pilot.
The questions then went to the day of the accident and what I remembered that day. As I stated I did not plan to do any work that day. I only wanted to get our hangar cleaned up for a barbecue after the air show was over and I had invited everyone to stop by.
As I prepared things and got the hangar cleaned up, a friend came by to tell me that they were having trouble starting the center engine on the Tri-Motor. I stopped what I was doing and went over to where the Tri-Motor was parked. There were a lot of people gathered around the plane and I could see the pilot trying to start the engine.
I noticed the engine making no attempt to start -- telling me that there was no spark. With this in mind and knowing the airplane was washed the day before gave me the idea to check the magnetos. Sure enough there was moisture, so I took a rag and dried the parts and had the pilot try starting the engine once again. Right away I could tell the engine was getting a spark.
The engine started and sounded good. By this time they had sold many seats for a ride in the Tri-Motor.
I suggested to the pilot that only he and I should make a test flight before 14 people were to board. He agreed and we started to taxi to the run-up area. I was just there to monitor the engines for problems. As we taxied the pilot made no comment of any problems.
During the engine run-up procedure everything ran with no problems giving no reason not to fly the plane.
This is about all I can remember. The take off clearly shows the plane starting its take off roll and then making a abrupt left turn off the runway and heading towards the crowed of people. From what was noticed the pilot applied full power and pulled the plane into the air just over the hundreds of people on the ground.
The plane just missed hitting the control tower and crashed in the street on Commonwealth Ave in front of the control tower. I don't remember any of this, but was told I was awake and answering questions.
The next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital a month later.
I ended the interview by clearly stating that I looked at this as a mistake that was made by the pilot and have no hate at all.
I considered myself very lucky being not only a pilot myself but an aircraft mechanic as well to never had made a mistake that could have caused an accident. The accident was determined to be caused from a strap that was not removed from the rudder that was used as a gust lock, in other words, to keep the rudder from moving on the ground. This was done to keep the rudder from damage only while the aircraft was parked on the ground and was to be removed before flight.
I spent 16 months in three hospitals and went through 12 surgeries.
As it turned out I did not get a big settlement from the accident as most would think. I ended up with less than two hundred thousand dollars after the dust settled. My medical bills came to a little over 5 million dollars that was covered by the insurance I had.
I now live in Las Vegas with my parents due to the fact I can't afford to live anywhere else.
I am looking forward to getting on with my life, in just a little different direction than before.
The day finally came in January of 2007 when I flew an airplane again since the accident Sept. of 2004.
The flight was with my good friend and former employer Mike Blackstone at Air Combat USA at the Fullerton airport. The only airplane that I wanted to fly was the Siai Marchetti SF-260 that I once worked on for nearly ten years. I also was able to fly the Marchetti logging hundreds of hours.
Once they lifted me into the Marchetti, it wasn't long that Mike and I were in the air. Flying out to the practice area the feelings returned of how much I love this. As we checked for traffic and determined it clear, I began a roll to the left and it felt great, then a roll to the right and then a loop and another I had so much fun.
Mike reminded that we needed to get back to the airport since the news people were waiting for us to finish the story. Back on the ground I could not begin to explain the wonderful feeling I had flying again.
Well since then a group of friends got together and found a small two seat airplane, known as a light sport, the Sky Arrow 600 Sport and could be ordered with hand controls. They thought it would be an airplane that I could fly myself with hand controls.
The airplane was ordered, the airplane is built in Italy and took about six months to get here.
In March of 2007 the plane was ready and Kris flew down to San Diego to fly it back to Fullerton. After a ground brief with Kris we went for the first flight with me using the hand controls.
It took me only 4 hours to get comfortable with the new controls. The only thing stopping me from flying solo is getting my drivers license, as a light sport pilot I only need a drivers license to fly solo and even fly with one passenger.
The interview came to a close and will be on TV starting at the end of August. See the The History Channel TV Show schedule below for Shockwave - Episode 28.
Episode Now on YouTube
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Tony Albanese