Baby Reveal Turns Deadly - Plane Crashes - Guests Initially Ignore Crash

[RocketMan]

A baby gender reveal in Mexico resulted in the death of a pilot.  He was releasing pink smoke over a confetti cannon display, and pulled up sharply as he passed over the display. The left wing folded up when the pilot pulled up.  The plane crashed an easy walking distance from the celebration, and the pilot eventually died from his injuries.
The guests at the party continued celebrating the gender reveal with the couple, ignoring the crash and injured pilot even though many of the guests witnessed the crash.
Video at the story.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/gender-reveal-turns-deadly-stunt-plane-crashes-mexico

[WLJ]

They were probably thinking "I hope he didn't cash the check"

[sumpnz]

Wonder if the delay in getting emergency services contributed to his death.

[230RN]

That wing just folded up like there was a missing or loose couple of bolts somewhere.

Makes me wonder how it could take off in the first place  I'd be real interested in what the investigation reveals. I bet the mechanic is on his way to Venezuela about now.

Looks like it would have happened the next time he did any stunt flying.

[Hawkmoon]

Looks like it would have happened the next time he did any stunt flying.

Or made a right turn ...

[sumpnz]

That wing just folded up like there was a missing or loose couple of bolts somewhere.

Makes me wonder how it could take off in the first place  I'd be real interested in what the investigation reveals. I bet the mechanic is on his way to Venezuela about now.

Looks like it would have happened the next time he did any stunt flying.

It’s called metal fatigue.  I’m willing to bet the investigation (assuming they do one - this was in Mexico, not the USA) finds evidence of significant fatigue damage that caused a sudden catastrophic failure, probably originating in the spar, though it could be in another structural member.

[RoadKingLarry]

There is a video on YouTube showing a similar ag plane losing a wing in a steep climb.
https://youtu.be/vrv8OFjzETI?si=EfUwTJy3QzuAi7GP

[WLJ]

My first guess would be metal fatigue of the main wing spar combined with zero to little maintenance or even bad maintenance. No routine checking of the wing spar on an old bird and/or I don't need no freaking torque wench and where's the duct tape?*
Or even a weak design and construction to begin with. Wouldn't be the first.

*After watching enough This Rolled In videos you got to wonder particularly in places like Mexico

But yeah, the fact that even after realizing he crashed they did nothing burns my coffee

[Boomhauer]

Looks like an old Cessna or Piper ag model. Neither of which have been produced in almost forty years so you can imagine corrosive chemicals, probably third world standards of “maintenance”, etc taking their toll plus other abuse.

[HankB]

That wing just folded up like there was a missing or loose couple of bolts somewhere. . . .

Reminds me a bit of a story some years back about a homebuilt aircraft that came apart in the air - the builder was supposed to use Grade 8 bolts, but he thought substituting stainless steel bolts was an upgrade.

In terms of strength . . . it wasn't.

[WLJ]

Looks like an old Cessna or Piper ag model. Neither of which have been produced in almost forty years so you can imagine corrosive chemicals, probably third world standards of “maintenance”, etc taking their toll plus other abuse.

Piper PA-25-235

Type:   Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee
Owner/operator:   private
Registration:   XB-ABM
MSN:   25-3601
Fatalities:   Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:   Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Category:   Accident
Location:   San Pedro, Navolato, Sinaloa -   Mexico
Phase:   Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:   Demo/Airshow/Display
Departure airport:   
Destination airport:   
Confidence Rating:   Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
Narrative:
A Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee crashed after the the left-hand wing failed after an emergency hopper release of (pink dyed) water during a gender reveal party.
The pilot died.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/345178

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/type/PA25

[WLJ]

 PA25-235 Sinaloa MX Gender Reveal Party Structural Failure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp19ch40t0c


Airworthiness Directive for the PA-25

https://dyzz9obi78pm5.cloudfront.net/app/image/id/612fd28186bbfb3b3a7b23cd/n/ad-95-12-01.pdf