PILOTS: "French Connection" team die in crash.

[Johnny_L.A]

The pilots on this board will know who I’m talking about. Daniel Heligion and Montaine Mallet performed as The French Connection in their CAP 10B aircraft at airshows across the country. I’ve seen their beautiful flying many times.

On May 27th, the duo were performing a maneuver from their airshow act, which was being video taped for study and possible promotional use.

According to AOPA’s Pilot magazine, the two were performing a side-by-side hammerhead stall routine:

Based on a report from an individual who viewed the videotape, Heligoin apparently got under Mallet’s aircraft during the vertical descent. At that point in the descent, the maneuver calls for both aircraft to roll and depart the area in opposite directions. But when Heligoin rolled, his aircraft hit Mallet’s wing, separating Heligoin’s left wing from the tip to the midpoint. The leading edge of Mallet’s right wing was damaged, causing her to enter a spin.

There was no time for the pilots to use their parachutes, an official of Mudry Aviation said.

News usually travels fast along the flight-line, but today was the first I’d heard of it. I raise a (virtual) glass of cognac to these two wonderful pilots.

[Sam_Stone]

I saw them perform many times. Great act.