Woman Hurt In Collision With Scaled, Piloted B-29 Replica (Clarified)

The FAA is investigating the collision between a piloted 35 percent scale replica of a B-29 with a golf cart at Glenndale Airport near Kokomo, Indiana, that sent a woman…

The FAA is investigating the collision between a piloted 35 percent scale replica of a B-29 with a golf cart at Glenndale Airport near Kokomo, Indiana, that sent a woman to the hospital on Sunday. Howard County Sheriff's Office said in a statement the woman was at the side of the runway at the small airport shooting video of the homebuilt aircraft from a golf cart. "As the plane came down for a landing, the plane drifted and struck the golf cart causing it to roll over, knocking the sole occupant unconscious," the statement said. The woman was airlifted to the hospital and her condition wasn't known.

The aircraft involved is a reproduction of a B-29 and is powered by four Honda Fit automotive engines with belt reduction drives to the props. At 35 percent scale, it's about 35 feet long with a wingspan of almost 50 feet. The aircraft was built from scratch over the past few years by Tom Hodgson. Hodgson was flying the aircraft, according to local media reports. Videos on YouTube have documented the construction process, which involved some unique processes using composites.

An earlier story identified the pilot by his full name but he goes by Tom Hodgson.

Russ Niles is Editor-in-Chief of AVweb. He has been a pilot for 30 years and joined AVweb 22 years ago. He and his wife Marni live in southern British Columbia where they also operate a small winery.