Jane Wicker Dies in Plane Crash; "Wing Walker" Killed in Air Show Stunt Gone Awry

April 2024 · 2 minute read

Veteran daredevil Jane Wicker was killed along with her pilot as her plane plunged to the ground during an air show performance Saturday in Dayton, Ohio.

The show was suspended following the crash of her Stearman biplane, and expressions of sympathy have poured in to the performer’s Facebook page.

It wasn’t clear what went so wrong, but the biplane glided through the sky, rolled over, then crashed and exploded into flames, killing Wicker and the pilot.

The video of the crash, below, is not for the faint of heart:

Wicker, whose "wing walking" was an air show staple, said she felt confident of her ability and that lots of practice makes her signature stunt a "managed risk."

 

As always, Jane had planned to hang underneath the plane’s wing by her feet and sit on the bottom of the airplane while it was upside-down.

The video shows the performer sitting on top of the wing; the plane then tilts and crashes to the ground, erupting into flames as spectators scream.

The show was canceled for the rest of the day, but organizers said events would resume Sunday and follow the previous schedule and normal operations.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating the crash.

On the video, the announcer narrates as the plane glides and rolls over while the stuntwoman perches on a wing as she has countless times before.

"Now she’s still on that far side. Keep an eye on Jane. Keep an eye on Charlie. Watch this! Jane Wicker, sitting on top of the world," the announcer said.

R.I.P.

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