7NEWS Spotlight: Cockpit footage of the Avalon Airshow crash that left pilot seriously injured
The four-time champion was flying at 300km an hour, making the force of the impact so horrific that it looked impossible to survive.
Within seconds, the atmosphere changed at the country's biggest airshow.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Cockpit footage of Avalon Airshow crash
The excitement of the crowd, and the noisy roar of the planes, was gone.
Suddenly, the mood was one of shock and reverence.
Thousands of people stood still, in silence, with their eyes fixed on the wreckage of Glenn's Pitts Special.
Everyone was hoping for a miracle, no one dared to believe it would come.Glenn's friend, Angela Stevenson, was in the commentary box, utterly devastated by what she'd just witnessed.
Believing there was no way he could have survived, Angela buried her grief.
She steeled herself to turn on her microphone and make the necessary emergency announcements to the crowd.
Just as she'd finished, Angela was told there was one more message to deliver.
The incredible news, Glenn Collins was alive.
Tonight on Sunday, for the first time, we'll reveal the full story of what happened that day.
With permission from Glenn Collins and Sky Aces leader Paul Bennet, we take you inside the cockpits of all four planes, to experience exactly what they did, as the tragedy unfolded.
Moment by moment, it's confronting and raw.
To excel at formation aerobatics requires precision skills, honed over years of practice.
Every time they go up, the pilots hold each other's lives in their hands.
This story takes you inside that world, to understand what it takes to be right up there, with the best in the country.
It demands a certain mindset, and that mindset is what makes Glenn Collins so extraordinary. Doctors agree his survival is a miracle.
He now faces a long recovery and Glenn's family has set up a fundraiser to help cover his medical expenses.
As you'll see tonight, making it out of that wreckage alive was the first of many.
His story is the kind that will stay with you, for a long time. It's high-octane and some moments are difficult to watch.
But in the next heartbeat, there are heroes. It's also an incredible love story.
Even on the ground, Glenn's journey is full of twists and turns. It's inspiring and deeply moving.
A wild ride that, on this rare occasion, ends in triumph.
But you'll notice Glenn's courage takes many forms.
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7NEWS
20-07-2025
- 7NEWS
7NEWS Spotlight: Cockpit footage of the Avalon Airshow crash that left pilot seriously injured
When Sky Aces aerobatic pilot Glenn Collins crashed at the Avalon International Airshow in March, everyone feared the worst. The four-time champion was flying at 300km an hour, making the force of the impact so horrific that it looked impossible to survive. Within seconds, the atmosphere changed at the country's biggest airshow. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Cockpit footage of Avalon Airshow crash The excitement of the crowd, and the noisy roar of the planes, was gone. Suddenly, the mood was one of shock and reverence. Thousands of people stood still, in silence, with their eyes fixed on the wreckage of Glenn's Pitts Special. Everyone was hoping for a miracle, no one dared to believe it would friend, Angela Stevenson, was in the commentary box, utterly devastated by what she'd just witnessed. Believing there was no way he could have survived, Angela buried her grief. She steeled herself to turn on her microphone and make the necessary emergency announcements to the crowd. Just as she'd finished, Angela was told there was one more message to deliver. The incredible news, Glenn Collins was alive. Tonight on Sunday, for the first time, we'll reveal the full story of what happened that day. With permission from Glenn Collins and Sky Aces leader Paul Bennet, we take you inside the cockpits of all four planes, to experience exactly what they did, as the tragedy unfolded. Moment by moment, it's confronting and raw. To excel at formation aerobatics requires precision skills, honed over years of practice. Every time they go up, the pilots hold each other's lives in their hands. This story takes you inside that world, to understand what it takes to be right up there, with the best in the country. It demands a certain mindset, and that mindset is what makes Glenn Collins so extraordinary. Doctors agree his survival is a miracle. He now faces a long recovery and Glenn's family has set up a fundraiser to help cover his medical expenses. As you'll see tonight, making it out of that wreckage alive was the first of many. His story is the kind that will stay with you, for a long time. It's high-octane and some moments are difficult to watch. But in the next heartbeat, there are heroes. It's also an incredible love story. Even on the ground, Glenn's journey is full of twists and turns. It's inspiring and deeply moving. A wild ride that, on this rare occasion, ends in triumph. But you'll notice Glenn's courage takes many forms.
7NEWS
16-07-2025
- 7NEWS
7NEWS Spotlight: Avalon Airshow pilot's miracle story of survival
It was the moment that stunned a 40,0000-strong crowd. Veteran stunt pilot Glenn Collins was performing a manoeuvre he had flown hundreds of times before – a triple avalanche – when something went catastrophically wrong. His plane slamming into the ground at nearly 300km/hr. Emergency crews raced in and somehow against all odds, he survived. On assignment for 7NEWS Spotligh t, this Sunday at 8.20pm on Seven and 7plus 7NEWS reporter Kristy Mayr takes us inside the cockpit, with never-before-seen GoPro footage capturing every heart-stopping second, and the extraordinary rescue that followed. Speaking exclusively to 7NEWS Spotlight, Glenn recalls the crash that nearly claimed his life and his extraordinary journey back from the brink. 'I should have realised I didn't have enough altitude ... I should have known', Glenn said. We also hear from Glenn's wife Tracey Collins, his fellow Sky Aces, and the pyro team who raced to pull him from the wreckage, as fuel gushed into the cockpit. 'We need to get him out before it bursts into flames,' said Phil Ferguson, one of the first responders. 'This is not just a survival story. It's a story of grit, love and the razor-thin line between life and death. Watching the footage from inside the cockpit reveals just how terrifying it was for him to confront his fate,' Mayr said.
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