During a vacation in Australia, Britain’s sole female Spitfire pilot, 70, passes away in a vehicle accident. Let’s see what happened to her and Carolyn Grace cause of death in detail.
What happened to Carolyn?
An automobile accident in Australia claimed the life of Britain’s sole female Spitfire pilot, 34 years after her husband met the same demise.
Carolyn Grace, a 70-year-old Cornwall resident, collided with a silver Hilux on Friday while operating her Suziki vehicle in the Goulbourn neighborhood of Sydney.
At the time of the crash, Carolyn was visiting her family in Australia and is thought to have been the only active female Spitfire pilot in the world. 34 years after her husband, Nick, was killed in a vehicle accident in Sussex, UK, in 1988, Carolyn, an Australian native, was taken to a hospital but passed away from her wounds.
Carolyn Grace cause of death
British Spitfire pilot Carolyn Grace (70), who learned to fly the Spitfire following the death of her husband Nick in a car crash in 1988, was killed in a car accident on the 2nd of December. Her daughter-in-law Daisy Grace made the sad announcement in the Grace Spitfire Group on the social media platform, Facebook. Daisy said: “It is with great sadness that we must announce that Carolyn Grace has been killed in a car accident on Friday the 2nd of December 2022…
Richard, her 38-year-old son, was a passenger in the car and managed to survive the collision while receiving treatment for minor wounds. Daisy Grace, Carolyn’s daughter, claimed her untimely passing had left the family “traumatized.” “Officers from The Hume Police District responded and discovered the Suzuki’s driver, a 70-year-old woman, had significant wounds.
After being transported there, she passed away at The Canberra Hospital. A 38-year-old guy who was her passenger was sent to the same hospital with minor wounds. The 44- and 30-year-old males in the Hilux were unharmed. The elder man was brought to Goulburn Hospital for required testing while he was driving. The investigation is ongoing.
Restoration of Second World War Spitfires
In the 1980s, at their home in Cornwall, Mrs. Grace and her late husband, Nick, pioneered the restoration of Second World War Spitfires. The mother-of-two took flying lessons in the refurbished plane after Nick passed away in 1988 to honor her husband’s memory. The aviation pioneer flew the plane for more than 900 hours over the following three decades, using it at memorial services and air displays all around Europe.
The Spitfire ML407, often known as the “Grace Spitfire,” is one of only a small number of Spitfires that still exist today even though more than 20,000 were built just before, during, and after the Second World War. And it is even more noteworthy since, on D-Day, it was the first Allied aircraft to shoot down an adversary aircraft over the Normandy beaches. Richard and Daisy, Carolyn’s kids, assisted their mother in running their Spitfire restoration company, Air Leasing Limited in Northamptonshire.
‘With her husband Nick, Carolyn Grace was the first pioneer of Spitfire repair in Britain,’ according to Andy Saunders, a Battle of Britain historian. “It is an awful irony that she perished in a car accident, exactly as Nick had in 1988,” someone said. It is terrible news. Her passing leaves the field of historic aviation at a terrible loss.
Vintage Aircraft Maintenance
Carolyn Grace, Director:
World-renowned display pilot Carolyn Grace has operated The Grace Spitfire ML407 since the passing of her husband, Nick Grace, in 1988. Carolyn has been flying ML407 since 1990 at airshows throughout the UK and Europe amassing over 900 hours on the type.
Carolyn flew the aircraft in significant commemorative large formations including the ‘Big Wing’ formation of 23 Spitfires at Duxford.
Carolyn is well known for her emotive choreographed Spitfire displays to a live orchestra at Proms events throughout the summer months in the UK. Her Spitfire display is often described as graceful and balletic.
Carolyn’s business acumen has sustained not only the continued successful operation of the Grace Spitfire but also the integrity and work ethic of Air Leasing LTD. She has guided this growing company for over 30 years ensuring stability and longevity & Restoration
Spitfire enthusiast Dale Leeks said:
It is beyond comprehension that this tragedy could occur twice, according to a representative for the Kent Battle of Britain Museum.
Daisy and Richard are in our prayers and thoughts. Spitfire enthusiast Dale Leeks said: “I’m really sad to learn of Carolyn Grace’s passing.” She was an airborne legend and a significant contributor to the affection that our family has for the Spitfire.
There was no other option for me; it had to be you when I decided to arrange for my dad to fly in a Spitfire. As the only female Spitfire pilot in Great Britain, Carolyn gained international fame. Her love for the aircraft was inspired by her late husband Nick, who in 1979 purchased the full-rebuilt jet from a Scottish museum. Nick, a design engineer, and pilot began the laborious restoration effort at St Merryn airstrip in Cornwall, which took more than five years to complete.
Nick was murdered in a traffic accident in 1988, just three years after getting the Spitfire airborne again, putting an end to their hopes of realizing their aspirations.
To the surprise of many, she bravely decided to train as a Spitfire pilot even though she was already a licensed pilot. Since the Second World War’s Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) women, she is the first woman to have done so.
Tributes to Carolyn Grace
Battle Prompts Concerts
Since 2007 we have been honored to welcome the Grace Spitfire to our concerts, for many years expertly flown by the remarkable pilot Carolyn Grace.
The whole Battle Proms team is devastated to learn that she was killed in a tragic car accident on 2 December and know our followers will want to join us in sending our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and the Ultimate Warbird Flights team.
The Aviation Historian
We are profoundly saddened to hear of the death of Carolyn Grace in a road accident. Farewell to an extremely brave, talented, determined, forthright, and resilient lady, who made a huge contribution to historic aviation. She will not be forgotten. Sincere condolences to Carolyn’s family and friends.
UK Aviation News
British Spitfire pilot Carolyn Grace (70), who learned to fly the Spitfire following the death of her husband Nick in a car crash in 1988, was killed in a car accident on the 2nd of December. Her daughter-in-law Daisy Grace made the sad announcement in the Grace Spitfire Group on the social media platform, Facebook. Daisy said: “It is with great sadness that we must announce that Carolyn Grace has been killed in a car accident on Friday the 2nd of December 2022…
Sywell Aviation Museum
Such sad news of the passing of Carolyn Grace our sincere condolences to the Grace family and all who knew her. It seemed appropriate to share this photo of when we welcomed her and the AL team to Sywell all those years ago.
KEEP READING,
How did Herbert Volney die? Former high court judge cause of death Explained
How did Lewis Banham die? Lancashire veteran cause of death explained
Follow us on Twitter for more updates.
Lavanya (Senior Editor) is a full-time content writer with almost 5 years of experience and a part-time teacher. She joined Medico Topics on the Breaking News trainee scheme in 2022 and now works on MedicoTopics.com. As a lifelong learner, She is constantly curious about learning new things and passionate about sharing knowledge with people through her writing and teaching.
Goulburn is not a neighborhood of Sydney, it is a two hour drive from Sydney and about 1 hour drive from Canberra!