Bugatti 100p Replica Down, Pilot Lost

 We regret to note that the truly stunning Bugatti 100p replica is reported down, with the loss of its pilot, Scotty Wilson. The accident occurred early Saturday morning, near Burns Flat, OK.

The replica first flew in August of 2015 and dealt with a number of teething problems along the way, including an incident on its first flight whereby the vehicle was damaged when the right brake failed after landing, and the plane veered off the runway. The short hop reached only reached 100 feet AGL... after the airplane veered off the runway after landing, the nose of the airplane sunk into soft ground caused by heavy rains and damaged the spinner and both props of the airplane.

The Saturday accident has been confirmed by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and reportedly took place near the former Clinton-Sherman AFB at 0825 local time. Few details are available at this time outside of the fact that the replica was involved in the early stages of a test program for the replica of an aircraft that every actually flew in its original form.

The original designer, Ettore Bugatti, was a well-known and highly-regarded European entrepreneur and industrialist, according to the Bugatti 100p website. Bugatti was best known for his automotive efforts but, "Few know that Bugatti built the most extraordinary airplane of its time. The Bugatti 100P exhibited cutting-edge aerodynamics combined with innovative, performance-enhancing features for which Bugatti won five patents. It is perhaps the most historically-significant airplane that never flew."