News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

THIS is the horrifying moment when a wing-walker falls 200ft to his death as a stunt goes catastrophically wrong in front of 75,000 people.

Daredevil Todd Green lost his grip as he tried to climb from a biplane to a helicopter at an air show.

The dad-of-one slipped as he attempted to grab one of the helicopter’s runners.

The crowd screamed in terror as the stuntman plummeted to the ground.

Shocked Jennifer Bradley, who was in the audience with her sons aged seven and 11, said: “There were lots of tears. We sat and prayed together.”

Experienced wing-walker Todd had been one of the big attractions at the Selfridge Air Show near Detroit in Michigan.

Congresswoman Candice Miller, also in the crowd, said: “It was very surreal.

“It takes a moment to get your mind around what just happened.

“I know he was a big part of this show. A lot of people came just to see him.”

Teri Kawa-White, 31, said: “He was trying to get to the helicopter but then he fell. It was very emotional to watch.”

Todd plunged to the ground as he made his third attempt to hold on to the helicopter’s landing ski.

He was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead.

Some people in the crowd believed at first that the accident had been staged as part of the show.

Christine Doran said: “My first thought was that it was a mannequin falling because there was no movement at all. I turned to my boyfriend Jeff and asked, ‘That was fake, right?’”

Todd, from Michigan, had been performing aerial stunts for 25 years after following in the footsteps of his stuntman dad, Eddie “The Grip” Green.

Stuntman Kyle Franklin, 31, was Todd’s friend and said his pal was one of a few people in the world able to perform the dangerous manoeuvre.

He said: “Todd was extremely good at what he did and logged many hours doing stunts. He was one of the best in the business.”

Winds in the area at the time of the accident on Sunday were about 15mph. It is not yet known if they contributed to the tragedy.