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jon(at)joncroke.com
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 Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 12:58 pm Post subject: Back in the saddle |
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It is time for me to come out from hiding... My body has repaired itself to the point I can function quite normally (off the crutches!) and so I want to share some pictures of a rugged plane that has been thru a 'fender bender' of sorts. And time to thank the many whose words and acts of support and kindness make getting back to normal possible..!
On June 27, coming in for a landing to my backyard strip, I am told I clipped a tree limb with my newly rebuilt 701. This apparently spun the plane down to the ground where they found me, sitting on the wing, in a daze. I have no recollection of landing that day... so I have no knowledge of what happened and why - other than what others believe happened (and I dont doubt their conjectures). Why did I come close to the tree limb? I usually steer way clear of those... I have landed hundreds of times in my field (tho not with the 701, only a dozen times with it) and have never had an issue with the trees. So I plead ignorance... having nothing to learn from this experience, nothing to share about it... and may never learn any pertinent details. My injuries amounted to a hurt leg (but not broken) that gets better every day... 40 stitches on my throat (from hitting the dash?, maybe the stick?, the right seat belt attachment came off the center tunnel structure) a small puncture in my knee (stick?) and some small marks on the side of my head from the headset band digging in a little too deep (this was the head trauma, I guess, that caused the loss of memory?) I had enough awareness to climb out of the plane and call help to a nearby friend, but no memory since taking off.
Pretty strange to wake up in an ambulance and learn that your new plane is crashed.... and never to learn why I hit the trees...! Strange indeed! The local TV news services had a field day... they monitor 911 and it was on the news and in print for days.... and of course my wonderful neighbor felt compelled to tell those reporters of my prior follies with the trees so this turned into a real story for them. (neighbors: cant live with them, cant live w/o them!) And although this mishap was not equipment related (will call this pilot error - of some sort!) it had no relationship to the prior mishap (definitely equipment: spring tampering!) - but you wont hear that from the neighbor or news people.... guess I'm just feeling funny from having it happen twice -- oh well!
Heading to a Rotax surgeon on Tuesday to examine the 912 gearbox and crank for damage... keeping my fingers crossed.
I have pictures at www.JonCroke.com Click on the first 701 picture to see the crash photos!
Thanks again to everyone on the list for their support! I already have a stack of reusable parts for the rebuild... ! Reminds me of groundhog day, the movie...
Jon
the definitive aluminum butcher from Brussels, WI
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armyret(at)mchsi.com
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 2:44 pm Post subject: Back in the saddle |
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Jon- So glad you are on the mends!! You and I seem to be in some contest for the "Best crash landing of the year award" Last may (05) I nosed into a concrete runway on my XLs third flight. I am finishing repairs this week. Last friday, I had just finished my Bi-annual flight review. (Three hours in a 172 without a break, doing stuff I had never dreamed you could do in a 172) and was on my way home to a grass strip where the 172 lived. No wind, hot day, came in a little high, so I dumped the flaps and decided I was set up for a practice short field landing over an obstical. I had just practiced the same landing with a CFI less than a hour earlier. Bounced, tried to recover with a little power and yoke back, but the plane nosed into the turf bounced again, and the left wing hit the tops of the corn bordering the field. The plane veered to the left, skidded, the nose wheel broke off, the right wing scraped the ground and dug in throwing me against the passenger side window, which stopped my head and broke, throwing my glasses in three pieces 10' into the corn, along with the headset. The planes owner witnessed the entire incident, and called 911. From then on, my story is your story. Ambulance, Sheriff, etc etc. With the exception of head lacerations, broken nose, blood everywhere, and a huge knot, I was A-OK. The plane, totaled. Of interest here is the fact that after all the hullablu was over, we found that besides pilot error, the fuselage had buckled on the first bounce, behind the rear window, on the underside, stretching the cables to the rudder and elevator to the point that they were useless. After the first bounce, I was along for the ride with no control. It would probably been no more than a lousy landing if the buckeling hadn't occurred. If I had tried to go around, I wouldn't be here I'm sure.
Sincerely though- I wish you the best in your re-build. If there is anything I can do to help, call me.
Regards,
Al Young
[quote] ---
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jpellien
Joined: 24 Jun 2006
Posts: 21
Location: Basye, Virginia
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 2:44 pm Post subject: Back in the saddle |
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Jon,
Reading you message, I couldn’t help but admire you and your love of aviation. To go through what you have, and just get “back in the saddle” is truly remarkable. Thanks for loving aviation and light sport aircraft the way you do….your note made my day.
Thanks,
Jim
Jim Pellien
Mid-Atlantic Sports Planes
Sky Bryce Airport (VG18)
Basye, VA
www.MASPL.com
703-313-4818
From: owner-zenith-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-zenith-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Jon Croke
Sent: Saturday, July 15, 2006 4:53 PM
To: zenith-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: Back in the saddle
It is time for me to come out from hiding... My body has repaired itself to the point I can function quite normally (off the crutches!) and so I want to share some pictures of a rugged plane that has been thru a 'fender bender' of sorts. And time to thank the many whose words and acts of support and kindness make getting back to normal possible..!
On June 27, coming in for a landing to my backyard strip, I am told I clipped a tree limb with my newly rebuilt 701. This apparently spun the plane down to the ground where they found me, sitting on the wing, in a daze. I have no recollection of landing that day... so I have no knowledge of what happened and why - other than what others believe happened (and I dont doubt their conjectures). Why did I come close to the tree limb? I usually steer way clear of those... I have landed hundreds of times in my field (tho not with the 701, only a dozen times with it) and have never had an issue with the trees. So I plead ignorance... having nothing to learn from this experience, nothing to share about it... and may never learn any pertinent details. My injuries amounted to a hurt leg (but not broken) that gets better every day... 40 stitches on my throat (from hitting the dash?, maybe the stick?, the right seat belt attachment came off the center tunnel structure) a small puncture in my knee (stick?) and some small marks on the side of my head from the headset band digging in a little too deep (this was the head trauma, I guess, that caused the loss of memory?) I had enough awareness to climb out of the plane and call help to a nearby friend, but no memory since taking off.
Pretty strange to wake up in an ambulance and learn that your new plane is crashed.... and never to learn why I hit the trees...! Strange indeed! The local TV news services had a field day... they monitor 911 and it was on the news and in print for days.... and of course my wonderful neighbor felt compelled to tell those reporters of my prior follies with the trees so this turned into a real story for them. (neighbors: cant live with them, cant live w/o them!) And although this mishap was not equipment related (will call this pilot error - of some sort!) it had no relationship to the prior mishap (definitely equipment: spring tampering!) - but you wont hear that from the neighbor or news people.... guess I'm just feeling funny from having it happen twice -- oh well!
Heading to a Rotax surgeon on Tuesday to examine the 912 gearbox and crank for damage... keeping my fingers crossed.
I have pictures at www.JonCroke.com Click on the first 701 picture to see the crash photos!
Thanks again to everyone on the list for their support! I already have a stack of reusable parts for the rebuild... ! Reminds me of groundhog day, the movie...
Jon
the definitive aluminum butcher from Brussels, WI
| | - The Matronics Zenith-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
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_________________
Jim Pellien
Mid-Atlantic Sports Planes
703-313-4818
703-851-9375
www.MASPL.com
"Learn-2-Fly-in-1-Week" |
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MaresAlf2(at)aol.com
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 3:27 pm Post subject: Back in the saddle |
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hi Jon: Impressed on the "folding " metal in the crash pictures. Some of it appears to have been designed to absorb energy. "when " you rebuild Please drop a line on the engineering for reinforcements you will now doubt incorporate .. I am finishing a 1/2 built 701 and am at the cowl - dash - firewall stage and see things that could be stronger ---but not tooo strong !!! Good luck on the sudden stoppage of the 912 It looks rugged from the pictures but a good magna-flux is on order ! Lots of patience on the body recovery Alf Peterson Venice Calif & Woodland park Colorado
maresalf2(at)aol.com (maresalf2(at)aol.com)
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gfmjr_20(at)hotmail.com
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 3:55 pm Post subject: Back in the saddle |
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Jon--
Welcome back! You're one tough guy. Will look forward to your third
first flight.
George May
601XL 912s
do not archive
_________________________________________________________________
Don’t just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search!
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John Bolding
Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 281
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:25 pm Post subject: Back in the saddle |
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Jon wrote,
| Quote: | the right seat belt attachment came off the center tunnel structure)
I ASSUME (a dangerous thing to do) that everyone will want to chase this rabbit until a solution is offered.
I have always felt that compared to other designs, namely those that I have built or worked on, the restraint hardware on the 701 is on the light side.
PLEASE don't think that I'm trying to second guess Chris here, maybe the attach fitting failed just when and how it was designed (everything has a limit) but I would rather have a harness that stays where it's bolted, keeping me out of the inst panel. I realize there are a host of design considerations here. I also suspect that if there had been a passenger there would have been a lot more load in the center attach area and the POSSIBILITY of failure with less restraint than it offered Jon in this case while solo.
Anyone else having heartburn over this one?
Jon, THANKS for your being so open with your experiences , it's helping us all build and fly better and safer. LOW&SLOW John
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joeing701(at)internet.is
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:38 pm Post subject: Back in the saddle |
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Hello Jon.
So good to hear from you again and that you are getting strong again after your mishap. You are an inspiration to us all who have only built one Zenith aircraft and just barely made it. To start again for the third time is something I think needs a very strong willpower and eagerness to fly again. I wish you all the best with your next project and hope the phrase " three is a charm" will be yours when you fly again.
Best wishes,
Johann G.
Iceland.
Joeing 701.
do not archive
Jon Croke wrote: | Quote: |
It is time for me to come out from hiding... My body has repaired itself to the point I can function quite normally (off the crutches!) and so I want to share some pictures of a rugged plane that has been thru a 'fender bender' of sorts. And time to thank the many whose words and acts of support and kindness make getting back to normal possible..!
On June 27, coming in for a landing to my backyard strip, I am told I clipped a tree limb with my newly rebuilt 701. This apparently spun the plane down to the ground where they found me, sitting on the wing, in a daze. I have no recollection of landing that day... so I have no knowledge of what happened and why - other than what others believe happened (and I dont doubt their conjectures). Why did I come close to the tree limb? I usually steer way clear of those... I have landed hundreds of times in my field (tho not with the 701, only a dozen times with it) and have never had an issue with the trees. So I plead ignorance... having nothing to learn from this experience, nothing to share about it... and may never learn any pertinent details. My injuries amounted to a hurt leg (but not broken) that gets better every day... 40 stitches on my throat (from hitting the dash?, maybe the stick?, the right seat belt attachment came off the center tunnel structure) a small puncture in my knee (stick?) and some small marks on the side of my head from the headset band digging in a little too deep (this was the head trauma, I guess, that caused the loss of memory?) I had enough awareness to climb out of the plane and call help to a nearby friend, but no memory since taking off.
Pretty strange to wake up in an ambulance and learn that your new plane is crashed.... and never to learn why I hit the trees...! Strange indeed! The local TV news services had a field day... they monitor 911 and it was on the news and in print for days.... and of course my wonderful neighbor felt compelled to tell those reporters of my prior follies with the trees so this turned into a real story for them. (neighbors: cant live with them, cant live w/o them!) And although this mishap was not equipment related (will call this pilot error - of some sort!) it had no relationship to the prior mishap (definitely equipment: spring tampering!) - but you wont hear that from the neighbor or news people.... guess I'm just feeling funny from having it happen twice -- oh well!
Heading to a Rotax surgeon on Tuesday to examine the 912 gearbox and crank for damage... keeping my fingers crossed.
I have pictures at www.JonCroke.com Click on the first 701 picture to see the crash photos!
Thanks again to everyone on the list for their support! I already have a stack of reusable parts for the rebuild... ! Reminds me of groundhog day, the movie...
Jon
the definitive aluminum butcher from Brussels, WI
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