 |
Matronics Email Lists
Web Forum Interface to the Matronics Email Lists
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
davidjoyce(at)doctors.org
Guest
|
 Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 2:38 pm Post subject: Landing short in some trees following engine stoppage |
 |
|
Wow, Glad to hear you are not more seriously injured. Hopefully like my friend who had similar fracture after writing his plane off with a forced landing cross grain into a medieval ridge & furrow field, you will be good as new in a couple of months. & good choice - trees beat buildings any time. All best, David Joyce, GXSDJ
On 2022-05-16 21:56, Fred Klein wrote: | Quote: |
Gents...Back on April 13th I had some unanticipated excitement. In the spirit of sharing experiences so others may benefit, here is the narrative description of this event which I've provided to the NTSB:
This Experimental, Amateur-built Aircraft was being flown within the Phase 1 Limitations listed under its Special Airworthiness Certificate dated September 10, 2019. !
After take off with full fuel at approximently 10:30 am with the intention of remaining in the pattern and flight testing some modifications to the engine cooling system, I'd been doing circuits around KORS at 2500 ft...all was well, engine humming along, temps were nominal... cruising along at 130-140 kts...decided to land...descended to pattern altitude...entered downwind at 85-90 kts stabilized at 1000 ft...80 kts abeam the numbers...lowered flaps & LG...(LG & flaps are interconnected w/ single flap setting of 20 deg.)...engine stopped...slowed to 75 kts, switched fuel pumps, attempted restart, engine cranked fine but did not fire up...turned base, attempted restart again, engine cranks fine but no start...at that point I was in a state of disbelief that my engine would not restart, although I realized that I may not reach the runway... turned 45 deg towards runway threshold...terrain is flat with a wooded strip approximately 100 feet wide separating rows of one and two story residential structures...another restart attempt, nada...way below the proper glide path and I became quite aware that I was heading for some trees...was feeling surreal, calm...no images of my life passing thru my brain...definitely flew the plane, stall warner did not go off...the engine was not windmilling prior to impact, and upon impact my shoulder strap risers performed well...no injuries...no smell of fuel...First thing I did was turn off Master Switch, and out of habit, turn off all other rocker switches; when doing so, I did not notice if any of the rockers, normally "on" in flight or whenever the engine is running, had been in the "off" position...If I'd had any available bandwidth in my brain, I would have sat tight and dialed 911 on my cell phone, but my instincts had me opening the door to exit the aircraft had a sense of being within a bunch of tree branches...I now think I was experiencing some tunnel vision...in any case, I didn't realize I was up so high...I recall having no trouble getting my butt up on the headrest and swinging my legs over the gullwing door sill and onto the wing...then all of a sudden I was on my back on the ground in considerable pain after having fallen 12 to 15 feet onto soft, soggy soil, flat terrain. The property owner witnessed the low flying airplane and heard the impact into the trees; he called 911 at 11:36 am. Aircraft remained intact, stuck and supported between trees in a nose-high attitude. Estimated airspeed at impact between 50 and 60 kts. Post-crash, falling to the ground resulted in compression fracture of lower spine; no complications; need to take it easy, need for patience to let body heal
Probable cause of engine stoppage: The engine stoppage occurred as I was lowering the Landing Gear and Flaps. In the process of lowering the LG, I experienced some difficulty getting the lever control into the down and locked position. Normally lowering the gear is done with the right hand. I used my left hand to assist getting the lever in the locked position...One possibility is my left hand may have brushed one, two, or three of the rocker switches which control the ignition coils, fuel injectors, and ECU of the MPEFIed, 140 hp engine derived from a Subaru EA81. A second possibility is that when I returned my left hand to the control stick,, I abruptly shoved the stick forward to correct for the nose-high attitude caused by the deployment of full flaps and my left hand brushed up against them. If either of these events occurred, I was completely unaware. This is speculation on my part and may be confirmed (or not) once the aircraft has a new propeller installed and the engine is run up. My hunch is it will fire right up, smoothe as silk, and stop when the rocker switch energizing the ignition coils or fuel injectors is turned off.
We'll see.
[img]cid:16527406396282d21fc4413889609716(at)doctors.org.uk[/img]Description of Damage to Aircraft and Other Property
Airframe is of premolded fiberglass / composite construction; control surfaces are fiberglass over foam cores.
Forward portion of starboard wing tip and nav/strobe/landing light broken, 2" dia. puncture starboard wing leading edge, 12" long crease in port wing leading edge, port wing AOA pin dislodged, propeller blades broken (engine not running on impact), spinner dented, lower cowling ruptured, main LG fairing ruptured, 2" puncture in rudder, 20" gash in underside of fuselage, tail wheel swivel-stop bent, 2 fuselage punctures, appproximately 4" x 4" forward of port wing root; aircraft came to rest within trees about 10 feet above the ground, in the process of lowering the aircraft to the ground the starboard gull-wing door/window was broken; no indication of major structural damage but unable to confirm until aircraft is back in the hangar and thoroughly inspected. At present, N195XS rests in her trailer in my yard while I rest on my back.
Fred
A-194
[img]cid:16527406396282d21fc6a51637920221(at)doctors.org.uk[/img]
[img]cid:16527406396282d21fc7176243494860(at)doctors.org.uk[/img]
[img]cid:16527406396282d21fc75bb716083033(at)doctors.org.uk[/img][img]cid:16527406396282d21fc7b2a336615163(at)doctors.org.uk[/img] [img]cid:16527406396282d21fc7d44869595779(at)doctors.org.uk[/img] [img]cid:16527406396282d21fc9c4f589400139(at)doctors.org.uk[/img] [img]cid:16527406396282d21fc9ecb386970904(at)doctors.org.uk[/img]
|
| | - The Matronics Europa-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:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
237 Bytes |
| Viewed: |
730 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
258.32 KB |
| Viewed: |
730 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
569.98 KB |
| Viewed: |
730 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
798.96 KB |
| Viewed: |
730 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
237 Bytes |
| Viewed: |
730 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
237 Bytes |
| Viewed: |
730 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
237 Bytes |
| Viewed: |
730 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
237 Bytes |
| Viewed: |
730 Time(s) |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Fred Klein
Joined: 26 Mar 2012
Posts: 503
|
| Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 3:25 pm Post subject: Landing short in some trees following engine stoppage |
|
|
Thanks Pete…if you read between the lines you’ll note ample justifications for me to be beating myself up for flawed analyses and actions not taken in a timely manner…I’m trusting that this too shall pass…F. | Quote: | On May 16, 2022, at 4:07 PM, Pete Zut <peterz(at)zutrasoft.com (peterz(at)zutrasoft.com)> wrote:
wow indeed. What a story. So happy to hear that you are recovering successfully, and a total bonus that your beautifully finished and creatively modded bird is rebuildable.
May both of you return to the air soon!
best wishes,
PeteZ
|
| | - The Matronics Europa-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:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
|
Get Email Distribution Too!
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
