VansAirForceForums  
Home > VansAirForceForums

- POSTING RULES
- Donate yearly (please).
- Advertise in here!

- Today's Posts | Insert Pics


Go Back   VAF Forums > Main > Safety
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-23-2019, 02:42 PM
gmcjetpilot's Avatar
gmcjetpilot gmcjetpilot is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,285
Default 5 RV Accidents in the last Month (April/May 2019)

In the last month April to May there have been five RV accidents.

5/18 Ohio RV-6 (1 fatal) - takeoff possible loss of power on takeoff (witness stated engine slowed then surged)
4/29 Washington RV-6 (2 fatal) - in flight impacted water 1000' south-southeast of runway 31 (no witnesses)
4/26 Oklahoma RV-6 (non-fatal) - landing nose over on grass (tail wheel)
4/18 Oregon RV-8 (2 fatal) - in flight "loss of control"
4/12 South Dakota RV-12 (non-fatal) - takeoff on snow covered runway veered off runway, nose gear folded.

In a month period 5 reported accidents, 3 fatal. Please be careful.
2 In flight
2 Takeoff
1 Landing
__________________
George
Raleigh, NC Area
RV-4, RV-7, ATP, CFII, MEI, 737/757/767

2020 Dues Paid
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-23-2019, 03:38 PM
N941WR's Avatar
N941WR N941WR is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SC
Posts: 12,887
Default

George, for comparison, any idea how many Cessna's crashed in the same period?
__________________
Bill R.
RV-9 (Yes, it's a dragon tail)
O-360 w/ dual P-mags
Build the plane you want, not the plane others want you to build!
SC86 - Easley, SC
www.repucci.com/bill/baf.html
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-23-2019, 04:37 PM
SabreFlyr SabreFlyr is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Marion, IN
Posts: 231
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by N941WR View Post
George, for comparison, any idea how many Cessna's crashed in the same period?
I understand what you’re trying to say but that’s not the point. This is our community and we need to be concerned about a serious uptick in accidents. Let’s not be satisfied if our accident rate compares favorably, or even close to, any other pilot group.

Sorry to make such a post and then go offline. I’m about to board a commercial flight (God save me! ).
__________________
Ray Dosh
LJ45 driver
RV-14 QB #140212
Tail feathers finished
Tail cone in progress
2020 DUES PAID
Marion, IN MZZ
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-23-2019, 04:45 PM
sglynn's Avatar
sglynn sglynn is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Anacortes, WA
Posts: 823
Default Reliability

But there is value to reading these. I've just started flying my recently finished RV-7A. I've got 10 hours on her. I've flown Piper Cherokees for 20 years and have grown a feeling of reliability for the Cherokee. I just don't wonder if anything mechanical will break. it won't. It's reliabile. I do not yet have that comfort feeling on my RV. I built it. Did I get it right? Will nuts back off, will things loosen up? What's going to go wrong? I'm not concerned about pilot error, that could happen on any airplane. But I'm hoping my confidence in my RV will go up and become as assured as I am for the Cherokee. So far it is doing great. I read the accident reports looking for possible mechanical failures, fuel filters being plugged, control rods coming loose, but I really don't see any.

I wonder how many hours flying it will take until I "feel" confident the RV machine is a solid, reliable performer?
__________________
Steve Lynn
RV-7A
Flying Phase I
Anacortes, WA
www.mykitlog.com/sglynn
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-23-2019, 04:53 PM
Ironflight's Avatar
Ironflight Ironflight is offline
VAF Moderator / Line Boy
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dayton, NV
Posts: 12,256
Default

It’s good to remind folks to have a look at accident reports becasue that is where the value lies - knowing WHY an accident happened - just knowing that it did doesn’t help you prevent another one, except to up your vigilance.

The sad truth is that this is the time of year when we always see an uptick in the stats. I get a monthly report on Experimental accidents as part of my work on the EAA Homebuilt Advisory Council, and you can see the bump in April and May every year as folks get their airplanes out of storage and try to brush off skills that have become rusty over the winter.

If there is any good news, we are still under our record from last year.....
__________________
Paul F. Dye
Editor at Large - KITPLANES Magazine
RV-8 - N188PD - "Valkyrie"
RV-6 (By Marriage) - N164MS - "Mikey"
RV-3B - N13PL - "Tsamsiyu"
A&P, EAA Tech Counselor/Flight Advisor
Dayton Valley Airpark (A34)
http://Ironflight.com
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-23-2019, 05:50 PM
Yen Yen is offline
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Benaraby Queensland. Australia
Posts: 209
Default

It may help prevent accidents if we post anything that could easily be missed.
I lost the cap to my brake fluid reservoir in my RV4. I put a Davis drain valve in as a temporary fix and locked it open. Somehow the temporary, became permanent. One day on takeoff I had a nose down pitch, but thought I was just overpushing the stick to lift the tail.
Weeks later I landed and gave the brakes a dab, just to check they were OK and continued the roll out, but as the speed dropped and the downthrust on the tail lessened the tail came up to near vertical.
I think what happened is that the Davis valve must have got to a closed position. When I dabbed the brakes the pressure in the reservoir dropped and air got round the Davis valve as if it was a non return valve. I released the brakes but they were still applied.
Lesson learnt is you have to think of even the most obscure possibilities.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-23-2019, 06:18 PM
BillL BillL is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central IL
Posts: 5,516
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by sglynn View Post
I wonder how many hours flying it will take until I "feel" confident the RV machine is a solid, reliable performer?
My first confidence jump was after annual (condition inspection). I did find a couple of important bolts low on torque, but I am sure that one of those was just missed. A spar bolt was at half torque. I had them in and out three times and used a half then full torque each time, so I am sure that one was on me. I rechecked every spar and control bolt for torque.
__________________
Bill

RV-7
Lord Kelvin:
“I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about,
and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you
cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge
is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind.”
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-23-2019, 06:30 PM
scard's Avatar
scard scard is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Cedar Park, TX
Posts: 3,156
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by sglynn View Post
I wonder how many hours flying it will take until I "feel" confident the RV machine is a solid, reliable performer?
It took me about 450hrs before I started to accept that we built a proper machine that wasn't going to kill us in the next 30sec. That was a long time ago, and oh the places we've been since...
__________________
Scott Card
CQ Headset by Card Machine Works
CMW E-Lift
RV-9A N4822C flying 2200+hrs. / Cedar Park, TX
RV8 Building - fuselage / showplanes canopy (Done!)
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 05-23-2019, 06:47 PM
Mark Dickens's Avatar
Mark Dickens Mark Dickens is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Collierville, TN (KFYE)
Posts: 1,433
Default

Taking the RV-12 out of the mix because of the nature of the accident, I wonder how old the rest of the planes were...3 RV-6s and a RV-8. I'm not saying that older planes are less safe, but I do wonder if complacency and a sense of comfort set in when you've flown a plane for years and no-one is looking over your shoulder when you go through the condition inspection. Just a thought.
__________________
RV-8 #81077 Super Slow Build
Dynon Skyview HDX, Titan IOX-370, Dual P-Mags, AFP FM200A FI, Whirlwind 200RV CS Prop
First Flight 11/20/2016
www.marksrv8.com
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 05-23-2019, 08:39 PM
Bugsy's Avatar
Bugsy Bugsy is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Waukesha, Wisconsin
Posts: 554
Default Thanks

Appreciate the reminder. The math may say we are safer than others.

Statistically the N of 1 that equates to my butt in the seat needs a reminder to be safe.
__________________
Paul 'Bugsy' Gardetto, Col, USAF (ret)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Timmerman Field)
N377KG - Flying (250 hrs)
RV-7A, Aerosport O-360, WW200RV
Advanced Flight 5400
Avidyne IFD440
Paint by planeschemer.com
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:12 AM.


The VAFForums come to you courtesy Delta Romeo, LLC. By viewing and participating in them you agree to build your plane using standardized methods and practices and to fly it safely and in accordance with the laws governing the country you are located in.