Another RV-10 down (from 2011) - Page 3

sstellarv10 · #21 11-01-2011, 02:21 PM

Well it was good nobody hurt but unfortunaly totally avoidable

Jamie · #22 11-01-2011, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sstellarv10

Well it was good nobody hurt but unfortunaly totally avoidable

I put very little faith in the accuracy of local media stories regarding aviation. If they quoted the pilot as saying he ran out of fuel that would be different.

Ironflight · #23 11-01-2011, 08:06 PM

Folks - please!! We have a member of these forums who has just lost his airplane, and apparently survived with minor injuries. And some of you are already implying that what happened was avoidable because of what you read in a local newspaper?!

Our policy on VAF is not to speculate on accident causes, especially when we have no facts whatsoever. If folks have facts - please present them. Otherwise, we'll have to wait for some.

Paul

sstellarv10 · #24 11-02-2011, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironflight

Folks - please!! We have a member of these forums who has just lost his airplane, and apparently survived with minor injuries. And some of you are already implying that what happened was avoidable because of what you read in a local newspaper?!

Our policy on VAF is not to speculate on accident causes, especially when we have no facts whatsoever. If folks have facts - please present them. Otherwise, we'll have to wait for some.

Paul

Your right, shouldnt have jumped to conclusions

tacchi88 · #25 05-01-2014, 07:36 PM

It's been a while, so it's time to put this incident to rest. My flight was to have been a final check, of navigation "devices", since I was planning my first "long" ride. Alma Ga. has an ILS approach, and time to fly from my field and 2 simulated ILS's calculated to near 30 minutes. Tanks were not full, but the amount was enough for a 2 hr. and 19 min. flight. Full tanks would have given me more than 4 hrs. of flight, with sufficient reserve.
When the fuel gauges came to rest, total time was 32 minutes. Of those 32 minutes, 3 were used to look for a pace to land, so as to no kill anyone or anything including myself, or any property I found a place between a row of trees, and my plan was to go between then and just above then and make a sudden sharp right turn and stall it in order to "pancake" it to the ground flat, I figured the "fall" would have been about 10 ft. or so. The trees were tougher than I had though. and instead, ripped the wings off, at which the aircraft pointed nose down and "slowly" landed on it's "nose" and went on its back. Total time on the hob was 33 minutes, the 3 minutes I would have needed to land back home.
I have just under 2500 hrs. of flying. and 1000 of long cross country, and never ran out of gas. I haven't the vaguest idea where all that gas went and doubt very much I ever will.
My bird was one of the best machines I have ever flown or owned and as a result of my survival, an unbelievably sturdy one.
Performance wise. cruise was 170 kts., at 10.6/hr., topped 197kts. Engine Lyc. 540 B2B5, but with FI and LASAR ignition. Fuel mogas.
Thank you Mr. Moderator for you most kind words.

BCP Boys · #26 05-01-2014, 07:52 PM

I just noticed that this was a few years ago but either way, very sorry for your loss and very happy that you walked away. We are all humans . . . every one of us WILL make mistakes. We just hope that mistake doesn't cost our lives. Glad you were able to walk away from yours.

Best of luck to you and God Bless.

AB

Wayne Gillispie · #27 05-01-2014, 08:13 PM

Glad you made it! Yes, the accidents since then have been pretty rough too and all have survived. I am glad that I built our -10 and like it a lot.

Did you have a calibrated fuel totalizer? Did you have an EFIS with low fuel warnings set? Were you able to switch tanks? Thank you for posting. Many do not, as I would think it would be very difficult.

flightlogic · #28 05-01-2014, 10:17 PM

I will relate a short tale here. About a year ago I crashed in the CA. desert. Plane was wrecked beyond repair. I crawled out and called the SO. The deputy was professional and later gave me a ride to a hotel. The FAA came the next day. I was shown a big gold badge and asked some questions. They left the wreckage over 48 hours inverted in the desert. The salvage company came, took it away and reported the tanks were empty. I provided the receipt for fuel to the FAA that had been made 2 miles before the crash. (engine failed on my slow climbout) They eventually said... and I quote: well, you bought some gas ... but we don't know what you did with it. Maybe you gave it to a buddy...
Since no one was injured... the NTSB gave it to the FSDO. They forced me to take a 709 oral examination to show competence. No one to date has ever told me why the engine quit on a plane that was full of fuel. I hired an A&P to go to the salvage yard and investigate. He could find no reason why it would not run. I know it is just psychological... but the feeling is not a good one.
The FAA will work very hard to implicate a pilot in almost all circumstances. I will always refrain from public speculation on why a fellow pilot fell from the sky. They already had a bad enough day....

BobTurner · #29 05-03-2014, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tacchi88

.... and stall it in order to "pancake" it to the ground flat, I figured the "fall" would have been about 10 ft. or so. .....

I would like to suggest that this is not the best of ideas.

1. -10's, with forward cg (solo), have limited elevator authority at stall. It is likely you would have hit nose first.
2. Humans are not very good at vertical decelerations. Vans has done what they can, with a special Oregon Aero seat, to absorb the impact. But there is only so much you can do when you sit on top of a very rigid spar carry thru, leaving just a few inches of crush space.

PCHunt · #30 05-03-2014, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobTurner

I would like to suggest that this is not the best of ideas. ..........

Concur:

I believe the overwhelming standard advice is to "fly the plane as far into the crash as you can", and NEVER stall the plane into the ground.

Hit the ground as gently as you can, is the general idea. Stalling in from 20 feet, or even 10 feet, is a recipe for disaster.

There are charts that combine angle of crashing, which is similar to descent rate, and groundspeed, that predict survival rates. While they are both important, the "arrival angle" is the more important variable.

Don't lose control of the plane before touching down.