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07-15-2011, 03:10 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SC & CA
Posts: 907
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F-1 Rocket Fire (15 Jul)
Just to give everyone an update on the Rocket fire yesterday. I just got off the phone with the owner, Dick Johnson. The preliminary cause was the result of a fuel leak at the mechanical fuel pump.
Dick departed Gillespie as part of a two-ship formation. Shortly after takeoff he noted a significant drop in fuel pressure. He asked lead to drop down and check for evidence of a leak. A serious leak was visually confirmed. Dick immediately turned back to the airport. As he slowed the aircraft for landing the fuel ignited. The fire burned up through the forward underbelly of the aircraft. The cockpit completely filled with smoke. Dick said that he had just one quick peek at the runway before his vision became completely impaired. His touchdown was hard and he bounced. He brought the stick full aft, the aircraft bounced again followed by the nose contacting the runway, and then when stopped, he was able to egress from the aircraft.
His preliminary damage assessmemt areas are: forward fuselage sheetmetal, essentially everything firewall forward, and possible damage to wiring and instruments in his avionics bay.
Considering Dick lost ALL visibility prior to touchdown, he did one fine job of getting his aircraft back on the ground and safely egressing.
__________________
Tom Valenzia
RV8 (Sold)
RV12 Jabiru 2200 Powered (Sold)
Dues contributor since 2007
Learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to make all of them yourself...Anonymous
Last edited by TomVal : 07-15-2011 at 03:36 PM.
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07-15-2011, 03:59 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Lake Havasu City AZ
Posts: 2,391
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fire
Some pictures-not very good quality-on thekathrynreport.com.
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07-15-2011, 04:58 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Ridgeland, SC
Posts: 2,584
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I think all of us
would be interested in the cause of the fire---a broken fitting, a bad hose, etc.
Dick--if youre out there, there are several of us at Ridgeland (3J1) that can help--Lee Logan's F1 is based there.
Tom
__________________
Tom Swearengen, TS Flightlines LLC, AS Flightlines
Joint Venture with Aircraft Specialty
Teflon Hose Assemblies for Experimentals
Proud Vendor for RV1, Donator to VAF
RV7 Tail Kit Completed, Fuse started-Pay as I go Plan
Ridgeland, SC
www.tsflightlines.com, www.asflightlines.com
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07-15-2011, 05:43 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SC & CA
Posts: 907
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TS Flightlines
would be interested in the cause of the fire---a broken fitting, a bad hose, etc.
Dick--if youre out there, there are several of us at Ridgeland (3J1) that can help--Lee Logan's F1 is based there.
Tom
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Tom,
Dick is not a reader of this forum. I'm about to leave town for a week. I'll give him a call when I return and I will report his findings.
Regards,
__________________
Tom Valenzia
RV8 (Sold)
RV12 Jabiru 2200 Powered (Sold)
Dues contributor since 2007
Learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to make all of them yourself...Anonymous
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07-15-2011, 05:48 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,275
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That is apparently a busy airport. It would be interesting to hear his first-hand account of what happened once he determined he had to get on the ground immediately.
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07-15-2011, 07:43 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Mojave
Posts: 4,643
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Not trying to be an armchair quarterback, but I'd be interested to know if he shut off fuel at any point. In flight fire is one of my biggest fears.
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WARNING! Incorrect design and/or fabrication of aircraft and/or components may result in injury or death. Information presented in this post is based on my own experience - Reader has sole responsibility for determining accuracy or suitability for use.
Michael Robinson
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Harmon Rocket II -SDS EFI
RV-8 - SDS CPI
1940 Taylorcraft BL-65
1984 L39C
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07-17-2011, 10:14 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Townsend, Montana
Posts: 3,179
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That's a darn shame.
First time I saw a pic of that rocket, I put orange paint on my list as possible candidates for my -7. It was stunning!
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Retired Dam guy. Life is good.
Brian, N155BKsold but bought back.
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07-17-2011, 10:27 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
Posts: 3,926
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jrs14855
Some pictures-not very good quality-on thekathrynreport.com.
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Any chance you still have a link? That site is hellishly bad for finding things.
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Rob Prior
1996 RV-6 "Tweety" C-FRBP (formerly N196RV)
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07-17-2011, 11:09 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Lake Havasu City AZ
Posts: 2,391
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link
Sorry I don't have a link. Kathryn report is very frustrating to use, but they have information that I don't find elsewhere.
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07-17-2011, 11:18 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Brookshire, TX
Posts: 1,032
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Snowflake
Any chance you still have a link? That site is hellishly bad for finding things.
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Found it: http://www.thekathrynreport.com/2011...e-prompts.html
__________________
Philip
-8 fuselage in progress (remember when I thought the wing kit had a lot of parts? HAHAHAHAHA)
http://rv.squawk1200.net
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