Crash last night - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

ohioboxster · 11-15-2006, 06:41 AM

This is a crash I worked last night, the pilot climbed out on his own power.

Cell phone was dying and it was getting dark.

djomlas · 11-15-2006, 06:45 AM

i live by a little airport as well, and there are more than what i think there should be crashes going on.

good thing he walked away from it

ohioboxster · 11-15-2006, 06:56 AM

This is the first crash this Airport has had since Thurman Munson in 1979.

11-15-2006, 06:57 AM

**************** thats pretty scarry crashing a plane. i live next to a small airport also, and love watching them fly above from the balcony of my house. sometime's i think that they fly farrr too low. i am thinking about going over and taking flying lessons....pretty cheap, but after that pic, i think i'll wait...

unklekraker · 11-15-2006, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KronixSpeed

**************** thats pretty scarry crashing a plane. i live next to a small airport also, and love watching them fly above from the balcony of my house. sometime's i think that they fly farrr too low. i am thinking about going over and taking flying lessons....pretty cheap, but after that pic, i think i'll wait...

I don't blame you for waiting after seeing the pix

Thank God, the pilot came out alive

I too, live near a small airport about 3 miles and it's right across the shopping mall, good thing that airport is not that busy

MNBoxster · 11-15-2006, 07:19 AM

Hi,

Actually, it looks as if the Pilot did a pretty good job from the photos. Obviously, you cannot tell what the problem was - Engine failure, out of fuel (#1 cause of light aircraft accidents).

Looks as if he came in on approach, raised the nose to decrease airspeed/stall, dragged the Tail to bleed-off speed and prevent flipping over, and the rest of the aircraft just settled in which is why the Engine probably broke off it's mounts, but stayed with the airplane and the main mounts collapsed. In any event, the Pilot was definitely on the stick all the way down. He let the airplane take the impact, good reaction actually. Proving once again what my 1st Naval Flight Instructor said - "Gentlemen, (pointing downward)... This is the Ground. All flights Originate, and Terminate, here..."

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

ohioboxster · 11-15-2006, 07:53 AM

Im not sure about his skill level but he crashed across a taxi way and his approach wasnt even close to a runway. The plane had fuel.

djomlas · 11-15-2006, 08:02 AM

id like to take some lessons as well.

its like not getting a motorcycle after seeing all the crashes, sht happens, what cah u do

MNBoxster · 11-15-2006, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohioboxster

Im not sure about his skill level but he crashed across a taxi way and his approach wasnt even close to a runway. The plane had fuel.

Hi,

Well, as I said, there can be numerous reasons for an incident like this, so it's hard to say exactly. I'll have to wait until the NTSB report comes out - they're published every month. Some of them make good reading, like the guy who failed to extend his Landing Gear on approach, or the guy who hit a Deer on touchdown (my personal Favorite).

I had an old Piper J3 for many years. 40-hp Continental A651 flat four piston engine, tail dragger, literally Stick & Rudder. It had such a large wing surface, and such a low stall speed (35MPH), that once Ground Effect took over, you could carry a long way down the runway. Add a little crosswind, and you're doing a Go-Around. Still, one the the best little airplanes I ever flew...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

djomlas · 11-15-2006, 09:25 AM

i was gonna say the same thing, it can be so many different things so he landed it anywhere he can, so the runway possibly wasn't really his priority

CJ_Boxster · 11-15-2006, 09:32 AM

Damn, im Glad he no one died.

The front of that plane looks like the face of an iraqi insurgent on ogrish.com

porscheracer · 11-15-2006, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unklekraker

I don't blame you for waiting after seeing the pix

Thank God, the pilot came out alive

I too, live near a small airport about 3 miles and it's right across the shopping mall, good thing that airport is not that busy

If your going to take flying lessons please stay away from Manhattan... Jesus!

unklekraker · 11-15-2006, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porscheracer

If your going to take flying lessons please stay away from Manhattan... Jesus!

djomlas · 11-15-2006, 10:17 AM

funny, but very true. stay away

Ray · 11-15-2006, 10:17 AM

This was my buddy Tom last year. He was working on his engine and had an engine-out shortly after take-off. He clipped an old telephone wire coming down which caused this accident. He broke both legs, hip, and both arms but lived. Notice the seat; you can see the angle he hit.

ohioboxster · 11-15-2006, 10:26 AM

Wow, its amazing what the human body can take. The plane last night is a 1977, the cockpit held up so well.

MNBoxster · 11-15-2006, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohioboxster

Wow, its amazing what the human body can take. The plane last night is a 1977, the cockpit held up so well.

Hi,

It's really not that surprising. The FAA has much more stringent reliability requirements in it's certification process than any Auto Manufacturer would ever have to endure. Add to this the strict regular maintenance, repair, and inspection regimens (why I sold off my J3 - too expensive to keep) and you end up with pretty solid aircraft.

In terms of Life Safety, the coming thing is Ballistic Recovery Systems (commonly BRS). This is a Parachute which will deploy and allow the aircraft to decend slowly enough and land softly enough to pretty much insure safety for the occupants. It is currently available, certified by the FAA, for the Cessna 152, Cessna 172, Cessna 182, the Symphony SA-160, and the Cirrus line of light aircraft (where the system is actually integrated into the design of the airframe), the SRV, SR20, and SR22. A retrofit kit is available for a host of other aircraft (under 1600 lbs. GW) and Lightweights.

The goal of this system is the survival of the crew and passengers and not necessarily the prevention of damage to the airframe. Since it's invention in 1982, over 180 deployments have been successfully made without a single loss of life. The aircraft will usually sustain significant landing gear and/or airframe damage, but who cares? Any crash you can walk away from...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

RandallNeighbour · 11-15-2006, 10:53 AM

I hate little planes. Had a very scary experience in one when I was 7 years old and have no desire to set foot in one or fly one.

I do all my flying in jet propelled aircraft and in the Boxster, which doesn't get any altititude (thankfully).

Ohio, you had me scared for a minute there when I read your thread title, thinking you had crashed your car.

ohioboxster · 11-15-2006, 10:58 AM

Randall,
I didnt mean for it to come out like that.

Jim,
Actually there was a fatality involving the parachuted plane. I dont have the details but the fire guys were talking about it last night.

MNBoxster · 11-15-2006, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohioboxster

...Jim,
Actually there was a fatality involving the parachuted plane. I dont have the details but the fire guys were talking about it last night.

Hi,

Actually, their information is incorrect. The BRS system does have an operating envelope.

In Level Flight, the minimum deployment altitude is 400' AGL, and in Non-Level Flight or Spin Recovery, the minimum deployment altitude is 920' AGL (the additional altitude required for the Drogue Chute to stabilize the aircraft prior to Main Chute deployment).

There have been several deployments below these minimum altitudes resulting in casualties or fatalities, such as on Final Approach or Take-Off, as well as other low altutude incidents.

The only disputed fatal crash took place after a Cirrus SR22 entered a flat spin at approximately 5,000' AGL. In this accident, currently in litigation, the role of the parachute is in dispute, and Cirrus believes that the attorneys representing the estate of the deceased pilots will argue that one or both of them tried in vain to deploy the chute.

In its report, the NTSB simply said that they did not deploy the chute, and cited as a probable cause of the fatalities, the failure to do so. Both Cirrus and BRS agree with the Board’s report, and they contend that they can positively determine whether an occupant has tried to deploy the chute, even when there has been a post-crash fire, as there was in this crash.

Other than this disputed incident, there have been no fatalities involving BRS deployment within it's nominal operating parameters.

Ironically, the retro-fitting of this system has met mixed reviews. Pilots do not like giving up control of the aircraft in an emergency, and once deployed, they're just along for the ride. Also, some express concerns over frivolous deployments (such as when a Pilot encounters choppy weather or loses control, not a good concern IMHO). While still some others cite the systems cost - approx. $20k (about the same as a good avionics upgrade, but cheap compared to one's life or totalling a plane).

But, all-in-all, the system has had a remarkable success rate...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99