Chippie Down at Jandakot

[ghyde]

Pilot seriously injured after crashing plane at Perth's Jandakot Airport

A pilot has been seriously injured after crashing his plane at Perth's Jandakot Airport.

Emergency services were called to the airport in Perth's southern suburbs at 1:15pm after reports a small plane had crashed after an emergency landing on the runway.

Full story

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-26/jandakot-airport-plane-crash-man-seriously-injured/103774602

[Dora-9]

The aircraft was VH-POR, one of two Portuguese-built Chipmunks in the country. Apart from the propellor, they're identical to the UK-built T.10/Mk.21/Mk.22.

[Dora-9]

Is there any further information about this accident?

I'm hearing stories of a cowling panel opening after take off followed by aircraft mishandling and a subsequent stall. It certainly appears to have been quite an impact; though designed well before the "crumple zone" concept the Chipmunk usually does a good job of protecting the occupants (not in this case sadly).

[AbsoluteFokker]

Let's turn this into something productive with our limited knowledge of this event.

What sort of additional airspeed would be required to avoid a stall with a partial/full engine cowl separation event?

[Dora-9]

Let's turn this into something productive with our limited knowledge of this event.

I'm trying to, AF! I'm not casting aspersions, but I really do want to know what occurred here.

From my own experience (ahem) and talking to other owners, the cowling coming open has minimal effect on performance and handling (disregarding the startle factor). Depending on the cowling fit (they're all subtly different), if both latches are unfastened the cowl might open quite early, merely with the application of take-off power - obviously not in this case. However, should the cowl detach in flight then there's a chance that it might inflict engine damage as it departs. I don't think this is the case here though as seemingly it requires great speed - in 1959 the RAC of WA's VH-RFW lost its port cowl during a "very fast" spiral dive (one latch undone, the other then failed under the loads) and as the panel separated it destroyed the throttle linkage. Oddly enough, the Chipmunk crashed just a few miles north of Jandakot.

The latches are "fiddly" and, despite the presence of appropriate holes in the port cowling these sometimes don't line up (I did say that they're all subtly different), sometimes it's necessary to open the cowls to prime the engine.

[Dora-9]

Further to #5. TV footage shows both side cowls still attached to the upper (hinge) panel, so obviously the side panel(s) may have opened but they didn't depart the airframe.

[roundsounds]

Having experienced and witnessed Chippy cowls opening in flight it has no effect on performance.

[Bug]

Having experienced and witnessed Chippy cowls opening in flight it has no effect on performance.

Same with me.

[GAnoob]

Sadly the pilot has passed away from their injuries.

[AbsoluteFokker]

RIP pilot. Just heard he didn't survive on Radio National.

[Dora-9]

AbsoluteFokker:
PM sent to you.

[PiperCameron]

And here's the ATSB link for this one:

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2024/report/ao-2024-013