Plane crash at William Creek Airfield
Thread Starter
Plane crash at William Creek Airfield
Reports of a plane crashing while landing at William Creek Airfield
The Advertiser
10 minutes ago
Emergency services and locals are responding to reports of a plane crash in the state’s far north.
Just after 3pm on Sunday, a plane reportedly flipped while landing at William Creek Airfield.
It is understood two people were on board the light plane and have been injured in the crash.
Paramedics and police from Coober Pedy — 167km away — and Oodnadatta — 205km away — have been notified of the crash.
The crash comes less than a month after two people were killed in a plane crash near Leigh Creek Airport.
it's an RV-6a:
https://www.regosearch.com/aircraft/au/ANU
latest report is that their condition is stable:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-...field/11354666
https://www.regosearch.com/aircraft/au/ANU
latest report is that their condition is stable:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-...field/11354666
Hi Mr M,
I am wondering why it is 'Common for an A model Vans' please?
I can see that the nosewheel is fairly snapped off - like - did it hit a rabbit hole or similar...??
Cheers
I am wondering why it is 'Common for an A model Vans' please?
I can see that the nosewheel is fairly snapped off - like - did it hit a rabbit hole or similar...??
Cheers
Nose wheel Vans aircraft are not as strong as on a C172 or Cherokee. They need to be flown with a little more finesse. Of course if the third wheel on an RV is where it really belongs, at the back, the problem disappears.
The picture really demonstrates the dangers of flipping a low wing. Doesn’t leave much room to get out and even a relatively low speed mishap can cause serious injuries.
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A models do indeed need extra care due a weak design, there's even Mods available to help reduce the fixed nose leg becoming a retractable at the wrong time- Vans are a great design fly really nice best bang for buck, best as a conventional U/C👍😉
Might have bounced the landing, then come down nose wheel first causing it to trip over.
Had there of been a fire, they would have been goners, for sure. A big problem extracting oneself from a low wing aircraft.
Had there of been a fire, they would have been goners, for sure. A big problem extracting oneself from a low wing aircraft.
A big problem extracting oneself from a low wing aircraft.
Most LSA low wingers have large canopies that once locked for takeoff can easily warp or totally jam in extreme hard landings or turn-overs. A RAAF Sabre forced landed into a rice paddy in Malaya after a bird strike and engine failure seconds after lift off. The pilot who was unhurt, could only push back the canopy a few inches when it jammed. A fire started under the aircraft but the pilot used the escape tool to hack his way out of the canopy.
For what it's worth it was this writer that introduced the idea of a canopy breaker tool into the RAAF in 1961 after studying overseas military accident reports. The USAF had them for years earlier after several fatalities following high speed rejected takeoffs in F80 Shooting Star fighters. In each case the aircraft caught fire after over-running into terrain. Ejection seats were not low level type. The electrically operated canopies jammed and the pilots could not get out. A few months after the RAAF approved installation in Sabre fighters, the afore mentioned accident in Malaya occurred and the pilot's life was saved.
Last edited by Centaurus; 28th Jul 2019 at 14:10.
Centaurus, those tools have their limitations. The Macchis had them on the side wall, and in about 1978, when a canopy was to be removed by maintenance and discarded, the Powers decided it would be good to do a real test on the tool. All the staff and students gathered around, and the steely-eyed knuck walked to the aircraft.
The pilot was strapped in the front seat, the lid was closed and locked, and the clock started.
It was a weird feeling, watching somebody deliberately hacking at the canopy from inside, but what was surprising was that the canopy didn't break easily. It took him a LOT of backhanded hacking, then a rest of the tired arms, a change of grip and more hacking until a tiny hole appeared. A lot more hacking and he managed to make a hole big enough to squeeze out of, and the clock showed over 8 minutes. He was exhausted and overheated. A fire might have heated him a bit too much during the 8 minutes.
We all formed new opinions on the strength of the canopy, and the usefulness of the tool.
The pilot was strapped in the front seat, the lid was closed and locked, and the clock started.
It was a weird feeling, watching somebody deliberately hacking at the canopy from inside, but what was surprising was that the canopy didn't break easily. It took him a LOT of backhanded hacking, then a rest of the tired arms, a change of grip and more hacking until a tiny hole appeared. A lot more hacking and he managed to make a hole big enough to squeeze out of, and the clock showed over 8 minutes. He was exhausted and overheated. A fire might have heated him a bit too much during the 8 minutes.
We all formed new opinions on the strength of the canopy, and the usefulness of the tool.
FWIW, I carry a welding hammer in my RV just-in-case. One of those ones with the sharp point on one side and the flat blade on the other. Like the PLB in the vest, I hope to never use it...