"Failed stunt causes crash" ...
Join Date: May 2001
Location: 75N 16E
Age: 54
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Planes are pretty tough and as IO says one that has not suffered damage will likely not suffer SF in normal flight.
I'm a little more dubious about wooden spars though - there have been a number of incidents involving pilots who have clipped a wingtip but as there is no obvious damage assumed the wing is ok. Happened to someone I know, the co-owner dinged the wing on something, but it looked ok apart from a black smudge on the end of the wing, so they were going to leave it.
Luckily in talking with the local maintenance man said "no way should you fly" and lo and behold the inspection revealed a cracked spar. I seem to remember a similar case which resulted in a fatality.
I'm a little more dubious about wooden spars though - there have been a number of incidents involving pilots who have clipped a wingtip but as there is no obvious damage assumed the wing is ok. Happened to someone I know, the co-owner dinged the wing on something, but it looked ok apart from a black smudge on the end of the wing, so they were going to leave it.
Luckily in talking with the local maintenance man said "no way should you fly" and lo and behold the inspection revealed a cracked spar. I seem to remember a similar case which resulted in a fatality.
Join Date: Jun 2003
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I doubt driving slowly into the doors would have broken the spar, but as you say you never know.
There are cowboys in this game.
Where I am based, a renter took out a PA28 (he had keys to the hangar, and went out in the evening). Started with the towbar attached, taking a big chunk out of the prop (about 1" x 1" - I saw the damage myself). Chucked the towbar into some tall grass. Went for a flight. Came back, said nothing. AFAIK he was never seen again.
Probably a fair few of them around. But looking at it differently, I can understand an idiot doing this non-maliciously, because in the PPL one is not taught about prop strikes, shock load inspections, etc. If it is OK to hit a rock with a lawn mower, why is it unsafe to do it with a prop?
There are cowboys in this game.
Where I am based, a renter took out a PA28 (he had keys to the hangar, and went out in the evening). Started with the towbar attached, taking a big chunk out of the prop (about 1" x 1" - I saw the damage myself). Chucked the towbar into some tall grass. Went for a flight. Came back, said nothing. AFAIK he was never seen again.
Probably a fair few of them around. But looking at it differently, I can understand an idiot doing this non-maliciously, because in the PPL one is not taught about prop strikes, shock load inspections, etc. If it is OK to hit a rock with a lawn mower, why is it unsafe to do it with a prop?
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Here is one explanantion, who knows if it is true.....
http://www.tinfeathers.com/Murphy/Donut/Donut.htm
http://www.tinfeathers.com/Murphy/Donut/Donut.htm
The doors were then opened another few feet each side and the a/c made it out ok.
