On 6 Jan 2005 23:06:12 -0600, Andrew Sarangan
wrote:



Not really. With a power line, you at least stand a chance of just
catching the wire with the landing gear and ending up hanging upside
down from the gear until the firemen come and rescue you with a cherry
picker. It's hard to do that with a hill.


I wonder how often that really happens. I know of only one case when a
Seattle pilot hung on a wire. I would imagine that the chance of hitting
a wire and hanging upside down is just as remote as surviving a midair
collision. I could be wrong though.

The odds aren't very good.
I personally know of 4 instances which is probably a small percentage,
but:

A 172 flying up a lake which turns into a river (Sanford Lake about 5
miles from me) hit a power line crossing the river (narrow section).
It tore the seats right out of the plane. No survivors. (2)

A year ago a friend and crop duster for many years took vertical stab
right off his ag plane. He got it away from the buildings along the
road but turned it into a law dart out in a field. No survivor. (1)

Some years back a Cherokee was coming into Tampa Bay Exec. It was
early morning fog and he must have been trying to get under it. He
hit the high tension lines two miles to the West of the airport. The
only thing left was the engine and looked like a piece of modeling
clay that some one had tried to roll into a ball. No survivor. (1)

(As I remember it) A couple years back a guy rented an Arrow out of
Bay City. He took a friend and the friend's son for a ride. They did
a wee bit too much low flying looking at the farm land near his
friend's place as I understand it. They discovered a power line
ahead. He pulled up and started a turn. The left wing hit the ground
wire that runs along the top of the line. It stretched that heavy
line out and broke it. The line whipped around and ended up winding
itself around the hot wires shutting down power for several square
miles. (3 survivors)

The Arrow? Well, after missing the ground by inches, while probably
trying to imitate a Frisbee (TM), they headed back to Bay City.
Parked the plane, took his friend's son home and headed for a bar.
Even though ill advised I can truely understand their desire for a
drink at the time (and the removal of the seat cushions.)

One of the guys at Bay City (3CM) noticed the Arrow looked kinda
different setting out there on the ramp. At first he thought they had
just forgotten to put the flaps up so he got in to put the flaps up,
but they wouldn't move. Then he got out to look at the plane. The
wings were actually skewed to the left and by quite a bit. I believe
there was something like a 3 to 4 inch gap between the leading edge
and the fuselage on the pilot's side. The wing was torqued so bad
they couldn't get the flaps back up.

Unfortunately the renter had neglected to mention he had encountered a
any difficulties on the flight.

The police found him and his friend at the bar.

So the total was 4 airplanes with three of the four killing all on
board. OTOH there were 3 survivors out of 7.

As I understand they actually rebuilt the Arrow and it's still flying.
The kicker though: They had sold the Arrow and the new owner was to
pick it up the next morning. Needless to say they had to call him and
ask for a delay. (I don't remember if he actually ended up buying the
plane after that or not. Seems like he did)

I can see it now: "Oh, BTW, before we go out we have discovered some
minor problems we need to take care of before you take it home."

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com