A taildragger incident today

I experienced a bit of unneeded excitement today while preparing to fly
home that I thought would be of interest here.

A 2,500 foot November grey ceiling hung over the uncontrolled western NY
airport as I unloaded my luggage from the rental vehicle parked next to my
aircraft on the ramp. Suddenly a golf cart screeched to a halt in front of
my airplane.

The cart's driver, a local flight instructor, yelled my name as he pointed
to the opposite end of the long runway.

"Look! Did you see that?" he asked me in a somewhat shaky voice.

I instantly followed his pointed finger and focused to the far end of the
airport. There, on the first third of the far runway, was a high wing,
single-engine aircraft that appeared to be sticking nose first into the
runway.

"Let's take your truck!" he yelled to me as he ran to the passenger side.

I haphazardly slammed my luggage door closed and hopped into the Ford
Explorer. As we sped down the parallel taxiway, the instructor used his
cell phone to call back to report the wreck to the airport office. He also
instructed the receptionist to use the radio to warn the airplane on final
for the opposite end of the same runway to go around. After he hung up, we
both remained quiet, silently contemplating the scene we were about to see.

As we arrived at the wreck, the pilot appeared from behind the upended
taildragger and it became apparent what happened. I parked the truck near
the airplane (but away from the tail) and both of us jumped out to check on
the pilot.

"I had landed and just touched the brake, and next thing I knew the
aircraft was on its nose," the 80 year-old pilot said as we approached him.
My heart went out to him at that moment as I could only imagine what he
must have been feeling.

"About time someone noticed," he then added. "I didn't think anyone was
coming."

Aviation fuel was leaking out of the right wing, splinters sprinkled the
runway from the shattered wooden prop, and a five-to-eight foot white
scrape marked the runway where the spinner had been pushed into the
asphalt.

Looking behind the aircraft on the runway surface, I spotted the twisted
gouges where each blade of the prop had struck the runway, as well as more
wood splinters. That sight reminded me of the wording of so many NTSB
accident reports.

By this time, another airport employee showed up in another golf cart with
a cellphone to his ear. He had been talking to the airport owner, who was
en route to the airport from somewhere off airport grounds. The airport
owner, who is also an FAA designated examiner, concluded that it was
prudent to move the aircraft since there were no injuries, fatalities, or
excessive aircraft damage and gave the approval to the airport employee.

With that, the four of us (including the pilot), carefully worked together
to lift the nose and lower the tail, righting the damaged aircraft. We
then pushed the sad bird along the runway to a nearby taxiway.

With the airport personal now handling the scene, I didn't see any more use
for my services so I took the truck back to the ramp and finished loading
my luggage. My heart suddenly began to beat much faster as the entire
scene replayed in my head.

At that moment the avionics tech at the airport walked by my aircraft and,
upon hearing the name of the accident pilot, told me that the pilot had
just purchased the used taildragger and was bringing it back to the airport
for the first time.

In all the excitement, I didn't have the opportunity to ask what type of
aircraft this was, but in looking at various pictures on the web tonight, I
*believe* the aircraft was a Stinson 108-3.

You pilots who have mastered these light taildraggers have my sincerest
respect.

--
Peter