"Aluminum Overcast" damaged by gear collapse

This was a real shame...I was back from a two hour training flight and
was in the traffic pattern when this happened. The tower controller
announced that there was a B-17 on two mile final for 16R so that we
could all enjoy seeing this bird come in. I was abeam the B-17's
touchdown spot when she landed, from 1000' up I didn't see the gear
collapse, it just seemed to stop rolling very quickly. I had a feeling
something was up when all of us in the pattern were issued go-arounds,
Van Nuys has two runways, but they closed both for Emergency vehicle
access. After about 10 minutes I was cleared to land on the the other
runway and rolled past the B-17. I hope they can fix her up, she is
even more beautiful in person then on video.

Greg King
N2957F


James Robinson wrote in message ...
The B-17 bomber owned by the Experimental Aircraft Assn. was damaged
yesterday at Van Nuys airport when its main gear collaped.

From the videos on TV, you could see its tail wheel firmly on the
ground, when the main gear retracted, and the aircraft dropped onto the
runway. The crew must had had that sinking feeling about then. It slid
perhaps 50 feet or so on its belly.

The media seems to like to say it made a belly landing, or a rough
landing, but it was apparent that it had already landed, and was simply
completing the rollout, and was preparing to turn off when it happened.

Anyway, here's a link to their web site, where they have a short
description of the incident:

http://www.b17.org/

And a typical media story:

http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1...129868,00.html

I couldn't find the video clip, but I assume it will appear online
sometime today.

I hope they can get it flying again soon.

"atis118" wrote in message

After about 10 minutes I was cleared to land on the the other
runway and rolled past the B-17. I hope they can fix her up, she is
even more beautiful in person then on video.

A B-17 itself going to be taken out by something as simple as a gear-up
landing; the issue will probably be whether they can afford to do so, and
whether they can insure it afterward.

Sad. Hell of a ride for the passengers. I was in the tail of the Evergreen
B-17 a few years ago when Portland tower cleared a commuter jet to land at
the perpendicular runway (28L). We came in over the river and the pilot
tried to throttle up and go around, but the ol' bird wasn't going to do it.
We cleared the intersection and then he locked the brakes. The left main
seized up and the airplane careened nearly off the side of the runway, the
tail feeling as if was going to come around, as the back filled with smoke
from the rear tire. I was raised by a B-17 vet, which made it strange.

The pilot--a 747 captain--wrestled the old hoss back onto the centerline and
brought it in none worse for the wear. Got the whole thing on video from
the tail gunner's position somewhere.

-c