Navajo Down in Ankeny, IA

The accounts that I've read do not mention any roll or "Vmc" roll, they all
seem to indicate that the airplane was upright and controlled until impact.
Successful single engine operation in twins requires both control and
performance. Usually a configuration that increases control decreases
performance and vise versa. I did not read anything about of loss of
control, only lack of performance. Whether their airplane was configured
properly to obtain the performance required and whether it was capable of
obtaining the required performance, I think, are the questions.

The Navajo, configured properly, "should" be controllable and capable of a
climb of around 250 fpm with full power on the good engine, sea level,
standard conditions, at full gross weight. Ankeny is about 900 feet, temps
were in the 50's, accounts say only two people on board, no mention of
weight or baggage.

If it was an engine out situation would be interesting to know if the bad
engine's prop had been feathered, if the gear and flaps were up or down, and
if the operating engine was making full power. For those in the group that
are not familiar with single engine operations in twins, excess drag created
by a windmilling prop, extended flaps, and extended landing gear can, and
probably will, create more drag than a single engine can overcome. The
airplane may be longitudinally controllable if kept above the Vmc speed for
the conditions and configuration, but the airplane may be so "draggy" that a
climb is not only impossible but it is descending at a abnormally high rate.

Jim

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
2 guys killed in an attempt to return to the airport on a single
engine.

http://www.kcci.com/news/5281008/detail.html#

My condolences to the families.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Why is it again they have two?

'Cause nobody makes single engines with that much power.

Of course you're ruling out turboprop singles, right George? : )

I was amused by the original post quoting FAA records saying the Navajo
had a 160mph cruise speed. My pal's PA-31 has no problem maintaining
180kt in cruise, or around 200mph. Feds.... Sheeesh...

How much twin time do you have?

None at all, but some of my flying buddies are CFI-Multi-engine... Also
most of the study (mainly cursory) in my current CFI training, touches on
twins - From both sources I haven't walked away impressed... Seems like
more of a liability just to get there faster...

--
--
=-----
Good Flights!

Cecil E. Chapman
CP-ASEL-IA

Student - C.F.I.

Check out my personal flying adventures from my first flight to the
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Complete with pictures and text at: www.bayareapilot.com

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery -

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wrote:

Of course you're ruling out turboprop singles, right George? : )

Yep.

George Patterson
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you quarrel with your neighbor.
It makes you shoot at your landlord. And it makes you miss him.

Update: Today's (Tu 11/15) Des Moines paper notes the dipstick was
missing from the plane at the crash site and was found at the airport.


Not in the reports yet: whether the dipstick was found on the ramp or
taxiway where it might've rolled if someone forgot and left it on a
cowling during a preflight, or if it was in the mechanic shop. Report
says the engine oil was "dangerously low," with only 1-2 quarts found
by the NTSB investigators. Pilot had reported an oil leak shortly
after takeoff.

Also not in the news reports: any indication, guess or wild
assumptions whether one engine had stopped. For that, I salute the
local reporters. Just the facts.

Update: Today's (Tu 11/15) Des Moines paper notes the dipstick was
missing from the plane at the crash site and was found at the airport.


Not in the reports yet: whether the dipstick was found on the ramp or
taxiway where it might've rolled if someone forgot and left it on a
cowling during a preflight, or if it was in the mechanic shop. Report
says the engine oil was "dangerously low," with only 1-2 quarts found
by the NTSB investigators. Pilot had reported an oil leak shortly
after takeoff.

Odd. An aircraft engine should run just fine with 1 - 2 quarts of oil,
certainly for at least a few minutes.

How does one get to the dipstick on a Navajo? I presume there's an
access door of some sort?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On 15 Nov 2005 12:41:19 -0800, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:


Odd. An aircraft engine should run just fine with 1 - 2 quarts of oil,
certainly for at least a few minutes.

How does one get to the dipstick on a Navajo? I presume there's an
access door of some sort?

little door on the top cowl, pretty much like your 'plane. depending
on the age of the engine, it could be either a screw-in, or a snap-in
(retained only by the o-ring friction) dipstick.

a Navajo will suck oil out the dipstick opening at a pretty
scary-looking rate. doesn't necessarily mean that the engine is going
to quit, but it sure "looks" like it's going to.

have had a couple make a short trip around the pattern (oh crap, look
at all the blankin' oil) and land with about 5-6 quarts left.

TC

a Navajo will suck oil out the dipstick opening at a pretty
scary-looking rate. doesn't necessarily mean that the engine is going
to quit, but it sure "looks" like it's going to.

have had a couple make a short trip around the pattern (oh crap, look
at all the blankin' oil) and land with about 5-6 quarts left.

And a little oil sure looks like a lot of oil. A couple of QUARTS would
scare the crap out of anyone.

I sure hope this accident doesn't turn out to be one of those
"the-pilot-was-distracted-by-the-missing-dipstick-open-access-door" kinda
things. It seems to happen every now and then that someone prangs it
because they were distracted by the door popping open, or what have you.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"