Need advice on handling airplane damage

Being new to airplane ownership, I would appreciate some advice from the
more seasoned guys out there. This weekend, my partner wrecked our plane.
He's okay, which is certainly the most important thing. I'm still not
certain of the details, but it sounds pretty bad. Of course I'll be calling
the insurance company today. The reason I'm writing is to gather information
on how we need to proceed from this point. I know there are required
reports, but primarily I am concerned with insurance pitfalls. I have dealt
with insurance claims and automobiles before, but I don't know if there are
any similarities or not. I do not know how to find reputable repair shops or
how to have the plane delivered to one. I don't know what point must be
reached for the plane to be totaled. In other words, I am looking for any
advice that I can so that I can make informed decisions about the situation.

Thanks in advance for your help

The only advice I have is to ensure that you get compensation for lost value
after the repairs. If your plane was never damaged before, its value has
just dropped, and you should be compensated unless they managed to write a
clause in the contract that says otherwise.

Let's say your partner broke the engine mount on a 50k cessna. Even after
repairs, it will not be worth 50k any more. Maybe 40 to 45, so you want a
check for 5k or more in addition to the repairs.


"GE" wrote in message
...
Being new to airplane ownership, I would appreciate some advice from the
more seasoned guys out there. This weekend, my partner wrecked our plane.
He's okay, which is certainly the most important thing. I'm still not
certain of the details, but it sounds pretty bad. Of course I'll be
calling the insurance company today. The reason I'm writing is to gather
information on how we need to proceed from this point. I know there are
required reports, but primarily I am concerned with insurance pitfalls. I
have dealt with insurance claims and automobiles before, but I don't know
if there are any similarities or not. I do not know how to find reputable
repair shops or how to have the plane delivered to one. I don't know what
point must be reached for the plane to be totaled. In other words, I am
looking for any advice that I can so that I can make informed decisions
about the situation.

Thanks in advance for your help

That sounds good but is it "do-able"?

"Dude" wrote in message
...
The only advice I have is to ensure that you get compensation for lost
value after the repairs. If your plane was never damaged before, its
value has just dropped, and you should be compensated unless they managed
to write a clause in the contract that says otherwise.

Let's say your partner broke the engine mount on a 50k cessna. Even after
repairs, it will not be worth 50k any more. Maybe 40 to 45, so you want a
check for 5k or more in addition to the repairs.


"GE" wrote in message
...
Being new to airplane ownership, I would appreciate some advice from the
more seasoned guys out there. This weekend, my partner wrecked our plane.
He's okay, which is certainly the most important thing. I'm still not
certain of the details, but it sounds pretty bad. Of course I'll be
calling the insurance company today. The reason I'm writing is to gather
information on how we need to proceed from this point. I know there are
required reports, but primarily I am concerned with insurance pitfalls. I
have dealt with insurance claims and automobiles before, but I don't know
if there are any similarities or not. I do not know how to find reputable
repair shops or how to have the plane delivered to one. I don't know what
point must be reached for the plane to be totaled. In other words, I am
looking for any advice that I can so that I can make informed decisions
about the situation.

Thanks in advance for your help

No.

Mike
MU-2


"GE" wrote in message
...
That sounds good but is it "do-able"?

"Dude" wrote in message
...
The only advice I have is to ensure that you get compensation for lost
value after the repairs. If your plane was never damaged before, its
value has just dropped, and you should be compensated unless they managed
to write a clause in the contract that says otherwise.

Let's say your partner broke the engine mount on a 50k cessna. Even
after repairs, it will not be worth 50k any more. Maybe 40 to 45, so you
want a check for 5k or more in addition to the repairs.


"GE" wrote in message
...
Being new to airplane ownership, I would appreciate some advice from the
more seasoned guys out there. This weekend, my partner wrecked our
plane. He's okay, which is certainly the most important thing. I'm still
not certain of the details, but it sounds pretty bad. Of course I'll be
calling the insurance company today. The reason I'm writing is to gather
information on how we need to proceed from this point. I know there are
required reports, but primarily I am concerned with insurance pitfalls.
I have dealt with insurance claims and automobiles before, but I don't
know if there are any similarities or not. I do not know how to find
reputable repair shops or how to have the plane delivered to one. I
don't know what point must be reached for the plane to be totaled. In
other words, I am looking for any advice that I can so that I can make
informed decisions about the situation.

Thanks in advance for your help

It has been done by both auto and plane owners. Its not easy though, and if
it's a small amount, they know you won't hire an attourney.

It is mostly done on newer planes, where the loss is obvious, or much more
expensive planes where it is worth fighting over.

You have to be careful though, because if you are underinsured, this can
drive them to total your plane when you might not want them to.



"GE" wrote in message
...
That sounds good but is it "do-able"?

"Dude" wrote in message
...
The only advice I have is to ensure that you get compensation for lost
value after the repairs. If your plane was never damaged before, its
value has just dropped, and you should be compensated unless they managed
to write a clause in the contract that says otherwise.

Let's say your partner broke the engine mount on a 50k cessna. Even
after repairs, it will not be worth 50k any more. Maybe 40 to 45, so you
want a check for 5k or more in addition to the repairs.


"GE" wrote in message
...
Being new to airplane ownership, I would appreciate some advice from the
more seasoned guys out there. This weekend, my partner wrecked our
plane. He's okay, which is certainly the most important thing. I'm still
not certain of the details, but it sounds pretty bad. Of course I'll be
calling the insurance company today. The reason I'm writing is to gather
information on how we need to proceed from this point. I know there are
required reports, but primarily I am concerned with insurance pitfalls.
I have dealt with insurance claims and automobiles before, but I don't
know if there are any similarities or not. I do not know how to find
reputable repair shops or how to have the plane delivered to one. I
don't know what point must be reached for the plane to be totaled. In
other words, I am looking for any advice that I can so that I can make
informed decisions about the situation.

Thanks in advance for your help

GE wrote:

In other words, I am looking for any
advice that I can so that I can make informed decisions about the situation.

You'll need to read your policy carefully and then contact your agent to report
things. One company I used to deal with required that you get estimates from three
repair shops. This is somewhat difficult if the plane cannot be flown to them. The
insurance company which I am currently using wants a set of photos showing all of the
damage and a written estimate from a repair shop. They pay the amount of that
estimate, minus the amount of your deductible.

For major repairs, many companies will send out a representative to decide whether
the estimate is reasonable and whether there's a good chance of hidden damage that
might make the eventual costs higher than the estimate.

As for totaling, in general, they will usually total the plane if the damages exceed
about 2/3 the amount of your coverage. They will also total the aircraft if a) the
plane is worth a lot more than your hull coverage and b) there's a clause in the
policy that allows them to take the plane without giving you a chance to buy them
out. In other words, if they can total the aircraft, repair it or scrap it, and make
a large profit, they may do this for relatively minor damage.

George Patterson
If a man gets into a fight 3,000 miles away from home, he *had* to have
been looking for it.

Dude wrote:
The only advice I have is to ensure that you get compensation for lost value
after the repairs. If your plane was never damaged before, its value has
just dropped, and you should be compensated unless they managed to write a
clause in the contract that says otherwise.

Let's say your partner broke the engine mount on a 50k cessna. Even after
repairs, it will not be worth 50k any more. Maybe 40 to 45, so you want a
check for 5k or more in addition to the repairs.

No insurance company will ever do that.

When you say wrecked the plane what does that mean? Are you close to
totalling it?

GE wrote:

Being new to airplane ownership, I would appreciate some advice from the
more seasoned guys out there. This weekend, my partner wrecked our plane.
He's okay, which is certainly the most important thing. I'm still not
certain of the details, but it sounds pretty bad. Of course I'll be calling
the insurance company today. The reason I'm writing is to gather information
on how we need to proceed from this point. I know there are required
reports, but primarily I am concerned with insurance pitfalls. I have dealt
with insurance claims and automobiles before, but I don't know if there are
any similarities or not. I do not know how to find reputable repair shops or
how to have the plane delivered to one. I don't know what point must be
reached for the plane to be totaled. In other words, I am looking for any
advice that I can so that I can make informed decisions about the situation.

Thanks in advance for your help

Glad to hear your partner is okay. He or she must have made a "good"
landing!

Definitely call your insurance broker or company. They will assign an
insurance adjuster for you. The adjuster will examine the FAA and NTSB
reports and may want to look at the plane in person. They will work
with you on getting a repair estimate, and will discuss what will be
covered.

Generally they cover what was damaged, but not the cause of the
damage---thus if this was a bad landing caused by misaligned landing
gear, they will repair the prop, tear down and inspect the engine, fix
and repaint any scrapes on the bottom, etc. but they are not responsible
for fixing the gear problem. Also, they are NOT in the business of
upgrading, so if you opt to upgrade the prop or overhaul the engine
while it is apart, that will be on your nickel. Granted, will insurance
paying for the tear-down and reassembly, it will be the cheapest
overhaul you can buy.

From what I understand, the plane is in danger of being a total loss if
the repair estimate approaches 70% of the plane's value. This is
because they could probably recover 30% of the value in salvage, often
more than that simply from the radios, and thus it would be cheaper for
them overall. Something to discuss with them when the time comes.

The insurance adjuster can also recommend a repair shop, though you may
have better luck finding a qualified shop through a type club for your
type of plane. If it happens to be local, the shop will figure out how
to get the plane in. If the shop you want to use is remote, be prepared
for insurance to only cover as much as it would cost to recover the
plane to a local shop. They won't pay to take it four states away when
a qualified mechanic is normally less than 100 miles away.



GE wrote:

Being new to airplane ownership, I would appreciate some advice from the
more seasoned guys out there. This weekend, my partner wrecked our plane.
He's okay, which is certainly the most important thing. I'm still not
certain of the details, but it sounds pretty bad. Of course I'll be calling
the insurance company today. The reason I'm writing is to gather information
on how we need to proceed from this point. I know there are required
reports, but primarily I am concerned with insurance pitfalls. I have dealt
with insurance claims and automobiles before, but I don't know if there are
any similarities or not. I do not know how to find reputable repair shops or
how to have the plane delivered to one. I don't know what point must be
reached for the plane to be totaled. In other words, I am looking for any
advice that I can so that I can make informed decisions about the situation.

Thanks in advance for your help

Thanks for all of the advice so far. Unfortunately, the plane is not at
"home". The damage was at a field in a neighboring state, so I haven't seen
it. The plane is not flyable. There was damage to the nose gear and a prop
strike. My partner is going to contact the insurance company, we'll see what
happens from here.

Another question: I read part 830 of the FAR, and I'm uncertain whether or
not we have to report it to the NTSB. Section 830.5 sounds as if we do not
have to report it, but section 830.15 seems contradictory. Can anyone help
me sort this out?


"GE" wrote in message
...
Being new to airplane ownership, I would appreciate some advice from the
more seasoned guys out there. This weekend, my partner wrecked our plane.
He's okay, which is certainly the most important thing. I'm still not
certain of the details, but it sounds pretty bad. Of course I'll be
calling the insurance company today. The reason I'm writing is to gather
information on how we need to proceed from this point. I know there are
required reports, but primarily I am concerned with insurance pitfalls. I
have dealt with insurance claims and automobiles before, but I don't know
if there are any similarities or not. I do not know how to find reputable
repair shops or how to have the plane delivered to one. I don't know what
point must be reached for the plane to be totaled. In other words, I am
looking for any advice that I can so that I can make informed decisions
about the situation.

Thanks in advance for your help