My Plane Almost Became an Insurance Claim

I don't know all the details and what I know is second hand, but it appears
a prospective buyer of a Navion lost control of the plane on the ramp and
caused some serious damage. This happened mid week at Avion Jet Center,
Sanford Airport (SFB), just north of Orlando, FL.

Allegedly, the prospective buyer started the plane and suffered a seat
slide-back with the throttle and prop control pushed all the way in. The
plane accelerated rapidly toward a dual line of privately owned tied-down
planes. The first line planes were facing the Navion and mine was nearly
directly in line. Fortunately (for me) the P-factor turned the Navion a
little to the left and it clipped the right wing of a Cherokee that was tied
down next to mine. The impact helped the Navion lift off the ground a
little and it continued into a trailer and building before stopping. I
guess someone was in the trailer (don't know if this was a camping type or
just a hauling trailer) and they jumped out just in time to avoid being
seriously hurt. After looking at the damage to the Navion it's amazing that
the pilot was reportedly only slightly injured. It's also fortunate that no
fire broke out.

Things could have been much worse. Normally there are fuel trucks parked
next to the Cherokee that was hit. The path of the Navion would have put it
directly into the trucks. The results would not have been good.

If the path had been just a few more feet to the left, the Navion would have
gone into the Avion Jet Center hangar and impacted a Citation III.

If I get a chance tomorrow, I'll take some pictures of the Navion to share
on the net. It's really banged up.

JimC

I don't know all the details and what I know is second hand, but it
appears
a prospective buyer of a Navion lost control of the plane on the ramp and
caused some serious damage. This happened mid week at Avion Jet Center,
Sanford Airport (SFB), just north of Orlando, FL.

Wow, what a headache. Can you say "litigation"?

I wonder whose insurance company is going to own what in the end?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I wonder whose insurance company is going to own what in the end?

The sellers... he's the one that let the prospective buyer in the cockpit.

BT

Another good reason to lean to the max on the ground. If a passenger bumps
the throttle or a cable breaks, the engine will just quit.

This kind of thing helps to explain the current insurance rates!

Mike
MU-2


"JimC" wrote in message
news
I don't know all the details and what I know is second hand, but it
appears
a prospective buyer of a Navion lost control of the plane on the ramp and
caused some serious damage. This happened mid week at Avion Jet Center,
Sanford Airport (SFB), just north of Orlando, FL.

Allegedly, the prospective buyer started the plane and suffered a seat
slide-back with the throttle and prop control pushed all the way in. The
plane accelerated rapidly toward a dual line of privately owned tied-down
planes. The first line planes were facing the Navion and mine was nearly
directly in line. Fortunately (for me) the P-factor turned the Navion a
little to the left and it clipped the right wing of a Cherokee that was
tied
down next to mine. The impact helped the Navion lift off the ground a
little and it continued into a trailer and building before stopping. I
guess someone was in the trailer (don't know if this was a camping type or
just a hauling trailer) and they jumped out just in time to avoid being
seriously hurt. After looking at the damage to the Navion it's amazing
that
the pilot was reportedly only slightly injured. It's also fortunate that
no
fire broke out.

Things could have been much worse. Normally there are fuel trucks parked
next to the Cherokee that was hit. The path of the Navion would have put
it
directly into the trucks. The results would not have been good.

If the path had been just a few more feet to the left, the Navion would
have
gone into the Avion Jet Center hangar and impacted a Citation III.

If I get a chance tomorrow, I'll take some pictures of the Navion to share
on the net. It's really banged up.

JimC

Seat slideback?????

OMG, thats $480 million in damages according to our legal system bad
sarcasm intended


"JimC" wrote in message
news
I don't know all the details and what I know is second hand, but it
appears
a prospective buyer of a Navion lost control of the plane on the ramp and
caused some serious damage. This happened mid week at Avion Jet Center,
Sanford Airport (SFB), just north of Orlando, FL.

Allegedly, the prospective buyer started the plane and suffered a seat
slide-back with the throttle and prop control pushed all the way in. The
plane accelerated rapidly toward a dual line of privately owned tied-down
planes. The first line planes were facing the Navion and mine was nearly
directly in line. Fortunately (for me) the P-factor turned the Navion a
little to the left and it clipped the right wing of a Cherokee that was
tied
down next to mine. The impact helped the Navion lift off the ground a
little and it continued into a trailer and building before stopping. I
guess someone was in the trailer (don't know if this was a camping type or
just a hauling trailer) and they jumped out just in time to avoid being
seriously hurt. After looking at the damage to the Navion it's amazing
that
the pilot was reportedly only slightly injured. It's also fortunate that
no
fire broke out.

Things could have been much worse. Normally there are fuel trucks parked
next to the Cherokee that was hit. The path of the Navion would have put
it
directly into the trucks. The results would not have been good.

If the path had been just a few more feet to the left, the Navion would
have
gone into the Avion Jet Center hangar and impacted a Citation III.

If I get a chance tomorrow, I'll take some pictures of the Navion to share
on the net. It's really banged up.

JimC

I put some pictures on the web at address - http://navionpics.swegian.com/

"JimC" wrote in message
news
I don't know all the details and what I know is second hand, but it
appears
a prospective buyer of a Navion lost control of the plane on the ramp and
caused some serious damage. This happened mid week at Avion Jet Center,
Sanford Airport (SFB), just north of Orlando, FL.

Allegedly, the prospective buyer started the plane and suffered a seat
slide-back with the throttle and prop control pushed all the way in. The
plane accelerated rapidly toward a dual line of privately owned tied-down
planes. The first line planes were facing the Navion and mine was nearly
directly in line. Fortunately (for me) the P-factor turned the Navion a
little to the left and it clipped the right wing of a Cherokee that was
tied
down next to mine. The impact helped the Navion lift off the ground a
little and it continued into a trailer and building before stopping. I
guess someone was in the trailer (don't know if this was a camping type or
just a hauling trailer) and they jumped out just in time to avoid being
seriously hurt. After looking at the damage to the Navion it's amazing
that
the pilot was reportedly only slightly injured. It's also fortunate that
no
fire broke out.

Things could have been much worse. Normally there are fuel trucks parked
next to the Cherokee that was hit. The path of the Navion would have put
it
directly into the trucks. The results would not have been good.

If the path had been just a few more feet to the left, the Navion would
have
gone into the Avion Jet Center hangar and impacted a Citation III.

If I get a chance tomorrow, I'll take some pictures of the Navion to share
on the net. It's really banged up.

JimC

Could be, I'm not an expert in either. What are some of the differences
between the two?

The FBO folks thought it was a Navion. Either way, it looks like it was in
pretty good shape prior to the incident. Terrible loss of a beautiful old
plane. I feel bad for the owner. Can you imagine what he felt like
watching his plane turn into basically trash in a matter of seconds?

JimC

"john smith" wrote in message
...
JimC wrote:

I put some pictures on the web at address -
http://navionpics.swegian.com/

Looks more like a Meyer than a Navion.

JimC wrote:

The FBO folks thought it was a Navion.

The center picture of the third row clearly shows the Navion logo.

George Patterson
They say that nothing's certain except death and taxes. The thing is,
death doesn't get worse every time Congress goes into session.
Will Rogers

I put some pictures on the web at address - http://navionpics.swegian.com/

Augh! Those kind of pictures turn my stomach.

Looks like it was a beautiful plane. (Of course, I've never seen an ugly
Navion. Even the dogs are cool!)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"