Another of those unreliable AC engines stalled on approach

Judah writes:

It is equally as likely that the journalist who wrote the article has no
background in aviation, and as such did not accurately interpret or report
the information collected. Rather than properly research the story, she met
her deadline and moved on.

It is equally likely that aviators reading the article will make snap
judgements about what the journalist did or did not know or
understand, and will imagine their own version of the story that may
be dramatically different from what was reported.

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"Judah" wrote in message
. ..
"xxx" wrote in news:1166574799.928243.156580
@f1g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

snip
... the engine on his light
sport aircraft stalled at between 50 and 100 feet in the air and
crashed, nose first, at the end of the grass runway.


You should try to become somewhat educated before you take the words of
journalists as gospel.

Airplanes do not suddenly go extremely nose low simply because of engine
failure. They essentially become gliders and begin descending in a manner
that is typically controllable and gradual. Pilots are trained to manage
such a situation to maximize their glide ratio so they can find a suitable
place to land. I believe the typical glide ratio of a small airplane is
over a mile of glide distance for every 1000' of available altitude.

On the other hand, if the Pilot stalled the aircraft (either with or
without engine power) by not properly managing the airspeed across his
wings (for example by climbing too aggressively), the plane may lose its
lift (aka stall), and drop its nose somewhat suddenly.

Part of the Pilot Private Training syllabus focuses on recognizing the
onset of a stall early and being able to recover from such a stall within
50'. There is even a sensor on the plane's wing to sound an alert in the
cockpit if a stall is imminent.

It seems likely to me that the wing, not the engine, "stalled", causing
the
plane to drop its nose suddenly, and crash into the ground. Possibly the
pilot did not have the proper training or attention to recover at such a
low altitude.

It is equally as likely that the journalist who wrote the article has no
background in aviation, and as such did not accurately interpret or report
the information collected. Rather than properly research the story, she
met
her deadline and moved on.

Several of us have allowed the reporter's phrasing to brighten our day(s),
and I believe that the OP was the first.

Peter

("Judah" wrote)
On the other hand, if the Pilot stalled the aircraft (either with or
without engine power) by not properly managing the airspeed across his
wings (for example by climbing too aggressively), the plane may lose its
lift (aka stall), and drop its nose somewhat suddenly.


One year at OSH, hanging out at the Ultra-Light pasture, I heard the field
announcer put a stop to pilots trying to outdo one another with over
aggressive climbouts. He was pretty stern with his warning.


Montblack

Montblack writes:

One year at OSH, hanging out at the Ultra-Light pasture, I heard the field
announcer put a stop to pilots trying to outdo one another with over
aggressive climbouts. He was pretty stern with his warning.

What kind of climbouts were they doing before he stopped them?

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Montblack wrote:
("Judah" wrote)
On the other hand, if the Pilot stalled the aircraft (either with or
without engine power) by not properly managing the airspeed across his
wings (for example by climbing too aggressively), the plane may lose its
lift (aka stall), and drop its nose somewhat suddenly.


One year at OSH, hanging out at the Ultra-Light pasture, I heard the field
announcer put a stop to pilots trying to outdo one another with over
aggressive climbouts. He was pretty stern with his warning.


Montblack

Eight or 10 years ago at Arlington a fella killed himself that way.
I watched it happen. Short takeoff and steep climb to about 200', then
a fairly steep turn to return to the runway to demonstrate the
short-field capability of the airplane (an advanced ultralight). He did
it several times until it finally bit him. The airplane went left
wing/nose down and rotated into the ground. Classic stall/spin
scenario.
Too many ultralight pilots get too little training and do too
little reading on their own. And, like the rest of us males, they hate
to be outdone and might push things farther and farther until one of
them dies and the media have more junk to feed to the masses. I can
understand the "stern" warning. That field announcer might have
witnessed the same accident I did.

Dan

writes:

And, like the rest of us males, they hate
to be outdone and might push things farther and farther until one of
them dies and the media have more junk to feed to the masses.

It's natural selection. Beyond a certain number of hours, generally
only the safe pilots survive. The angry young males are either out of
the loop or dead.

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wrote in message
oups.com...

Montblack wrote:
("Judah" wrote)
On the other hand, if the Pilot stalled the aircraft (either with or
without engine power) by not properly managing the airspeed across his
wings (for example by climbing too aggressively), the plane may lose
its
lift (aka stall), and drop its nose somewhat suddenly.


One year at OSH, hanging out at the Ultra-Light pasture, I heard the
field
announcer put a stop to pilots trying to outdo one another with over
aggressive climbouts. He was pretty stern with his warning.


Montblack

Eight or 10 years ago at Arlington a fella killed himself that way.
I watched it happen. Short takeoff and steep climb to about 200', then
a fairly steep turn to return to the runway to demonstrate the
short-field capability of the airplane (an advanced ultralight). He did
it several times until it finally bit him. The airplane went left
wing/nose down and rotated into the ground. Classic stall/spin
scenario.
Too many ultralight pilots get too little training and do too
little reading on their own. And, like the rest of us males, they hate
to be outdone and might push things farther and farther until one of
them dies and the media have more junk to feed to the masses. I can
understand the "stern" warning. That field announcer might have
witnessed the same accident I did.

Dan

About 25+ years ago at one of our local airports, in southeastern Florida,
the rag draggers used to make a very short takeoff at roughtly mid-field,
level off at around 50 feet, and make a very steep turn to transition across
the airport to their pick-up area. One had a mishap, and after that the
operation was much more conservative. I never heard the details or extent
of damage, but suspect that the apparent headwind may have only been a long
gust.

Peter

Was that accident at FXE?

Frank

"Peter Dohm" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
oups.com...

Montblack wrote:
("Judah" wrote)
On the other hand, if the Pilot stalled the aircraft (either with or
without engine power) by not properly managing the airspeed across
his
wings (for example by climbing too aggressively), the plane may lose
its
lift (aka stall), and drop its nose somewhat suddenly.


One year at OSH, hanging out at the Ultra-Light pasture, I heard the
field
announcer put a stop to pilots trying to outdo one another with over
aggressive climbouts. He was pretty stern with his warning.


Montblack

Eight or 10 years ago at Arlington a fella killed himself that way.
I watched it happen. Short takeoff and steep climb to about 200', then
a fairly steep turn to return to the runway to demonstrate the
short-field capability of the airplane (an advanced ultralight). He did
it several times until it finally bit him. The airplane went left
wing/nose down and rotated into the ground. Classic stall/spin
scenario.
Too many ultralight pilots get too little training and do too
little reading on their own. And, like the rest of us males, they hate
to be outdone and might push things farther and farther until one of
them dies and the media have more junk to feed to the masses. I can
understand the "stern" warning. That field announcer might have
witnessed the same accident I did.

Dan

About 25+ years ago at one of our local airports, in southeastern Florida,
the rag draggers used to make a very short takeoff at roughtly mid-field,
level off at around 50 feet, and make a very steep turn to transition
across
the airport to their pick-up area. One had a mishap, and after that the
operation was much more conservative. I never heard the details or extent
of damage, but suspect that the apparent headwind may have only been a
long
gust.

Peter

On Tue, 19 Dec 2006 16:33:20 -0800, xxx wrote
(in article . com):

Article reproduced in its entirety:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pilot hurt in plane crash at Thetford airport

Published: Monday, December 18, 2006
THETFORD - A pilot from Post Mills was injured Sunday morning when the
plane he was piloting crashed at the Post Mills Airport in Thetford,
said state police in Bradford.

Andy Gelston, 45, was transported by helicopter to Dartmouth Hitchcock
Medical Center for unspecified injuries after the engine on his light
sport aircraft stalled at between 50 and 100 feet in the air and
crashed, nose first, at the end of the grass runway.

The Federal Aviation Administration is conducting an investigation.


The engine stalled and crashed nose first? What about the rest of the
airplane?

No doubt the illiterate news reporter heard that the aircraft "stalled" and
assumed that had something to do with the engine.

No, at North Perry (HWO)

Peter

"Frank Barchi" wrote in message
. net...
Was that accident at FXE?

Frank

"Peter Dohm" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
oups.com...

Montblack wrote:
("Judah" wrote)
On the other hand, if the Pilot stalled the aircraft (either with
or
without engine power) by not properly managing the airspeed across
his
wings (for example by climbing too aggressively), the plane may
lose
its
lift (aka stall), and drop its nose somewhat suddenly.


One year at OSH, hanging out at the Ultra-Light pasture, I heard the
field
announcer put a stop to pilots trying to outdo one another with over
aggressive climbouts. He was pretty stern with his warning.


Montblack

Eight or 10 years ago at Arlington a fella killed himself that way.
I watched it happen. Short takeoff and steep climb to about 200', then
a fairly steep turn to return to the runway to demonstrate the
short-field capability of the airplane (an advanced ultralight). He did
it several times until it finally bit him. The airplane went left
wing/nose down and rotated into the ground. Classic stall/spin
scenario.
Too many ultralight pilots get too little training and do too
little reading on their own. And, like the rest of us males, they hate
to be outdone and might push things farther and farther until one of
them dies and the media have more junk to feed to the masses. I can
understand the "stern" warning. That field announcer might have
witnessed the same accident I did.

Dan

About 25+ years ago at one of our local airports, in southeastern
Florida,
the rag draggers used to make a very short takeoff at roughtly
mid-field,
level off at around 50 feet, and make a very steep turn to transition
across
the airport to their pick-up area. One had a mishap, and after that the
operation was much more conservative. I never heard the details or
extent
of damage, but suspect that the apparent headwind may have only been a
long
gust.

Peter