KR> really bad morning
Well it was bound to happen I guess, We were suppose to have rain all day and I woke up to clear blue and light north wind. So off to the airport for a morning flight that I love so much. They have been working on the site development for the past 2 months and in doing so had to put 4 storm lines across the runway which was done at night and patched with blacktop. The patches had not been to bad but this past week I noticed that they were getting a little rougher. I taxied to the departure end and had to wait awhile for warm up when I was waiting I had opened the canopy a little bit for some air to move through the cockpit. When then engine hit temps I called departure and headed down the runway. Soon after hitting full throttle I remembered the canopy latches and reached over the lock and quickly changed my mind and decided to abort take off. I reduced throttle and started applying brakes ( probably@ about 50 mph). All this at just about the same instance that I hit the first pipe crossing. There was a loud bang and bounce up on the nose and then the sudden nose drop to the pavement with the prop disintegrating instantly. Throttle was already at idle and brakes already applied. There was the loud grinding as the plane slid to a stop ( about 75 yards), I was certain that it was the bottom of the new cowl sanding itself down. I shut off fuel and master and then ignition switch al befor I had stopped. I am not positive if the engine quit at prop struck or was still running. I think running because I seem to remember some shaking. There was not a soul around so I got out and pulled her off the runway. I ended up only a few feet from the turn off. As it turned out the nose wheel busted completely off shearing the pivot bolt off clean at the weld. The nose strut failed and folded at the vertical bend directly above the nose wheel but thankfully it kept the cowl, spinner and exhaust pipes off the ground. The visible damage is limited to the strut and hardware and the nose wheel fairings. I don't know how long I will be out of commission. This just was not in the budget for the summer. Have to go back to the airport now , I just got a call from the site contractor, actually a good friend so i guess someone saw what happened. This probably means a report to write to the authorities. Joe Horton Coopersburg, Pa. joe.kr2s.buil...@juno.com
KR> really bad morning
Sad story Joe. Could have been a lot worse. Hope you get back in the air soon. Brad Ankerstar KR2R N774A, Building ankerst...@earthlink.net
KR> really bad morning
Joe, So sorry to hear about your bad morning. At least you were not airborne - I once found my canopy (in a previous Dragonfly) undone on downwind during a test flight after getting a "little bit of air" too. Fortunately, it had a safety catch; however, I had to hold it secure with one hand while landing with the other, juggling throttle and stick. It was a side opening canopy. Scared the bee-gibes out of me! Of course, while the budget (and mental) impact is definitely a drag, it is SO GOOD that you didn't flip and get hurt! I'll light a candle for you. Ben Benjamin F. Copeland IV just2...@together.net - Original Message - From: "Joseph H Horton" To: ; Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2007 9:14 AM Subject: KR> really bad morning >Well it was bound to happen I guess, We were suppose to have rain > all day and I woke up to clear blue and light north wind. So off to the > airport for a morning flight that I love so much. They have been working > on the site development for the past 2 months and in doing so had to put > 4 storm lines across the runway which was done at night and patched with > blacktop. The patches had not been to bad but this past week I noticed > that they were getting a little rougher. I taxied to the departure end > and had to wait awhile for warm up when I was waiting I had opened the > canopy a little bit for some air to move through the cockpit. When then > engine hit temps I called departure and headed down the runway. Soon > after hitting full throttle I remembered the canopy latches and reached > over the lock and quickly changed my mind and decided to abort take off. > I reduced throttle and started applying brakes ( probably@ about 50 mph). > All this at just about the same instance that I hit the first pipe > crossing. There was a loud bang and bounce up on the nose and then the > sudden nose drop to the pavement with the prop disintegrating instantly. > Throttle was already at idle and brakes already applied. There was the > loud grinding as the plane slid to a stop ( about 75 yards), I was > certain that it was the bottom of the new cowl sanding itself down. I > shut off fuel and master and then ignition switch al befor I had stopped. > I am not positive if the engine quit at prop struck or was still > running. I think running because I seem to remember some shaking. >There was not a soul around so I got out and pulled her off the > runway. I ended up only a few feet from the turn off. As it turned out > the nose wheel busted completely off shearing the pivot bolt off clean at > the weld. The nose strut failed and folded at the vertical bend directly > above the nose wheel but thankfully it kept the cowl, spinner and exhaust > pipes off the ground. The visible damage is limited to the strut and > hardware and the nose wheel fairings. >I don't know how long I will be out of commission. This just was > not in the budget for the summer. > Have to go back to the airport now , I just got a call from the site > contractor, actually a good friend so i guess someone saw what happened. > This probably means a report to write to the authorities. > > Joe Horton > Coopersburg, Pa. > joe.kr2s.buil...@juno.com > > ___ > Search the KRnet Archives at http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp > to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@mylist.net > Post photos, introductions, and For Sale items to > http://www.kr2forum.com/phpBB2/index.php > please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html
KR> really bad morning
File a NASA report.The FAA website will tell you what that is. Basically it is a get out of jail free card. Then talk to the contractor about the repairs. If the repair was bad enough to remove your nose wheel the runway should not have been open. --- Joseph H Horton wrote: > Well it was bound to happen I guess, We were > suppose to have rain > all day and I woke up to clear blue and light north > wind. So off to the > airport for a morning flight that I love so much. > They have been working > on the site development for the past 2 months and in > doing so had to put > 4 storm lines across the runway which was done at > night and patched with > blacktop. The patches had not been to bad but this > past week I noticed > that they were getting a little rougher. I taxied to > the departure end > and had to wait awhile for warm up when I was > waiting I had opened the > canopy a little bit for some air to move through the > cockpit. When then > engine hit temps I called departure and headed down > the runway. Soon > after hitting full throttle I remembered the canopy > latches and reached > over the lock and quickly changed my mind and > decided to abort take off. > I reduced throttle and started applying brakes ( > probably@ about 50 mph). > All this at just about the same instance that I hit > the first pipe > crossing. There was a loud bang and bounce up on the > nose and then the > sudden nose drop to the pavement with the prop > disintegrating instantly. > Throttle was already at idle and brakes already > applied. There was the > loud grinding as the plane slid to a stop ( about 75 > yards), I was > certain that it was the bottom of the new cowl > sanding itself down. I > shut off fuel and master and then ignition switch al > befor I had stopped. > I am not positive if the engine quit at prop struck > or was still > running. I think running because I seem to remember > some shaking. > There was not a soul around so I got out and > pulled her off the > runway. I ended up only a few feet from the turn > off. As it turned out > the nose wheel busted completely off shearing the > pivot bolt off clean at > the weld. The nose strut failed and folded at the > vertical bend directly > above the nose wheel but thankfully it kept the > cowl, spinner and exhaust > pipes off the ground. The visible damage is limited > to the strut and > hardware and the nose wheel fairings. > I don't know how long I will be out of > commission. This just was > not in the budget for the summer. > Have to go back to the airport now , I just got a > call from the site > contractor, actually a good friend so i guess > someone saw what happened. > This probably means a report to write to the > authorities. > > Joe Horton > Coopersburg, Pa. > joe.kr2s.buil...@juno.com > > ___ > Search the KRnet Archives at > http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp > to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to > krnet-le...@mylist.net > Post photos, introductions, and For Sale items to > http://www.kr2forum.com/phpBB2/index.php > please see other KRnet info at > http://www.krnet.org/info.html > Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV. http://tv.yahoo.com/