Soybeans and Shoulder Harnesses

[crispy critter]

Re: Soybeans and Shoulder Harnesses

Mike, very sorry to hear of your fall from grace....but most importantly, we are all glad you were able to get back up so easily. I've had 18...yes,!!!! 18 !!!! logged dead stick landings! Most were in east kentucky where suitable fields are far & few between....I'm a lot more cautious about what I fly now as I get older,lol. It is a must to always stay calm, cool, observant, and always fly the airplane to a stop. It sounds like you done everything perfectly. I hope the kid still wants to fly again.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Soybeans and Shoulder Harnesses

That's true when the corn is short. When it is mature it is like landing in a field of base ball bats. Tall corn stalks and mature ears tear the heck out of the leading edges.
The BEST emergency landing field I ever saw was a sod farm! Probably also the most expensive if you damage the field. Better grass than I have EVER seen at an airport and smooth as a babys bottom.
Hank

Wheat is pretty good too. The proverbial "tall grass" from when we built rubber powered models.

[flybikefarm]

Re: Soybeans and Shoulder Harnesses

Hank you are right about the ears, I can buy another plane if I survive the accident. Landing in a bean field is like catching an arrester cable. George

[fearofpavement]

Re: Soybeans and Shoulder Harnesses

Mike, very sorry to hear of your fall from grace....but most importantly, we are all glad you were able to get back up so easily. I've had 18...yes,!!!! 18 !!!! logged dead stick landings! Most were in east kentucky where suitable fields are far & few between....I'm a lot more cautious about what I fly now as I get older,lol. It is a must to always stay calm, cool, observant, and always fly the airplane to a stop. It sounds like you done everything perfectly. I hope the kid still wants to fly again.

Dang, Kevin, Ever hear of pre-flight???
I have heard of pilot's adventures with losing power but it appears you could put together a book on it. lol

Thankfully I haven't anything to add to it. Had plenty of pucker moments but never landed with a completely dead engine or a prop feathered (unintentionally). Sailplanes don't count I assume?

[barnstmr]

Re: Soybeans and Shoulder Harnesses

Mike... WOW. Glad you and your friend are both OK. Keeping a cool head under those circumstances made a big difference, no doubt. I hope the damage is not as severe as it first appears and that you'll have your bird back in the air again soon.

Seeing this helps me confirm that my old Sensenich needs to remain a wall-hanger. Most of the solder pools over the rivets (through the brass leading edge) have some signs of cracking but the prop is otherwise pretty good looking. The first lamination layer also has a few weather cracks that started from flaked varnish as the prop was on an outdoor airplane for a few years. At times I have thought it might make a good prop for the Pietenpol (someday). However, I sense that I must take heed and learn from your experience to resist the temptation to use it unless I send it out for re-tipping. By the way... did your prop have any signs that the tips were in need of some attention?

Here's a photo of mine. From 5 ft. away it looks great. But the close-up visual inspection reveals too much.

[1938BF50]

Re: Soybeans and Shoulder Harnesses

Terry,

The damage to the plane is extensive, it will involve a total rebuild of one wing and the rear RH wing attach cluster. The wing folding back(about 2ft at the tip) really pranged the fuselage. Both RH wing root fittings are trashed as well as the spars shredded at the root ends. I had only 40hrs in the air since the rebuild completion in May.

There were absolutely no signs of any internal/external damage on the prop. I had given it a good look just a week before the incident as well as running my hand/eyes over the leading and trailing edges before the subject flight. If you look back at the pics, you will see a darkened area at a couple of the rivits. It even looks to me that there is an "extra" rivit hole at one location. I was especially sad that I have now lost an important part of the planes history....that prop has been on this plane since 1946. It was sent to be retipped and balanced in 1985(yellow tagged for same) by Whirlwind Propeller Service.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Soybeans and Shoulder Harnesses

I don't know how much difference there is between a 38 and a 41 but yell if you need dimensions while my wings are still off. There is a great welder down here who does magic with bent up fuselages. A real artist who fixed my 45 fuselage.
You probably have plenty of good ones up in WI too, but this guy has done Taylorcrafts.
Hank

[crispy critter]

Re: Soybeans and Shoulder Harnesses

Yeah I have heard of preflights,but when I was a kid I would fly anything if someone would let me,lol. I'm a lot more picky now days and preflights on strange airplanes are more like a 100 hour inspection,lol
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