Light plane down in cane field at Ingham

[FlyingVizsla]

ABC news story here http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/10/3109582.htm

 

Sue

 

 

[Spin]

Not good! Seems there were 2 people in the aircraft - not RA though.

 

Found this in the T'ville Bulletin;

 

TWO men have been killed after a light plane, believed to be a crop duster, crashed near Ingham this morning.

 

Emergency services were alerted to the crash this morning when the plane was reported missing.

 

Police said the plane, believed to be a crop duster, came down at Hawkins Creek about 8.20am.

 

The crash scene is just a few kilometers from the Ingham Aerodrome.

 

Both men, believed to be in their thirties, died when the plan crashed into a cane field.

 

Police said the Forensic Crash Unit would assist in investigations and a report would be prepared for the Coroner.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

full story here http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/two-dead-in-light-plane-crash/story-e6freon6-1225984921509

 

RIP

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

A real tragedy. Ben Blanch was a supurb pilot and a great bloke, very much like Ted Blanch his father, who passed away a few years back. Ben regularly flew ag out of their Tully base in Airtractor 502s, and Turbine Braves. But was happy to jump in just about anything including ULs on occasions. He was a highly experienced and capable pilot. The Pitts type 12 which Ben planned to do seroius unlimited aeros in, was built primarily by Vince Mengali who had been with Blanches all of his career, and started out assisting Ted Blanch many years ago. Vinces' workmanship was without equal, and the Red and Black Pitts was certainly no exception. It was a pleasure to drop into the hangar occasionally to check on progress, and witness his supurb workmanship. The pitts was fitted with a Russian Radial. I know Ben would have done everything to avert this tragedy, but sadly not successfully...........................................Maj...

 

 

[farri]

Thank you Ross,I was talking about it with fran,we were wondering who it was and she said," Ross will know".

 

I join others in expressing my sympathy.

 

Frank.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Sad to read about accidents like this.

 

This would be the second Pitts with a radial to crash now here. Hope it has nothing to do with the design.

 

 

[dazza 38]

My condolences to the families and friends of the victims.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

It's sounds like he was doing a vertical climb at around 3'500 ft when there was a power problem. It went over on it's back, into an inverted flat spin. Everyone who knew Ben knows he had more than enough experience to get out of that, which is why it hurts so much. Unfortunatly often application of power is what is needed to breaks an inverted flat spin.

 

They have got some of the best over the years including Art Scholl who did the same into the ocean off California, while filming for the "Top Gun". Don't really know if the Pitts have an inherant flat spin problem, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't the pilot in this case.

 

I would have had no problem climbing into that aircraft with Ben, had he offered.

 

For myself and folks up here it's the same as loosing Pip Bormann ....................................................................................Maj

 

 

[dunlopdangler]

This is horrible news...I believe Ben's brother in law was in the plane with him....so terrible for the family, my prayers are with them:sad:

 

 

[Student Pilot]

Ben's passion for aviation came through when you talked to him. I met him down in the Riverina last year when things were busy in spring. The rust run was very busy and Ben was doing pretty big hours but always had time for a yarn at wash out time at the end of the day. Even doing all that flying he was still keen to go flying, he was very proud of his aircraft, Pitts included.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

That's sad. One situation where a BRS would probably have been invaluable I guess.

 

I don't believe there is anything wrong with the M-14P Russian radial engine itself, it's a well proven design. I'm currently looking on the market for one myself (but not for a Pitts).

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Yes that is one thing I admired with Ben, he always had time to stop and have a chat. I remember his early ag days when he was getting it sorted in the Pawnee and Turbo Brave, with his dad. He picked up a wire spraying potatoes at Majors creek with his wingtip, and rolled the brave up into a ball. It didn't slow him much, and he was righ back into it. He was a bit rough then, but became as good as any of them.

 

There is so much lost potential when something like this happens, and I can only imagine how good a show pilot he would have become in the Pitts. Very sad..............................................................................Maj

 

 

[dutchroll]

This is truly tragic. Ben & I recently had some private correspondence over my decision to buy a Model 12 (to be built by JKE). Nothing unusual - just shooting the breeze over choices and options for avionics etc.

 

I can say that the plane is a great design. It's typical Pitts (with typical Pitts handling and spinning qualities), but injected with steroids via the highly reliable 360HP M14P motor (410HP if you get the Barrett version), and fattened to take a normal size person rather than a midget.

 

It's a sad loss, but it doesn't make me even think twice about my decision to buy one. It's a real solid plane by all accounts and all the guys I've spoken to who own one.

 

 

[dutchroll]

I think you'll find the plane ended up being basically designed around the motor by Curtis Pitts - by any standards, an aerobatic biplane designer who knew precisely what he was doing. The M14P was his choice of powerplant, and is very light as far as radials go. I know others have enquired about fitting different motors including P&Ws and even Lycomings to the aircraft and JKE - the custodians/owners of the plans and the producers of the kit - have recommended against it (with only one quite exceptional case, which was a major re-engineering job).

 

The performance is certainly an eye-opener though. No question there.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Has here been a history of inverted flat spin problems ?. What is the recommended proceedure with a Pitts for getting out of one that has developed ?...I must say I've always had a fondness for Curtis's designs and I am aware of their exceptional capabilities. But I must say the luster has gone off them just a bit at the moment for me personally...............................................Maj...

 

 

[Student Pilot]

Might be a time to start another thread on the aircraft, doesn't seem appropriate to this one somehow.

 

 

[dutchroll]

I'm happy to have this moved to another thread, but bear in mind that it's not such a bad thing to have sensible discussions on accidents that happen - otherwise no-one ever learns anything.

 

I'm not talking as someone who has a lot of Pitts hours. But no, there is no history at all of inverted spin problems as far as I know. At least not ones that have been the plane's fault as such.

 

The Model 12 spins and behaves just like any Pitts and responds to standard inputs. But Pitts spinning can get interesting - a

 

 

Not saying what caused this accident at all. But the circumstances make spinning the Pitts pretty topical.

 

 

[dutchroll]

I guess I should add, for those who are still viewing this thread, that in respect of my purchase of a Model 12 and its arrival in Aus probably early next year, I've asked quite a few questions about spinning it (and intend to do conversion and spin training in the USA with a guy who is very experienced in it, in my own plane when it has finished test flying and been certified). Everything I've been told is that the recovery is entirely conventional - whether you're upside down or not. You don't "need" to take your hands off, but you need to be aware of the crossover potential, and whether you're right way up or upside down, which determines your elevator stick response.

 

To paraphrase a guy from the USA - "I've done probably over 3000 spin recoveries in the Model 12 and I've never been surprised".

 

None of this helps us determine the cause of this tragic accident of course - one for which I can think of a dozen possible reasons ranging across the human and mechanical spectrum. But it's a pretty big vote of confidence in the basic plane itself.

 

 

[Yenn]

I have heard that this plane was still in its test phase and it was illegal to carry passengers at that time. With all the testing that is required, usually a minimum of 25 hours and could be more, I wonder if a manouver was carried out with 2 up that had not even been tested solo. Whatever the case if it was not a legal flight it will reflect badly on al owner builders and may even get our wings clipped. It would not be the first case of illegal passenger carrying that I have heard of.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Don't know if what you say is true Yenn. It was not like Ben to push the rules, and I just can't imagine him flying with a passenger if it was illegal to do so.

 

I am almost certain he would have had way more than 25 hours TT on the aircraft when the accident occured.

 

I'll try and get more info this week if I can............................................................................................Maj...

 

 

[Yenn]

I got that info from SAAA and assume that it was built under their jurisdiction. Wether it is right or not it points up something that could bring down the wrath of all the authorities

 

 

[farri]

Whatever the case if it was not a legal flight it will reflect badly on all owner builders and may even get our wings clipped. .

Yen,don`t get me wrong,I`m not having a shot at you,I`m just using your words to make my point.

 

I never have and never will accept that everyone should be jugded on an individual case,be it in flying or any other area of life.

 

Each case is unique and therefore must be assessed accordingly,everyone makes their own decisions and choices.

 

It is completely unfair and wrong to penalise everyone for someones individual actions.

 

Frank.

 

 

[facthunter]

It is wrong but it happens. The occurrence just gives the excuse for withrawing the right. I believe that RAAus members have suffered a similar action due to a few. Nev

 

 

[farri]

I know the score but simply accepting something because it happens is also wrong.

 

Frank.

 

 

[bones]

I got that info from SAAA and assume that it was built under their jurisdiction. Wether it is right or not it points up something that could bring down the wrath of all the authorities

Well i was talking to ........ the other day, he knows the plane/family ect, and it was of his thoughts it was still testing phase too, and a couple of other things also.