Hard Landing - Trike

[Guest davidh10]

I originally heard indirectly of three "trike crashes" a month or so back and never saw anything reported about it.

 

Today, I happened to meet and speak with one of the pilots, so I'm posting this just for the lesson he has learned; that others may too learn from his experience.

 

They were HGFA registered and based in the Victorian High Country. I believe the pilot to have low hours since obtaining his Certificate and endorsements. I'm not going to provide any further identifying information, as it isn't appropriate or salient.

 

The pilot I spoke with was flying with a group and was the last of the group to take-off in rather poor conditions (strong gusty wind). He was flying an XT??? with a Cruze wing (rated at 46-55kn cruise speed).

 

The conditions were worse than any in which he had previously flown, but he thought that ..."if the others could do it, so could he." After take-off, when it became obvious just how poor the conditions really were, he had some doubts and uneasiness, but pressed on.

 

When they arrived at their destination, the conditions were very poor with strong wind and very gusty. There is some third party information that suggests they may have flown into deteriorating weather (ie, the wind and gusts were stronger at the destination). He flew final at 50kn, but at about 10' above the runway, stalled (presumably due to a strong gust) and dropped on, with resulting significant damage to the aircraft. No injuries were sustained.

 

Not to make light of the situation, but as stated in another forumite's signature, "the pilot ran out of airspeed, altitude and ideas at the same moment." Not a situation anyone wants to experience.

 

If you analyse this scenario, the accident was caused by human factors. Something the pilot concerned has now absorbed. A combination of:-

 

• Venturing into conditions significantly worse than he had previously experienced.
   
   
  
• Flying in conditions that may have exceeded the capability of the wing type on this trike.
   
   
  
• Succumbing to perceived peer pressure. (There is no suggestion that other pilots actually encouraged him to fly against his better judgement.)
   
   
  

 

 

I didn't ask about the other two trikes, but assume the story is similar.

 

Remember, as PIC, the final decision is yours.

 

 

[alf jessup]

Hi David,

 

I think the trike you are reffering to was an XT582 with a Cruze wing.

 

Unless of course there was another one recently, this one i am reffering to was at Bendigo.

 

And yes I agree with you travelling in a group can instill some unknown peer pressure on the persons not so confident and will limited experience.

 

I believe that when travelling in a group on a fly away the leader must take into consideration the experience of all pilots before commencing a trip in marginal conditions.

 

And yes the sole decision rests with the pilot in command on each aircraft.

 

It is a costly decision in the end for this unfortunate pilot.

 

Alf