Jabiru Engine 2200B flywheel failure

[dazza 38]

Certainly is! EFATO, overturn, fin smashed, one wing attachment ripped out, damage to both wings (replaced). Compounded by obvious extra damage through ham-fisted retrieval. Through-bolt failure... However - and I say this in all sincerity - this was another aircraft that shows a history of engine problems that suggests a major amount of 'unsympathetic' operation (training fleet most of its 3700-hour life - and when we dismantled the engine, there was evidence that it should NOT have been rebuilt.) Altogether too much evidence of it having been poorly maintained - engine and airframe alike. Some minor repairs that were signed-off by an L2 that are a bloody disgrace. It says heaps for the basic durability of the airframe that it continued to do its duty.

Jeez Oscar I hope that they paid you to take the airframe away, well what was left of it.

 

 

[Bob Llewellyn]

Jeez Oscar I hope that they paid you to take the airframe away, well what was left of it.

Dunno if they did, but I saw the bits; it was quite repairable... a virtue of glass / room temp cured epoxy. Takes me back to doing some work experience with T&J Glider Repairs, or whatever Tom called it at the time (last century)...

 

 

[Oscar]

Nope, not on board, and nobody injured other than a slight cut on somebody's head from the headset bracket (looks like). Actually was quite a gentle somersault - the prop was vertical and the blades worked like a progressive crumple zone, snapping off as it went over; the flange was bent out of serviceable but the shaft was fine. Fin hit the ground pretty hard and looks like one wing hit a fence post or sapling, but as Bob says above, the virtue of a solid, room-temp cure 'glass structure is it is extremely repairable, if you know the techniques and have the right equipment (including soda blasting and vacuum bagging gear). If it had been a c/f airframe, it'd have been a litre of unleaded and a Bic lighter job.

 

A finectomy is no major problem at all, though it now has a UL fin in place of the original which should give quite a bit more rudder authority (but requires more dihedral to compensate). The most difficult repair in some ways was caused by damage during recovery.