Engine failure & hard landing video

[Soleair]

This video appeared on homebuilt aircraft a few days ago.

 

It is an in-cockpit recording of an ultracub whose engine starts missing, then fails. Followed by a hard landing.

 

Lots of scope for discussion on what the poor pilot did & didn't do correctly. The plane was on it's first extended flight, 4 hours TT.

 

Engine is half VW.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0drAzJNY28

 

 

Bruce

 

 

[HeliPilot70]

Here is the builder and pilot's blog post about the accident: http://flyscoundrel.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/42-seconds-to-crash-landing.html

 

 

[Bats]

Ouch! He put himself in a bad spot once he turned base too early, I'd have slipped aggressively and tried for the original field and direction. That turn looked rather sketchy from early on and as discussed around here before, you can lose an alarming amount of height in a 270 deg turn.

 

 

[SDQDI]

Well firstly let me say I haven't had a real engine failure YET.

 

Secondly good on this fella for posting it up for everyone to see, that needs commending.

 

We can analyse every little part and replay a few times to see things but to look at the whole picture we need to take a few things into account.

 

I am a low hours pilot and I have no idea how many hours this pilot has under his belt but I know for myself if I was to fly a new type for only 4 hours I certainly would NOT be super confident in spot landing it under power let alone on an engine out.

 

So I guess having said that, stuffing up the wind direction is something that shouldn't have happened but in the heat of things going wrong could happen to any of us. IMO the paddock he landed in was suitable but because of the tailwind he ended up in a really bad spot.

 

so IMO yes he made a few mistakes, he did walk away from it though and he has the gonads to post the video publicly, which is to put himself in line for some ridicule, so it can be a help to others like us. So good on him, I don't want to criticise him rather I am thankful for the opportunity to learn from someone else's experience.

 

 

[Bats]

Quite agree SDQDI, not sure I'd be quite so public about my own stuff ups. I have had an engine failure, in some ways fortunately very early in my flying life when the lessons were still fresh. My point was more that what could have been a fairly easy deadstick even if downwind, became rather sticky from the point he turned in too close to the field.

 

 

[Geoff13]

I agree Bats but to be honest if you turn in to close you still have options, if you turn in to far out the options are about gone. The misjudging wind direction is understandable but an important lesson for the rest of us. The one thing we have in our favour during an emergency is our slow landing speed. That advantage can be totally lost with a half decent tailwind. So yes a lot that we can all learn from the video. At the end of the day, he walked away and the machine can be fixed. When the engine stops on me I would be happy with just the first one.

 

 

[terryc]

First thing he should have done nose down, that should have been instinct, next tighten the bloody harness as tight as you can. I didn't see him try to re start the engine or look to check fuel valves etc. Maybe he new more about the amount of fuel he had or lack of it that meant both those things was only going to waste his time. No radio maybe so no mayday. Low level turn with no engine when not required, bloody madness. He survived by luck and that's not the way it's meant to be. What should he have done can be summed up in one sentence, take control of the situation, aggressively if required and make it happen. He should have side slipped that plane to the flare and given himself the whole paddock to sit it on the ground. So to sum it up He let it happen. He did not take control he let it happen. BAD. Have I had an engine fail yes I have. Did I do any better well no not really. I did well with some things BUT I failed to take control to a level that is required to save me and my plane. Like him the opportunities were there and I didn't take them I allowed things to roll on and hope for the best. He through luck and only luck didn't get hurt, I wasn't that lucky but lucky enough to not be dead.

 

 

[DGL Fox]

Wow it is amazing how fast you loose altitude...When he realized he was to high in the video at the 3.34 segment there is a big round ended road to his right, in video I can't see if there were any wires but I would have continued in my right hand turn and maybe slipped a little and went for the road?

 

The other question I have ...when you have to make fast decisions on wind direction how do quickly decide that, I know you can look for smoke from a chimney or bush fire, or if you can see a dam look for the ripples in the water....any other suggestions as to quickly determine wind direction?

 

David

 

 

[Bats]

Reading his blog entry, the suction on the fuel cap at his previous stop was a big red flag, had he but realised it. I've done the same - fortunately in a tinnie and the rush of air into the tank when I opened up to see if my fuel had been swiped, was a giveaway. A blocked breather can and does stop engines.

 

 

[facthunter]

Have a good idea of where the wind is coming from all the time. It's available from indications at the height he was flying at. Smoke and the way ripples appear on ponds etc. Practice, get plenty, always being a little high with your practice forced landings and slip the excess off when you are sure of making it, and manage speed well to use the least ground run. Nev

 

 

[Teckair]

.any other suggestions as to quickly determine wind direction?David

You should already know the wind direction before the event, ground speed, drift, smoke, ripples on dams etc. Most times the engine will give warning before it stops. Best to have the last turn done at height the sharper the turn the more height you need. Practice glide approaches with out using the throttle aim to be a little high and slip the last bit of excess height off when you can see you will make it. allow a bit for sink/wind shear. All that being said the guy did well to get out of it even if luck was on his side.

 

 

[Thirsty]

David you shouldn't have to quickly decide anything - you should always be looking for a spot to land and be aware of the wind. I always fly wondering what I would do right now if the engine stops. I've had 2 sudden engine failures.

 

I think this guy did OK considering the errors he made. Not ideal bu he survived and the plane can probably be used again so a good landing.

 

 

[Teckair]

Ok Nev I didn't mean to copy you I was typing when you posted yours

 

 

[Thirsty]

Same, me too!

 

 

[Kununurra]

Well if there is 1 club I would like to join it is the survivors club after engine failure

 

 

[cooperplace]

it shows the value of practising engine failures from height. I don't know if I'd do better than him, but I have practised this many times, which I hope will help when the time comes. And good on him for putting up the video: we can all learn from this.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

...all valid points, but he should have remembered the old classic:

 

don't be surprised when the engine stops- be surprised that it doesn't!

 

 

[facthunter]

He was only 1,000 feet agl initially. If you don't know exactly the height of the terrain below you you don't know what height you actually have, relative to the ground. Nev

 

 

[Nobody]

He was pretty lucky not to spin it in with the fairly aggressive maneuvering close to the ground, as he admits that his speed was low in the last few turns. . I kind of think that in many situations you are better off slipping aggressively and landing into a space that is 50m too short than competently botching it. You may roll into a tree but at least it will be relatively slow.

 

In the screen grab below he could have rolled wings level and gone straight ahead and likely would hve bene ok

 

 

 

[Akromaster]

In the screen grab below he could have rolled wings level and gone straight ahead and likely would hve bene ok

Or what about that field just over the trees to his right would have been better than a 270deg turn? I suppose in this situation at the height and speed it's akin to an EFATO, so turning 270deg was probably not a good idea.

 

 

[rhtrudder]

First thing he should have done nose down, that should have been instinct, next tighten the bloody harness as tight as you can. I didn't see him try to re start the engine or look to check fuel valves etc. Maybe he new more about the amount of fuel he had or lack of it that meant both those things was only going to waste his time. No radio maybe so no mayday. Low level turn with no engine when not required, bloody madness. He survived by luck and that's not the way it's meant to be. What should he have done can be summed up in one sentence, take control of the situation, aggressively if required and make it happen. He should have side slipped that plane to the flare and given himself the whole paddock to sit it on the ground. So to sum it up He let it happen. He did not take control he let it happen. BAD. Have I had an engine fail yes I have. Did I do any better well no not really. I did well with some things BUT I failed to take control to a level that is required to save me and my plane. Like him the opportunities were there and I didn't take them I allowed things to roll on and hope for the best. He through luck and only luck didn't get hurt, I wasn't that lucky but lucky enough to not be dead.

Doubt whether he had a radio looked like he had ear plugs , had one engine out on take off and put it down in the next paddock had a bit of luck, often thought about whether you should try for a road most of the paddocks would tear the wheels off my plane.

 

 

[cooperplace]

Or what about that field just over the trees to his right would have been better than a 270deg turn? I suppose in this situation at the height and speed it's akin to an EFATO, so turning 270deg was probably not a good idea.

I agree. Still, he made it, and it's easy to be an armchair critic. But I'd never attempt a 270 degree turn in those circumstances. And I would have had a bit more height, 1000' isn't much.

 

 

[Guernsey]

We often think that heading for a road is not an option because it is illegal to land on a road. A road is often the best and safest option.

 

Alan.

 

 

[facthunter]

We weren't there. Extreme manoeuvers are OK if you know what you are doing. A steep turn with a plane like that needs a very steep nose down attitude and the speed won't build up much due large drag. A slow rate of turn won't get you there. (Course reversal) with a small bank angle.

 

Sorry folks this one sat there for a while but I've sent it anyhow.Nev

 

 

[facthunter]

There are advantages being on or near a road in remote areas particularly, but there are hazards also. Trees overhanging, traffic and power lines and cattle grids looming up. Nev