Replica mustang down,pilot killed

[bull]

One dead after scale replica warbird P-51D Mustang crashes on airfield in Matamata - National - NZ Herald News

[old man emu]

With what appears to be minimal damage, I suggest that the cause of death was not related to the impact. Especially given the deceased's age.

 

OME

 

 

[facthunter]

More than minimal damage. Head injury is almost normal in these abrupt stops with a strong airframe. Nev

 

 

[Marty_d]

The article said he had head trauma from impacting the dashboard... would have thought properly tightened harness would prevent this?

 

 

[M61A1]

Helmet even?....a body has been shown to flail quite a long way even with a properly secured harness. That said, I think OME may have a good point.

 

I have concerns about how things were managed as well...part of the article says that they had a hard time determining if he was breathing, because they were told not to move him.

 

Whatever happened to prioritising the things you need to live? Your spinal injury is of no consequence if you cant breathe because you airway is blocked.

 

Comments from medical personel?

 

 

[fallowdeer]

The CAA will in time publish the he results of their enquiries into this event. Even though this aircraft does not appear to have been registered as a microlight we are fortunate here that the CAA devote the same effort into investigating fatal microlight crashes as they do GA ones. All their reports are online, as are those crashes and events that are elevated to TAIC (Transport Accident Investigation Commission) scrutiny.

 

 

[Downunder]

Comments from medical personel?

Only from senior first aid training.

 

But the instructor went into detail that many people die in road accidents from cut off airway and simply lifting the head allows them to breath and potentially saves their life.

 

As you say, a broken back is irrelevant if you're dead.

 

And personally, if I was to "go out" in my eightys in a 3/4 mustang that I build.... I'd like to think I'd be content with that.....

 

 

[facthunter]

Better than an old folks home. (or some of them) Nev.

 

PS. nearly ALL of them.

 

 

[Yenn]

In a big impact your head will travel quite a long way, just by pivoting from the shoulder. If the seat belt was even slightly loose it would move even further. I tend to fly with the belt just slightly looser than it should be and if there is any liklihood of a problem landing I clinch it up as tight as I can. Too tight and I find it hard to reach the panel.

 

 

[facthunter]

It's common to have head to combing panel contact with fighter type aircraft that crash. Wearing a helmet is fairly common and neck injury likely. They are built pretty solid without a lot of crumple zone, and the landing speed, the main factor (squared), means more energy to do damage to you. Nev

 

 

[frank marriott]

I tend to fly with the belt just slightly looser than it should be and if there is any liklihood of a problem landing I clinch it up as tight as I can. Too tight and I find it hard to reach the panel.

How tight is tight enough. When I was doing my aerobatic endorsement the standard call for the seat belt was once it is as tight as you think necessary, then another 1/2 inch should be about right.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

If you can still (just) breath, then its probably tight enough.

 

 

[Jaba-who]

Only from senior first aid training.But the instructor went into detail that many people die in road accidents from cut off airway and simply lifting the head allows them to breath and potentially saves their life.

As you say, a broken back is irrelevant if you're dead.

 

And personally, if I was to "go out" in my eightys in a 3/4 mustang that I build.... I'd like to think I'd be content with that.....

Needs rapid assessment - rapid determination of respiratory effort and whether airway is blocked or not.

Management is obviously dependent on what is found at assessment.

 

First concern is always that an unconscious patient in an upright poisition will obstruct their airway - if it's not opened up they die. You consider risk of spinal injuries and try to minimise worsening them. Fixed position extraction methods, neck collars ( formal or improvised) etc

 

But lots more to it.

 

Neck injuries involving rapid whiplashing can injure spinal cord in neck. If it happens above Bone levels C4-5 the drive to breath will stop so even an open airway will be no good. Patient will then need external ventilation - mouth to mouth or bag and mask or intubation and ventilation. Can do that in upright position IF equipment and skilled operator available. If not you gotta get the them out and flat so can be ventilated by whatever is available.

 

Facial injuries from smacking face onto dash can cause impaction injuries that can obstruct the airway at face, tongue or neck level. Depending on the obstruction simple positioning may fix it or if more complex then artificial airway either through mouth, nose or even emergency tracheotomy may be warranted.

 

If patient is unconscious and low heart output - then sitting while low blood pressure is potentially fatal. Blood pools in legs and none goes to brain. So assessment requires rapid assessment of cardiac output - pulse and blood pressure. If they are low pressure then doesn't matter if they are ventilated or not the oxygen won't get to the brain. So in that case they have to be got out and flat.

 

So complex mix of considerations.

 

 

[bull]

Was wondering if the impact to the face/head on combing might have anything to do with restraints,,,and anchor points for belts ,,maybe they parted ??

 

 

[facthunter]

They are loaded for 10G for our purposes, unless someone has different information. That's not a real high figure. Nev

 

 

[IBob]

Fitting farewell for sky pirate

[Marty_d]

Fitting farewell for sky pirate

Good article, but they still managed to bugger up the facts...

 

Under one of the pics... "Their father died on Tuesday at the Matamata Airport after his glider crashed."

 

 

[Mike Borgelt]

I know John, he was also a customer of mine. A true gentleman.

 

My wife has siblings who live in that area, the area has had heaps of rain and the ground is very soft which is probably why the aircraft appears to have collapsed the gear when it ran off the runway. Look at the long grass. Don't stand in one spot too long, it will grow up around you!

 

I'm hoping he landed and got the switches turned off before running off the runway. One prop blade at least appears undamaged.

 

 

[kgwilson]

Good article, but they still managed to bugger up the facts...Under one of the pics... "Their father died on Tuesday at the Matamata Airport after his glider crashed."

Nope it says plane. Maybe it was a typo so they fixed it.

 

 

[facthunter]

It original said glider. Nev

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

The only reason I can think of to "nose dive" after an engine failure would be if the elevator also failed.

 

This seems very unlikely, so we have pilot error or pilot incapacity as the more likely cause.

 

Many in the media appear to think that it is the engine that keeps a plane in the air, so they expect a plane to "plunge" after an engine failure. How they explain gliders is a mystery to me.