L39 Albatross belly landing at Bankstown

[red750]

[johnm]

.......... pure conjecture but I'll risk it ................. and confirm all passenger (s) out of plane - pilot probably, has vacated plane as well

 

 

[old man emu]

Coincidence ....

 

About the same time as this happened at Bankstown, I was at Camden and watched two L39s overfly the circuit in close formation; break off and land. The operator was running a corporate fun day, giving people jet rides.

 

My 4 y-o grandson thought they were pretty great, but liked being lifted up into a Tiger Moth, Tomahawk, Pietenpol and Chipmonk a lot more. Wish I could get his Dad's OK for him to get a short flight.

 

OME

 

 

[moz]

I was instructing at The Oaks today and there were a number of L39's operating over the top of the circuit area - returning to Camden at various times, often in pairs.

 

 

[old man emu]

I was instructing at The Oaks today and there were a number of L39's operating over the top of the circuit area - returning to Camden at various times, often in pairs.

Those are the ones I saw. They are from Aircombat Australia.

 

 

[yampy]

OME , I saw the two L39's about 2.25pm . They were climbing out over what looked like Harrington Park as I was driving , or rather , crawling along on Narellan Rd . They appeared to climb out in close formation in a SW direction , I guessed at the time towards Warragamba .

 

 

[fly_tornado]

.......... pure conjecture but I'll risk it ................. and confirm all passenger (s) out of plane - pilot probably, has vacated plane as well

I wonder why there where no evacuation slides deployed?

 

 

[Bats]

I wonder why there where no evacuation slides deployed?

Doubtless a cost-saving measure by the Wellcamp proprietors; after all everything from global warming on down is apparently their fault...

 

 

[fly_tornado]

You know what they say about

 

Landings,

 

 

[bexrbetter]

i was in China today and didn't see a single L39, I'm feeling left out.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Gear up landing?

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Gear up landing?

.. and looks like the elevators are up to keep the nose from digging in.

 

 

[Bats]

Word has it, it was a "loss of directional control" during the take-off run; took to the grass and the gear cried enough.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Walletitis?

 

 

[facthunter]

There would hardly be anything easier to keep straight than a jet like that in normal circumstances. It has no sweepback either, so should be an easy jet conversion. Nev

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I had a turbine model of the L39 many years ago...gorgeous thing to fly I must say

 

 

[gibby]

Word has it, it was a "loss of directional control" during the take-off run; took to the grass and the gear cried enough.

Maybe the pax had a moment and assisted the pilot of the runway, not sure wether duel controls are available for pax in the L39, next time they are at my local I will have a look

 

 

[planesmaker]

Once sliding on the ground the pilot was only a passenger

 

 

[boleropilot]

at least a happy ending (for those on board) - no fire is a big deal, but then they do build those lil' buggers strong don't they?

 

saw a Phantom run off the side of the runway at Amberley due to 'arrestor wire' malfunction

 

they elected to take the wire due to hydraulic failure in flight so no brakes used during rollout - the wire was incorrectly set up and the F4E was thrown sideways when it let go

 

it went about 90 one way, then (due to rudder input) about 90 the other way, kinda straightened up (more rudder) when it went off the right side of the runway

 

one big cloud of dust and grass and it just about stopped dead with the gear folded up under the aircraft - the gear went the second they went off the runway

 

canopies up, two blokes stepped out (no ladder needed!) and ran rather swiftly across the runway...

 

almost as exciting as the F4E that slipped through the sound barrier during a 'high speed pass for VIPs in the tower'...loudest thing I ever heard...oops

 

BP

 

 

[FighterPilot16]

Newspapers and journalists are expected to make uninformed and dramatic claims about aircraft incidents like this but one would like to think intelligent aviators would not.

 

The L39 suffered nose gear failure upon takeoff and skidded to all halt being shutdown quickly and according to procedures. It was not landing, it did not burst into flames nor was it on a joyflight. It is back in the hangar on its gear and will be repaired in the coming weeks. The owner/operator uses it for recreation and has been flying for 20yrs.

 

The L39s are built tough and the damage was relatively light.

 

 

[Litespeed]

Great to hear, I hope the fire foam -which looked unnecessary did not do too much damage.

 

For absolute thrills on a big toy budget A L39 must be a lot of fun

 

 

[boleropilot]

so the main gear failed after it went off the end of the runway, or earlier?

 

btw, the intelligent aviators on this forum are a great deal more professional about how they respond to aviation incidents than some, but as enthusiasts concerned about the welfare of others (and themselves) they look at things that go wrong and try to work out the how and why of the event. imho they do so with considerable empathy toward those involved in the incident. sometimes our discussions are initially a little off mark due to "uninformed and dramatic claims from newspapers and journalists" but as soon as accurate information comes to hand (thanks FP16) the conversation gets serious - we all learn from these unfortunate events.

 

sorry, forgot to add: Welcome to the forum, FighterPilot16.

 

BP

 

 

[Bats]

I take it our new friend has some connection to the incident...? Might explain the slightly thin skin, but I'd be a little shy of throwing stones "uninformed and dramatic claims" I think were the words used, when I hadn't addressed the issue of the machine going farming. If swerving off the runway was intentional, then that's even stranger.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

@Bats this wouldn't have happened at Wellcamp, widest longest runway ever built