with deep sorrow

[icebob]

Hi All,

 

it is with deep sorrow and regret that i have to announce my wonderful VP1- the yellow pill- is deceased.

 

At about 3.50pm today at 2100 feet i had a total electrical failure and an attempt to restart the engine failed.

 

I turned to the paddock i normally use and as this was about 1km away i felt i had sufficient altitude to make it.

 

As it turned out i had more hight than needed, allowing me to turn into wind i experienced some elevator/aileron restrictions, at this time only minor resistance, i could not see any reason for this so continued my decent.

 

At 200 feet and about 300 feet from the boundary fence i experienced more stiffening of the controls where substantial force was needed to move the controls and then total lock up, but i had the trim tab and more than 2000 mts to land in i felt confident i could get in even with a hard landing. I was set up on a firm path that had touch down about 1/3 of the way into the paddock, with little wind and lots of space i felt confident.

 

I hit the top wire of the fence at about 35kts with the left main landing gear and somersaulted.

 

The cockpit started to disintegrate and i remember flying through the air in slow motion and the judo lessons of my youth then became paramount as i broke the fall into a roll.

 

My aircraft travailed about 60 meters and i could smell fuel. My mate arrived with a small tank on the back of his tractor and we attempted to wash away the fuel but we had no success and the aircraft was fully enveloped in flame, we withdrew and i was driven to hospital where after four hours i was allowed to go home.

 

i am OK but my pride and joy is just a heap of ash. my mate did say that before the fire claimed the starboard wing he thought the control wires had jumped the pulley, i had checked the tension on them some six months ago and do so every 12 months and only done about 45 hours of flying from that time, the accident could of done that too?

 

 

[Bigglesworth]

You are either very unlucky, or lucky depending on which way you look at it. It is a very sad thing, to happen, but at least you are still alive to tell then tale.

 

So you had a simultaneous engine failure, electrical failure, then seized controls? Sounds weird, any explainations yet?

 

My deepest sympathy.

 

 

[icebob]

Hi,

 

I think i was sooo lucky. My mate called someone we both know who is a pilot in the RAAF he said it may have been a battery failure and to be fair i usually check it at an auto electricians every six months but have not got around to doing it. If the battery failed and the insides fell toward the front of the box can leak onto the flying control quadrants.

 

quite frankly i am still in shock and am just now starting to get sore, i think tomorrow will be a very long day, i plan to go out and look at the remains on Sunday.

 

Bob.

 

 

[Guest palexxxx]

Congratualtions Bob on getting down to the ground more or less in one piece. Sorry to hear about your pride and joy, but at least you were able to go home after a few hours. It could have been a lot worse.

 

Peter.

 

 

[Bigglesworth]

Is that a sealed battery? And a failed battery shouldn't cause an engine failure. I can't picture that as the reason.

 

Would it be possible it was a short through the kill switch wires which caused elec failure, and engine failure, then overloaded the battery, made that fail, which spilled onto the controls, causing delayed seizure.

 

Just an idea.

 

 

[slartibartfast]

Terrible news Bob. Well done on surviving. Much sympathy for your loss though.

 

Take it slow for a bit.

 

Ross

 

 

[Friarpuk]

Thanks for sharing this with us on the forum. As tragic as it is, you can always replace a machine, but the human body is another thing. Perhaps there were more individuals riding with you, protecting you, in your descent than just yourself. After you learn to live with your loss, there are many more wonderful flying machines to be driven through the firmament.

 

Friarpuk

 

 

[Flyer]

I thinks we should all be cracking a beer and saluting you Bob. We didn't have to bury anyone. Yeeeharrr !!!:thumb_up::thumb_up:

 

That is fantastic news and it wont make the paper because nobody was hurt.....:thumb_up::big_grin:

 

On the other hand, sorry to hear that you lost your plane but as the good Friarpuk notes, a machine is replaceable.

 

Have yourself a nice claret and give yourself a pat on the back for walking away from the bingle....:)

 

Regards

 

Phil

 

 

[Mathew Ker]

Sorry to hear of the demise of the 'Yellow Pill'. Good to hear that you are basically in one piece. Hope you have a quick recovery and get the opportunity to get back into the air soon.

 

Regards, Mathew

 

 

[Admin]

Bob, I am so glad to hear that you are OK - it is always sad to think about what we have lost as that is a choice that we all seem to make but we should think more about what we have gained - you being here to tell us all about it and the experience that you now have. I was told by my instructor that we will ALL have at least one scary incident in our flying life - it keeps the clubrooms buzzing with great stories ;)

 

Take it easy, let Chris (Techman) know as it would be great to find out exactly what happened so we can all learn from your valuable experience

 

If there is anything any of us here can do for you then please let me know

 

 

[icebob]

deep sorrow part 2

 

Hi Everyone,

 

just to let you all know I am OK sore and stiff with a really bad back at the moment, x-rays Monday afternoon.

 

A friend who is an expert in the crash investigation field has looked at my aircraft(the wonders of a case of beer), he has been there from six am this morning and has pin pointed what he sees as the cause.

 

1. The fibreglass battery box is the original made in 1976, over time the base of it weakened allowing the gel filled battery to fall through, doing so caused the swagged ends of the wiring to be exposed and shorting out, there is also evidence at the starter and alternator of high current and burnt insulation and on two saddles attaching the starter cabling to the airframe, charring underneath on the fusalage plywood covering and no insulation on the wire.

 

2. with the excessive load and being free to impact the sharp edges of the broken box, the casing of the battery failed and the gel dribbled onto the flight control quadrants.

 

3. the three flight control quadrants are separated by a white nylon bushing with a brass washer on either side.

 

The gel from the battery had a reaction with washers and the white nylon and this reaction caused all movement at the bushings to stop.

 

4. there was evidence that the battery gel had leaked under the floor - most likely during decent and had compromised the plywood skin.The gel flowing out of the battery case and forward would also slightly change the CofG.

 

5. the aircraft came to rest on the port wing stub, nose and roll bar in a slightly inverted position, there was evidence of battery gel leaking in that direction.

 

6. Although the fire was substantial the whole aircraft was not consumed and the reminance were taken away in a Ford Ute for further investigation.

 

7. The engine which parted company with the aircraft on impact is now in the shed and will be stripped down, sometime, when i can bear to go back to it.

 

Conclusion.

 

Routine maintenance was not carried out on the battery box it self from initial build(1976) that was the major cause of the accident.

 

The control quadrants were directly below the battery and should have had some sort of cover over them, that would have lessened the impact of the battery gel on them.

 

the motor cycle battery that was the back up should have had a fusible link in it as this was the direct cause of the fire post impact.

 

I would like to thank all of you for your kind words, and yes i am still shaking and going over the whole incident, i firmly believe that i did the right thing in the right way and used my own beliefs that you fly to the end of an accident.

 

Will i re build? At this time i do not know, it is too soon, will i fly again YOU BET even if i have to use my wifes broom.

 

Bob.

 

 

[Admin]

:thumb_up:

[Guest RLP]

What a tale icebob. You going to send that Judo instructor a bottle of scotch?

 

 

[Guest Wayne]

Icebob

 

I only read your post yesterday when you said you were going for an hours fly, none of us would have known that, would be the final flight of the yellow pill. The main thing is your still here and as friarpuk said there are heaps of other nice aircraft for you to fly but there is only one you. Glad we still have you with us, thanks for sharing the story and the findings so far.

 

Cheers Wayne

 

 

[Ben Longden]

IceBob,

 

Its nice to be talking to you in the present... especially after such an incredible incident. It shows your training kicked in - Judo and flight- at the right times... and you did the Bob Hoover thing of Fly the airplane as far as possible into the crash.

 

Just glad you are in one piece..

 

But xrays on Monday? Geez... the hospital where I work would have had you in for x rays as soon as you walked in after a collision like that!

 

(Its a public hospital as well..)

 

Ben

 

 

[icebob]

Hi Ben,

 

Thanks for that, yes i have x-rays on Monday because the tech: is not funded for weekends for anything but urgent or life threatening????? The hospitals words not mine.

 

I firmly believe i had some help from my guardian angle.

 

I have tried the claret approach as was recommended, bloody bottle has a hole in it????

 

Bob.

 

 

[Guest Teenie2]

Man ,your one lucky pilot. (go buy a lotto ticket).Remember you have to contact BASI and I think the police (not sure about that).If you tell the hospital you have been in a A/C accident any public hospital in NSW will treat you (I know this from experience)

 

 

[old man emu]

Wow! One day after a crash we have the facts and causes of an aviation related incident through the good graces of a "mate".

 

Makes you wonder why ATSB can't deliver results quicker than they usually do - months to years after the event.

 

Old Man Emu

 

 

[icebob]

Hi old man emu,

 

well i am lucky i guess lots of contacts still in the military or just left but we all keep in touch.

 

I think it has a lot to do with the bigger the organisation the slower the responce. quite often paperwork passes through so many hands that in its self is slowing the system.

 

Bob

 

 

[icebob]

Hi Teenie2,

 

Yup did all that, no broken bones, little brusing, no fatalities no one appeared intrested, the hospital kept me 4 hours and was only visited by a doctor just prior to discharge. The Police said they would call me sometime next week????

 

Bob

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Good job Bob. Im glad your still here mate, we all know how these things can go the other way. 1 question though. Why is it when a pilot survives a prang evryone says the angels looked after you? I don't know about no angles but i know about pilot skill, training and airmenship. It was your skill, quick thinkedness and presence of mind to fly the rapidly dissabling acft right down to the wire (excuse the pun) . You should be comended on your efforts mate, exellent stuff.

 

Ps, sorry about the loss of your yellow pill,

 

 

[icebob]

Hi Mozartmerv,

 

I guess we all try to fly like an angle? Yes I must admit i have done a lot of drills and training over the years, the military showed me the value of that.

 

A couple of people have asked me why the "yellow pill" well in this case the word pill means "Pilot Inserted at Lunatic Level" an in joke with Navy helo pilots pre 1980.

 

one of the pilots had some complaints against him for low flying and when asked by the Commanding Officer how low did he fly "oh only to the lunatic level sir", he got away with it.

 

Bob.

 

 

[Mazda]

Oh Bob, I didn't go online yesterday so I've just seen this. I'm so sorry the yellow pill is no more, but like everyone else I'm pleased that you are safe. Was this near the Oaks?

 

 

[icebob]

Hi Mazda,

 

No the other side of Riverstone, well the Backtown side, about 2kms outside the military zone as the crow flies. A mate has a farm there and a big shed and he has a new S2. The strip is one paddock with a section 1800 mts long and 20 mts wide used as the strip but the whole padock could be used if needed.

 

Bob.

 

 

[Flyer]

sorry to hear the claret bottle has a hole in it. Stanley make a box version of a claret bottle that holds a considerable amount more than a standard bottle....if this is any help...:big_grin:

 

Again, pleased that you walked away, even if you are a bit stiff and sore.....

 

regards

 

Phil