Why do they keep going... (Accidents)

[GMAs]

I recieved this on the regular E mail...

Subject:
T337D
Date:
Thu, 12 Sep 2002 09:13:25 -0700
From:
"John"





Accident occurred Sunday, September 01, 2002 at Fort Pierce, FL
Aircraft:Cessna T337D, registration: N33N
Injuries: 2 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On September 1, 2002, about 1300 eastern daylight time, a Cessna T337D, N33N, registered to K.R. Aviation Inc., and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 CFR
Part 91 personal flight, made a forced landing in an orange grove in Fort Pierce, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The
commercial-rated pilot received serious injuries, and the commercial-rated passenger received minor injuries. The airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight
departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the same day, about 1200.

The passenger stated that they were en route to Fort Pierce to eat lunch, and when they were about 10 miles south of their destination, the front engine ceased
operating. He said they continued on to their destination, entered the traffic pattern at 1,100 feet, and was No. 3 to land. They flew base to final at 500 feet, and were on
final approach to land on runway 09 when the rear engine ceased operating. At that time the pilot turned to the right, and "crash landed" in the bushes and trees off the
approach end of runway 9 at the St. Lucie County International Airport, Fort Pierce, Florida. During the landing rollout the airplane collided with trees, and came to rest in
a drainage ditch, incurring damage to the wings and fuselage.





So why did they not let the tower know they had a engine out... why didn't they land at the first airport of opertunity...

Ya the skymaster flys good on one engine .. or should I say better than a SBS twin.. but, if you have a engine that quits... and won't restart... your in a world of hurt... and you should not take it lightly... this accident didn't have to happen... if the pIC would have used what he was trained to do... fly, notifiy, commucate and land ....

It doesn't require any paperwork or FAA if you say you would like a immediate landing due to a engine out... being no 3 is not acceptable... your on and streight in... and at 500 ft.. your too low...

In this case if the tower knew that they had a engine out.. and had looked.. knew he was 500 ft and low... then they too are liable for what happened... but, most will not mess around.. you get immediate access to the field... even if its on a different runway than what they are using... and I have seen them land a plane on the taxi way when the other was just too slow in responding to a request to expidte ... so they have their training too.. and know how to get you what you want right now...

Again both comercial pilots are not from this accident report... the brightest light in the harbor... kinda thing... when they bend up a plane and get hurt.. and all for LUNCH... Fly safe... GMAs

[Jerry De Santis]

George, ya 100% right. I had to shut an engine down due to dumping all the oil in the front engine on a main. test flight. When I informed the tower I about 15 miles out, they immediately instructed all other aircraft to hold their positions until I got in. No downwind etc. I went straight to the airpot and landed. Stayed high until I had it made. It is clear the pilot in Florida did not use common sense if it happened like stated. And you right again, no reports required.
Jerry
N34EC

[Bob Cook]

We are all good at speculating regarding accidents.

We were not there and really are trying to read between the lines, however, you are right in that losing an engine for whatever reason should be cause for concern.

Three questions;

1) why did the AC not continue to fly ?

2) was it fuel related ?

3) did they actually feather the dead engine?

I will be in FPR next wed and see if I cannot get some answers.

Are we too complacent ?

Bob

[OSCARDEUCE]

I agree guys working on engine out stuff on my O2-A for my check ride. With bombs and rockets on my wings full fuel,passengers and a hot day an engine out is not fun. Stay on top and get it down ASAP!!!
Tom

[WebMaster]

Of course, you could just fire them off. Get GMAs to tell you about the time he flew an O-2 It's quite a story
Seriously, an O-2 has a higher GW, so single engine is really a deal with them, as you have found out.

Larry,

Good info to have. I was at an airshow a couple of months ago and spoke to a pilot who flew O2s in VN. He said he hated flying them because engine out was so difficult to maintain, especially in, umm, err, let's call them . . . adverse conditions.

We discussed it and never came to a reckoning because I said it's the easiest engine out twin in the air. He wanted to give me a blood test for crack cocaine, and gave me the "sonny, you ain't never flew 'em engine out" look. So now, it's all coming together for me.

Thanks,

Keven
________
MAINE MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

[WebMaster]

Stick with me Keven. You keep me out of Jail, and still licensed, I'll keep you informed.

Ya got a deal! I have recently been dragged, kicking and screaming, into the world of practicing aviation law because of some folks here who have had less than friendly dealings with the FAA Some kids just can't (or simply refuse to) play nicely with others . . . .

I knew it would happen sooner or later after getting hooked on flying and all of my local pilot friends routinely calling me each time they had a question about whether "I could get in trouble for . . . . "


Keven
________
Hemp

[Tony Giantonio]

While we digest why these aviators bent the airplane and sustained some injuries in the process lets not forget the basic principles. When I flight instruct students in engine out procedures the first thing is to fly the airplane, and after all the checklist items have been completed declare an emergency. I don't know why aviators are affraid to say those words. I just hate to see good airplanes bent for the lack of a few words. Hopefully in the digesting of this accident review we may see what really did happened and all learn.

[Jim Rainer]

Maybe I'm missing something here. These two guys weren't practicing single engine work - they had zero engines. I'm assuming it's fuel related since the front quit 5 minutes (10 miles out) before the rear which quit at 500 feet. My guess is the front engine was feathered and when the rear quit, the pilot made an instant decision to pick a good landing spot feeling that he could not make the runway whether or not he feathered the rear. Ernie, the aircraft was still flying.

I have been there, done that about 8 years ago. Had front engine quit 10 miles out (out of fuel) and I feathered it and flew about 10 miles to the closest airport praying the rear would keep going and it did. I'll never know how low the fuel was as I didn't fill the tanks completely. I've always wondered. Could've ended up like these boys at 500 feet and think I wouldn't be able to make the runway and take the dirt instead.

The above story was in a 337G but I did the same thing in a Twin Comanche 35 years ago and made the closest field. I think I've finally learned by now - won't do that again but there are a lot of other stupid things to do besides running out of fuel

[Bob Cook]

Any time they walk away it was "a hard landing". Bent their pride and some aluminum.


Bet they won't do that again soon.

bob

[Ernie Martin]

Jim:

It's interesting that you finish the first paragraph with "Ernie, the aircraft was still flying", despite the fact that I haven't contributed to this thread. You assumed it was fuel exhaustion and probably remember my frequent harping about making absolutely certain that it never happens to you. Maybe it's time for the newcomers to this Message Board to go read the Fuel Supply Management webpage in www. SkymasterUS.org.

Ernie

[Jim Rainer]

No, Ernie, my memory is poor! It was Bob Cook who had a reply and I mistakenly remebered it being you instead. Sorry!

[OSCARDEUCE]

Let's remember if this was a fuel starvation problem it should have not happened!!!! John Denver died because he could not take 10 minutes to get fuel. Remember the useless things in aviation- the runway behind you the altitude above you and the fuel in the tank at the airport.
Tom