Message-ID: <3F8E0783.1060109@viclink.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 19:50:43 -0700
From: Perry Mick <pjmick@viclink.com>
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To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Down but not out - repost from Cozy list - RV auto
 conversion
References: <list-2638531@logan.com>
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Jim Sower wrote:

>Not a rotary, but a boosted RV.  Engine stopped and would not go at ~1000',
>flipped in farmer's field.
>
>I dropped Jan off at the St. Louis airport about an hour ago and he is
>headed home to Florida.  He flew up on Delta and stayed with us last night.
>
>This morning early we drove the the offices of AIRCO, an accident
>investigation and research company headed up by Chad and Bernie Coogan.
>They recovered the aircraft from the bean field yesterday and did a great
>job of it.
>
>First off, while assisting in the recovery yesterday before Jan arrived, I
>received permission from the FAA to remove the cowl and visually inspect the
>engine compartment.  The super charger belt and the alternator belt were
>both missing.  There were some small pieces of belt in the compartment but
>not more that 3 or 4 inches of it.  The other most obvious damage was to the
>engine timing belt cover.  It had a hole about 1 inch square and cracks in
>the area.  I decided not to go any further with the investigation until Jan
>arrived and the FAA was present.
>
>With representatives of the FAA, AVEMCO and AIRCO present, Jan removed the
>cover this morning.  Under it we found, tangled up with timing belt, the
>alternator belt.  It caused the engine shut down.  We also feel certain the
>chain of events started with the SC belt leaving one of its pulleys on the
>forward side, forcing itself onto the alternator belt and causing it to
>leave its pulley.  How it got inside the cover and tangled up with timing
>belt is incredible but it did.  There was no trace of the SC belt as it
>probably exited the compartment in flight.
>
>OK, so what about N707DD?
>
>I've decided almost for sure to rebuild the airplane depending on how the $$
>numbers work out with the insurance settlement and the cost.  The wings are
>in perfect condition, not even a scratch as the airplane went over without
>either contacting the ground.  The fuselage is a mess however.  The
>longerons are buckled just forward of the instrument panel.  The roll over
>structure did its job and held the airplane up enough to wiggle out after I
>kicked the side glass out, but is bent slightly.  The VS is crunched badly
>and the elevators also have buckles on the bottom skins as the G load must
>have been considerable when the VS hit the dirt.
>
>All in all, this was a disappointing week, but we know what caused the event
>and there will be a fix for it.  Jan already had it in the works and Robert
>Paisley may be testing it at this time.  I had been flying about 10 hours
>after adjusting the SC mount angle so it was assumed all was well.
>
>One other item, I am staying with Subaru.  This is a good engine with great
>support.  What happened has nothing to do with its basic integrity.  STUFF
>happens in this business as we are all experimenters.  We deal with these
>events as best we can and move on.
>
>David Domeier
>Chesterfield, Missouri
>
>Thanks much for all the e-mails offering help and support.  This is indeed a
>great group of people.  Other than a slight stiff neck and a couple bumps on
>the head, I am just fine and will fly again.
>
>
>
>  
>
Another advantage of the rotary - no timing belt. I suppose this is 
easily fixed on a soob by improving the timing belt cover.

-- 
Perry Mick
http://www.ductedfan.com