Marv:
Please post the following:
Listers:
Lancair turbine crashes are as varied as the pilots involved in
those crashes. I am extremely upset by each and every one of those
incidents. We send representatives to virtually all of the crash sites
and assist the FAA and NTSB in the investigations. It is never easy to
be part of that process, but, it does help us all to better understand what
happened so that we can all further learn from the facts of that
incident.
Years ago I began the process of working with the insurance
industry to put forth certain standards that would reduce the number of
accidents involving our aircraft. Those standards include 1) building
the aircraft at Lancair OR following its
completion, having it inspected, for insurance purposes, by one of our Lancair
approved inspectors; 2) that the systems remain stock, that is,
that there are no modifications to the airframe which are not pre-approved by
our engineering staff; 3) that the owner/operator receive training
through our Lancair sponsored flight training program (HPATS). That
program includes a) initial training; b) recurrency training 6
months thereafter; c) recurrency training 6 months thereafter;
and, d) annually thereafter. This was not a singular system
thought of by myself or anyone at Lancair for the purpose of limiting the
experimental enjoyment of the airframe. It was so that AIG Insurance
would provide coverage to a series of aircraft that, to that point, had not
and would not have received airframe coverage.
While training does not guarantee safe operation of an aircraft,
it greatly improves the chances that the pilot will fly as he has been
trained, and in the face of an emergency will survive.
What happened in Georgia?
Simply put, there was a fuel starvation problem that should
have resulted in a safe landing when following standard training taught by
HPAT.
What caused the fuel starvation problem?
This aircraft had a non-standard fuel system which incorporated
two fuel control valves and a rear mounted auxiliary tank.
Was this system approved by Lancair?
No it was not.
Did the pilot receive HPAT training?
No he did not. It appears that he was in control of the
aircraft until he became too slow and stalled/spun into the ground.
While I do not have all of the information at present, it appears that should
he have not have stalled, he might have survived the
accident.
Was his aircraft powered with a factory overhauled or new
engine?
No it was not.
While none of these facts could singularly be determined to be
the reason for the crash or the fatality, all of these facts can be
interpreted as supportive of why Lancair and AIG insist on inspection,
training and conformity. It is not to control you or drive you from
experimental aircraft. It is instead to give you the best chance of
continuing to enjoy the finest high performance kit aircraft in the
world!