X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:46:54 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from web62505.mail.re1.yahoo.com ([69.147.75.97] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.2.5) with SMTP id 3019759 for lml@lancaironline.net; Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:28:20 -0400 Received: (qmail 85064 invoked by uid 60001); 10 Jul 2008 15:28:21 -0000 DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=s1024; d=yahoo.com; h=Received:X-Mailer:Date:From:Subject:To:MIME-Version:Content-Type:Message-ID; b=ZFmOmiUkXQwp3pA95BelqXr2Lkp/zyhmpsAK4ZExyE9+4h4dzFM8GqUalPYocgyDjA2Vxuz2bYp6ItqwqQAgucO0JASXKW4BLwDR4PgnXa0m3olwXOKSOFFfhlr+kBZXHUvbjPfsRCs6F3ApN8704kgmhHl7f1XwOhTIgXJNkzE=; Received: from [70.119.54.244] by web62505.mail.re1.yahoo.com via HTTP; Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:28:21 PDT X-Mailer: YahooMailRC/975.45 YahooMailWebService/0.7.199 X-Original-Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:28:21 -0700 (PDT) From: Charlie Kohler Subject: Accidents X-Original-To: LancairList MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0-62577272-1215703701=:84611" X-Original-Message-ID: <836353.84611.qm@web62505.mail.re1.yahoo.com> --0-62577272-1215703701=:84611 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Recently I was asked by a client why we are having such a rash of accidents= . I wrote this and I offer it "for what it's worth".=0A=A0=0AI too am troub= led by this recent spate of accidents. =0AThe largest category of accidents= seems to be tangling with weather. I believe that the Lancair IV has enoug= h performance to climb into the altitudes that can really get you into trou= ble quickly. To be IMC in the high teens or low 20s without active radar (n= ot XM) and to depend upon controllers to keep you out of trouble is a bad m= istake. I have XM on my MX 20 and 430 but I find it runs up to five minutes= late most of the time. But it=A0really is valuable for determining the dir= ection of storm travel. Staying upwind will help you stay out of the hail a= nd lightning in the overhang. When traveling between storms I've also disco= vered that distance between cells needs to be doubled/ increased due to the= delay.=0AMy advice is to stay in VMC. In daylight. Whatever diversion that= may take. If you can stay VMC at 3000 feet-- circumnavigate the rain shaft= s by 20 miles and be constantly vigilant for lightning. Do not depend upon = the controller (without confirming visually his report) to give you help un= less it's a last resort.=0AThe other aspect of these accidents seems to be = failure to fly the airplane after mechanical problems. Numerous engine fail= ures seemed to be a factor of poor maintenance/modifications. Things like f= uel /ignition system modifications/ bad overhauls etc etc are not being poi= nted out to the owners because they are getting local mechanics who are eit= her unfamiliar or unable to give advice to the owners.=0AFly the airplane f= irst!! Aggressive nose down elevator is required. It may need to be followe= d immediately by nose up just before ground contact. That will be pretty ha= rd on the spine and therefore I recommend the new Lancair seats or temper f= oam seats. Put the nose between the trees/cars-- but do it with the fuselag= e level. This should give you the best chance. Crack the door. Practice the= se moves. At night in a dark hangar.=0AWhen the engine quits below 1000 fee= t-- there needs to be a plan in place that can be performed in two seconds = or less. No checklist here!=0AYou will not get a second chance when it's fo= r real.=0A(Assuming TSIO 550 powered IV.) The drill;=0ASwitch fuel selector= to opposite tank=0AElectric fuel pump on high=0AUsing palm of hand to comp= ress mixture control lock--pull mixture until engine runs smoothly. Adjust = for best power. =0AAssuming no power/leave mixture - cut off.=0AMaster swit= ch off=0AFuel selector off=0AOpen door=0ADuring this time you should've low= ered the nose 10 to 20=B0. Flying straightahead. Rudder only to avoid obsta= cles. =0ADropping a wing is a mistake.=0ANaturally there are variations on = this procedure-- but think it out.=0A=A0=0ACharlie K.=0ASee=A0me on the Web= at=A0 www.Lancair-IV.com --0-62577272-1215703701=:84611 Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
=0A
=0A

Recently I was asked by a clie= nt why we are having such a rash of accidents. I wrote this and I offer it = "for what it's worth".

=0A

 

=0A

I too am troubled by this r= ecent spate of accidents.

=0A

The largest category of accidents seems= to be tangling with weather. I believe that the Lancair IV has enough perf= ormance to climb into the altitudes that can really get you into trouble qu= ickly. To be IMC in the high teens or low 20s without active radar (not XM)= and to depend upon controllers to keep you out of trouble is a bad mistake= . I have XM on my MX 20 and 430 but I find it runs up to five minutes late = most of the time. But it really is valuable for determining the direct= ion of storm travel. Staying upwind will help you stay out of the hail and = lightning in the overhang. When traveling between storms I've also discover= ed that distance between cells needs to be doubled/ increased due to the de= lay.

=0A

My advice is to stay in VMC. In daylight. Whatever diversion = that may take. If you can stay VMC at 3000 feet-- circumnavigate the rain s= hafts by 20 miles and be constantly vigilant for lightning. Do not depend u= pon the controller (without confirming visually his report) to give you hel= p unless it's a last resort.

=0A

The other aspect of these accidents s= eems to be failure to fly the airplane after mechanical problems. Numerous = engine failures seemed to be a factor of poor maintenance/modifications. Th= ings like fuel /ignition system modifications/ bad overhauls etc etc are no= t being pointed out to the owners because they are getting local mechanics = who are either unfamiliar or unable to give advice to the owners.

=0A

= Fly the airplane first!! Aggressive nose down elevator is required. It may = need to be followed immediately by nose up just before ground contact. That= will be pretty hard on the spine and therefore I recommend the new Lancair= seats or temper foam seats. Put the nose between the trees/cars-- but do i= t with the fuselage level. This should give you the best chance. Crack the = door. Practice these moves. At night in a dark hangar.

=0A

When the en= gine quits below 1000 feet-- there needs to be a plan in place that can be = performed in two seconds or less. No checklist here!

=0A

You will not = get a second chance when it's for real.

=0A

(Assuming TSIO 550 powered= IV.) The drill;

=0A=0A=0A

Switch fuel selector to opposite = tank

=0A

Electric fuel pump on high

=0A

Using palm of hand to com= press mixture control lock--pull mixture until engine runs smoothly. Adjust= for best power.

=0A

Assuming no power/leave mixture - cut off.

= =0A

Master switch off

=0A

Fuel selector off

=0A

Open door

=0A

During this time you should've lowered the nose 10 to 20=B0= . Flying straightahead. Rudder only to avoid obstacles.

=0A

Dropping = a wing is a mistake.

=0A

Naturally there are variations on this proced= ure-- but think it out.


 
=0A
Charlie K.
= =0A
See me on the Web at  www.Lancair-IV.com=
=0A
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