X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from mta31.charter.net ([216.33.127.82] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.2.3) with ESMTP id 2957612 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Sat, 07 Jun 2008 10:39:37 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=216.33.127.82; envelope-from=GAMarr@Charter.Net Received: from aarprv04.charter.net ([10.20.200.74]) by mta31.charter.net (InterMail vM.7.08.03.00 201-2186-126-20070710) with ESMTP id <20080607143854.LYCX2641.mta31.charter.net@aarprv04.charter.net> for ; Sat, 7 Jun 2008 10:38:54 -0400 Received: from DB77R351 ([24.178.5.47]) by aarprv04.charter.net with ESMTP id <20080607143853.DACK4495.aarprv04.charter.net@DB77R351> for ; Sat, 7 Jun 2008 10:38:53 -0400 From: "Giffen Marr" To: "'Rotary motors in aircraft'" References: Subject: Mistral Crash Analysis Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 09:37:51 -0500 Message-ID: <005501c8c8ac$10bc86e0$6401a8c0@DB77R351> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0056_01C8C882.27E67EE0" X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook 11 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 In-Reply-To: Thread-Index: AcjIhVamLHa/0k2nRFybVxIPofcWIwAJG/ZQ X-Chzlrs: 0 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0056_01C8C882.27E67EE0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable =20 The following was posted on the Mistral-Engines web site. It is another = data point on the very harsh environment of the exhaust system, particularly = in the NA engines. Giff Marr LIV-P/Mistral 70%=20 =20 More fear than harm=20 07 June 2008=20 On Tuesday morning, 3rd of June, our test pilot, Mr Stephen Roth, took = off for a first one-hour flight that went flawlessly. He landed at = Palatka=92s Kay Larkin Field Airport, Florida, to refuel. Pre-take-off checks were = normal and so was take-off. On initial climb, however, the engine started to = lose power while still running perfectly smoothly. The pilot performed a = 180=B0 turn to return to the airport. The loss of power increased, and the = pilot was unable to maintain altitude. He landed the plane under control and at minimal airspeed in a wooded = area to avoid buildings and houses. The wings were sheared off, one of them staying in a tree, and the fuselage fell sideways onto the ground. = Coming to his rescue, two courageous citizens helped him out of the cockpit = conscious and unharmed. There was no post-crash fire, only smoke from engine = coolant leaking onto the heat exhaust.=20 MISTRAL Engines is extremely happy and most relieved to announce that Stephen Roth suffers only from minor cuts and bruises. After a thorough check in the hospital, which proved to be short, he was released and = able to go back to the site to contribute to the beginning FAA enquiry.=20 MISTRAL Engines immediately dispatched to the site Mr Gordon Anderson, = its Chief Operating Officer. On Thursday 5th of June, Mr Anderson, Mr Roth = and the FAA investigator inspected the plane=92s wreckage as well as the = whole engine data log which was retrieved entirely uncompromised from = MISTRAL=92s proprietary Digital Engine Management (DEM) system.=20 It was quickly evident that all engine parameters were normal from the moment of take-off to the moment of the accident, with the exception of abnormally low propeller RPM. The cause of the power loss was = subsequently found in the failure of the internals of the exhaust system=92s muffler, obstructing the free flow of exhaust gases from the engine.=20 This particular muffler was a temporary and experimental solution = developed and manufactured by a third party, which was planned to be replaced this coming summer by a certifiable unit, developed in-house. The FAA, acting = on behalf of the NTSB1 , retained the muffler in order to conduct flow tests.=20 A preliminary report was produced by MISTRAL Engines. It will be posted = on this website shortly. A final company report will be issued after = further analysis of the engine is conducted at MISTRAL=92s facility in Geneva.=20 After its pilot emerging unscarred from this mishap, MISTRAL is = extremely relieved that its technology is proven uninvolved in the cause of the accident and that, through the innovative data logging capability of its = DEM system, it was able to significantly contribute to a prompt and thorough determination of the causes.=20 MISTRAL Engines is in the process of acquiring a new airframe to resume = its flight testing programme as soon as possible, and the type certification programme of its G-300 engine model continues unhindered. 1 = NTSB : National Transportation Safety Board =20 ------=_NextPart_000_0056_01C8C882.27E67EE0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

 

The following was posted on the Mistral-Engines web site. It is = another data point on the very harsh environment of the exhaust system, = particularly in the NA engines.

Giff Marr

LIV-P/Mistral 70%

 

More fear than harm =

07 June 2008 =

On Tuesday morning, 3rd of June, our test pilot, Mr Stephen = Roth, took off for a first one-hour flight that went flawlessly. He landed at Palatka’s Kay Larkin = Field Airport, Florida, to refuel. Pre-take-off checks were normal and so was take-off. On initial = climb, however, the engine started to lose power while still running perfectly smoothly. The pilot performed a 180=B0 turn to return to the airport. = The loss of power increased, and the pilot was unable to maintain = altitude.

He landed the plane under control and at minimal airspeed in = a wooded area to avoid buildings and houses. The wings were sheared off, = one of them staying in a tree, and the fuselage fell sideways onto the ground. = Coming to his rescue, two courageous citizens helped him out of the cockpit = conscious and unharmed. There was no post-crash fire, only smoke from engine = coolant leaking onto the heat exhaust.

MISTRAL Engines is extremely happy and most relieved to = announce that Stephen Roth suffers only from minor cuts and bruises. After a = thorough check in the hospital, which proved to be short, he was released and = able to go back to the site to contribute to the beginning FAA enquiry. =

MISTRAL Engines immediately dispatched to the site Mr Gordon Anderson, its Chief Operating Officer. On Thursday 5th of June, Mr = Anderson, Mr Roth and the FAA investigator inspected the plane’s wreckage as = well as the whole engine data log which was retrieved entirely uncompromised = from MISTRAL’s proprietary Digital Engine Management (DEM) system. =

It was quickly evident that all engine parameters were = normal from the moment of take-off to the moment of the accident, with the exception = of abnormally low propeller RPM. The cause of the power loss was = subsequently found in the failure of the internals of the exhaust system’s = muffler, obstructing the free flow of exhaust gases from the engine. =

This particular muffler was a temporary and experimental = solution developed and manufactured by a third party, which was planned to be = replaced this coming summer by a certifiable unit, developed in-house. The FAA, = acting on behalf of the NTSB1, retained the muffler in order to conduct flow = tests.

A preliminary report was produced by MISTRAL Engines. It = will be posted on this website shortly. A final company report will be issued = after further analysis of the engine is conducted at MISTRAL’s facility = in Geneva. =

After its pilot emerging unscarred from this mishap, MISTRAL = is extremely relieved that its technology is proven uninvolved in the cause = of the accident and that, through the innovative data logging capability of its = DEM system, it was able to significantly contribute to a prompt and thorough determination of the causes.

MISTRAL Engines is in the process of acquiring a new = airframe to resume its flight testing programme as soon as possible, and the type certification programme of its G-300 engine model continues = unhindered.

1 NTSB : National Transportation Safety Board

 

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