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BobW
June 27th 12, 10:12 PM
More safety food for thought...

Not a glider, but a glider pilot. Gut wrenching.
- - - - - -

> NTSB Identification: ERA12FA395 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation Accident
> occurred Friday, June 15, 2012 in Westminster, MD Aircraft: REMOS ACFT GMBH
> FLUGZEUGBAU REMOS GX, registration: N206GX Injuries: 1 Fatal.
>
> 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 June 15, 2012, about 1010 eastern daylight time, a Remos Aircraft GmbH
> Flugzeugbau Remos GX, special-light sport aircraft (S-LSA), N206GX,
> operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged when it
> impacted the ground during an emergency landing at the Carroll County
> Regional Airport (DMW), Westminster, Maryland. The certificated commercial
> pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and
> no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed the Frederick
> Municipal Airport (FDK), Frederick, Maryland, and was ultimately destined
> for the Piseco Airport (K09), Piseco, New York. The personal flight was
> conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part
> 91.
>
> According to records obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration
> (FAA), the two-seat, high-wing, fixed tricycle landing gear, S-LSA, was
> issued a special airworthiness certificate on September 30, 2009, and
> purchased by its current owner during May 2011.
>
> The airplane was of composite carbon fiber monocoque construction, and was
> designed with the ability to fold both wings back to facilitate storage and
> transportation. In addition, both wings and the horizontal stabilizer were
> removable. The respective control push-pull rods for the left and right
> ailerons, and elevator featured a "quick-fastener" to disconnect and
> reconnect the respective flight control.
>
> According to witnesses, the pilot flew the airplane from K09 to Haysfield
> Airport (MD24), Clarksville, Maryland, during November 2011, where it was
> disassembled and stored for the winter. It was subsequently reassembled
> during April 2012. The pilot, who was also an FAA certificated airframe and
> powerplant mechanic, completed a condition inspection on June 1, 2012. The
> pilot then flew the airplane to Bay Bridge Airport (W29), Stevensville,
> Maryland, where a pitot-static system check was performed on June 8, and a
> Magnum 601 ballistic parachute system was installed on June 12, 2012. The
> pilot flew to FDK on June 14, 2012, and was planning to fly to K09, with an
> en route fuel stop, to deliver the airplane to its owner on the day of the
> accident.
>
> A witness at DMW heard the pilot transmit over the airport common traffic
> advisory frequency "my elevator has come detached, I need to make a landing
> on runway 16." Another witness observed the airplane "climb and dive" as it
> approached the 5,100-foot-long, asphalt runway. A third witness stated the
> airplane was about 50 feet from the beginning of the runway, when it made a
> dramatic pitch downward.
>
> The airplane impacted the ground about 60 feet prior to the runway, and
> about 12 feet to the left of the right runway edge. Debris was scattered
> south-southeast approximately 350 feet, with the majority of the wreckage
> found on the grass area that was located immediately off the right side of
> and parallel to the runway.
>
> All major portions of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site.
> Both wings and the top portion of the cabin were inverted and found about
> 220 feet from the initial impact point. The main wreckage was found about
> 265 feet from the initial impact point. It consisted of the cockpit, which
> was destroyed, the engine, and the tail assembly aft of the cabin, which
> remained intact. The ballistic parachute system parachute was not activated
> and found strewn along the debris path. The activation handle was found in
> the main wreckage secured with a padlock. The key for the padlock was found
> on a key ring, with the ignition key, which remained inserted in the
> ignition switch.
>
> Initial examination of the airplane's flight controls revealed that the
> elevator quick-fastener was disconnected. The left and right aileron
> quick-fasteners remained connected, and the flight control cables to the
> rudder remained attached. Examination of the airplane's engine did not
> reveal any failures that would have precluded normal operation.
>
> The elevator and aileron quick-fasteners were removed and forwarded to the
> NTSB Materials Laboratory, Washington, DC, for further examination. In
> addition, the airplane was equipped with a Dynon Avionics "FlightDEK-D180
> combined EFIS and EMS" unit, and a Garmin 496 global positioning system
> receiver, which were forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Division for
> data download.

Connection details/cautions:
http://www.aeroclub-nrw.de/pdf/ul_grinfo_remos.pdf

Martin Gregorie[_5_]
June 27th 12, 11:37 PM
On Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:12:47 -0600, BobW wrote:

>> The
>> activation handle was found in the main wreckage secured with a
>> padlock. The key for the padlock was found on a key ring, with the
>> ignition key, which remained inserted in the ignition switch.
>>

>>
I notice that positives aren't required. Apart from that, a few things do
make me wonder:

- Did I miss something, or is positive control checks implied in Preflight
12 and/or 13?

- Can Preflight 14 be done without removing the tail cone?

- Does Normal Procedure 10 refer to the BRS?


What do those of you who fly BRS-equipped gliders do to in the way of
preflighting the BRS and safeing it after landing? Never having seen one,
I'm curious.



--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

T[_2_]
June 28th 12, 10:25 PM
On Jun 27, 3:37*pm, Martin Gregorie >
wrote:
> On Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:12:47 -0600, BobW wrote:
> >> The
> >> activation handle was found in the main wreckage secured with a
> >> padlock. The key for the padlock was found on a key ring, with the
> >> ignition key, which remained inserted in the ignition switch.
>
> I notice that positives aren't required. Apart from that, a few things do
> make me wonder:
>
> - Did I miss something, or is positive control checks implied in Preflight
> * 12 and/or 13?
>
> - Can Preflight 14 be done without removing the tail cone?
>
> - Does Normal Procedure 10 refer to the BRS?
>
> What do those of you who fly BRS-equipped gliders do to in the way of
> preflighting the BRS and safeing it after landing? Never having seen one,
> I'm curious.
>
> --
> martin@ * | Martin Gregorie
> gregorie. | Essex, UK
> org * * * |

It does imply a "glider style" positive control check. Normal powered
aircraft checklist "controls free and correct" implies moving the
controls and watching them move in the proper direction without
resistance applied at the control surface.

Item 14, the file indicates the tail cone must be removed to visually
check the connection, two simple screws. A positive resistance control
check could be completed with two people.

Normally a BRS release handle will have a "Remove Before Flight" pin
with red streamer. The preflight should include a visual inspection of
any exposed parts or canister and cables for wear and tear, moisture
or oils, much like a regular backpack parachute. The external cover or
deployment area of the fuselage should be checked for abnormalities.
Depending on the installation, the area may just be marked and
otherwise not noticeable as a thinner fiberglassed area from the rest
of the fuselage.

T

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