Winch Launch Fatality

Andreas Maurer wrote:

Completely wrong for a winch launch.
In case of a rope-break, you are either able to land straight-on on
the airfield, or you have sufficient altitude(300 ft+) to fly a
*safe* pattern.

Or, at some places, when you are too high for a straight landing but too
low for a complete circuit, you do a safe 180 and make a safe downwind
landing.

The crucial point is a thorough departure briefing.

On Jun 22, 4:05*am, Dave Doe wrote:
In article ,
says...



At 04:03 19 June 2009, Dave Doe wrote:
In article ,
says...
Who knows details about this?

http://www.mlive.com/news/annarborne...news-32/124507....

There is some more info here...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2515...wi-pilot-named

United States police today released the name of a New Zealand pilot
killed last Sunday when the glider in which he was a passenger crashed..

Timothy John Moxham, 29, was a pilot for an air ambulance, Midwest
Medflight.

Police said a delay in releasing details of his identity was because of
the difficulty in reaching his parents in New Zealand.

Mr Moxham died in a glider owned by the Sandhill Soaring Club and flown
by the club president when it crashed near Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Preliminary investigation indicated a winch cable used to help the
aircraft take flight may have failed on takeoff, police chief William
Cook of the nearby Unadilla Township told the Daily Press and Argus
newspaper. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.

The glider pilot, Orrin Burns Beckham, 63, of Ann Arbor, is in a serious

condition in a local hospital.

A colleague of the New Zealander, Medflight paramedic Andrew King said
Mr Moxham took his job to heart.

"Not only did Tim love flying and love being a pilot, but he loved being

a part of the (team) and getting people to the appropriate hospitals."

Mr King said Mr Moxham's desire to go gliding was recent. He said prior

to the trip, Moxham told him: "This is true flying. It's just you and
(nature)."

The New Zealander had been flying for more than 15 years, starting at
the age of 13 when his father taught him, and had logged more than 3000
hours of flight time, including flying offshore, corporate work and
flight instruction.

He also held certification to an FAA standards on airframe construction
and engine mechanics.

"People say we've lost a pilot, but he was so much more than that,"
said
another colleague, Medflight nurse Doug Berry. "He had such compassion
for the job and the people we transported. He cared about people.

"He touched the lives of hundreds of people," Mr Berry added, choking
back tears. "He was amazing."

- NZPA

--
Duncan

NTSB prelim is at * *
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...15X13631&key=1

Thanks Ron.

I see...
"
Witnesses reported that the glider was launched with a winch and during
the procedure the winch cable broke. The pilot executed a 180-degree
turn apparently in an attempt to return to the airport. However, near
the completion of the turn, the nose of the glider dropped and it
impacted the terrain.
"

How many times!!! - *don't* try to return to the field! *OK, I don't
know the altitude (AGL) nor what was ahead of the field, but hey, we all
know, this is generally regarded as a no-no.

--
Duncan

I suggest you take a look at the Private Pilot Glider Practical Test
Guide. 180 (really 270) turns to a downwind landing are SOP for
gliders after a aerotow rope break.

180 turns to a downwind landing are NOT SOP for a winch launch failure
since at 200 feet the glider is still very near the approach end of
the runway - a 180 turn will leave you with nowhere to land. Downwind
landings are not necessary or even advisable with winch launch
failures.

The point here is not the "to turn or not to turn" debate. Assuming
you have the height to be thinking about turning, you probably have
enough. Otherwise, landing ahead should be possible. The point is the
speed at which the turn is initiated. Even low to the ground
manoeuvring is quite safe *with enough speed*. It sounds like this was
a typical spin-in scenario that we teach as standard here in the UK.
It goes something like:
- Coming back to the airfield low
- Need to turn but scared about the low height
- Use small amount of bank
- Let the speed come off in order to stretch the glide
- Glider stalls, spins, and if this were the real thing (and not done
at height as a demo), then it's unrecoverable

On Jun 22, 3:58*pm, bildan wrote:
On Jun 22, 4:05*am, Dave Doe wrote:





In article ,
says...

At 04:03 19 June 2009, Dave Doe wrote:
In article ,
says...
Who knows details about this?

http://www.mlive.com/news/annarborne...news-32/124507...

There is some more info here...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2515...wi-pilot-named

United States police today released the name of a New Zealand pilot
killed last Sunday when the glider in which he was a passenger crashed.

Timothy John Moxham, 29, was a pilot for an air ambulance, Midwest
Medflight.

Police said a delay in releasing details of his identity was because of
the difficulty in reaching his parents in New Zealand.

Mr Moxham died in a glider owned by the Sandhill Soaring Club and flown
by the club president when it crashed near Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Preliminary investigation indicated a winch cable used to help the
aircraft take flight may have failed on takeoff, police chief William
Cook of the nearby Unadilla Township told the Daily Press and Argus
newspaper. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.

The glider pilot, Orrin Burns Beckham, 63, of Ann Arbor, is in a serious

condition in a local hospital.

A colleague of the New Zealander, Medflight paramedic Andrew King said
Mr Moxham took his job to heart.

"Not only did Tim love flying and love being a pilot, but he loved being

a part of the (team) and getting people to the appropriate hospitals.."

Mr King said Mr Moxham's desire to go gliding was recent. He said prior

to the trip, Moxham told him: "This is true flying. It's just you and
(nature)."

The New Zealander had been flying for more than 15 years, starting at
the age of 13 when his father taught him, and had logged more than 3000
hours of flight time, including flying offshore, corporate work and
flight instruction.

He also held certification to an FAA standards on airframe construction
and engine mechanics.

"People say we've lost a pilot, but he was so much more than that,"
said
another colleague, Medflight nurse Doug Berry. "He had such compassion
for the job and the people we transported. He cared about people.

"He touched the lives of hundreds of people," Mr Berry added, choking
back tears. "He was amazing."

- NZPA

--
Duncan

NTSB prelim is at * *
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...15X13631&key=1

Thanks Ron.

I see...
"
Witnesses reported that the glider was launched with a winch and during
the procedure the winch cable broke. The pilot executed a 180-degree
turn apparently in an attempt to return to the airport. However, near
the completion of the turn, the nose of the glider dropped and it
impacted the terrain.
"

How many times!!! - *don't* try to return to the field! *OK, I don't
know the altitude (AGL) nor what was ahead of the field, but hey, we all
know, this is generally regarded as a no-no.

--
Duncan

I suggest you take a look at the Private Pilot Glider Practical Test
Guide. *180 (really 270) turns to a downwind landing are SOP for
gliders after a aerotow rope break.

180 turns to a downwind landing are NOT SOP for a winch launch failure
since at 200 feet the glider is still very near the approach end of
the runway - a 180 turn will leave you with nowhere to land. *Downwind
landings are not necessary or even advisable with winch launch
failures.