President of our local EAA chapter killed in inaugural flight

On 4/15/2007 1:21:47 PM, "Morgans" wrote:

Do you know if he did a full power test, (for what is it, that is
recommended - 2 or 5 minutes?) with the nose up as high as takeoff and
climb attitude would be?

No idea. Coincidentally I was at that airport a couple of hours earlier
partaking in my BFR, but I was not there when this accident occurred. Given
the number of ground-based witnesses including at least one very experienced
pilot, I suspect that the answer to your question is known and will come out
in the accident investigation.

--
Peter

On 2007-04-15 09:09:09 -0700, "Peter R." said:

Yesterday (Saturday) the president of our local EAA chapter here in Central
NY (USA) and a passenger were killed during the first takeoff of their
just-completed Lancair Legacy aircraft. Sadly they had invited family and
friends to witness this first flight.

According to the news article, the pilot/president was a former B-52 pilot
during the Vietnam war and had spent the last two years building the Lancair
Legacy.

From initial witness accounts speculation suggests engine failure on takeoff
followed by a turning stall.

http://tinyurl.com/2p9csw

That is terrible, very sad.
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

On Apr 15, 9:09 am, "Peter R." wrote:
Yesterday (Saturday) the president of our local EAA chapter here in Central
NY (USA) and a passenger were killed during the first takeoff of their
just-completed Lancair Legacy aircraft. Sadly they had invited family and
friends to witness this first flight.

According to the news article, the pilot/president was a former B-52 pilot
during the Vietnam war and had spent the last two years building the Lancair
Legacy.

From initial witness accounts speculation suggests engine failure on takeoff
followed by a turning stall.

http://tinyurl.com/2p9csw

--
Peter

First flight for the plane or the owners first personal flight in it?
I assume he had a professional do the intiial test flight.
-robert

On 4/15/2007 11:09:01 PM, "Robert M. Gary" wrote:

First flight for the plane or the owners first personal flight in it?

The news reports indicate that this was the first flight for the owner/pilot
built aircraft.

--
Peter

On Apr 15, 9:09 am, "Peter R." wrote:
Yesterday (Saturday) the president of our local EAA chapter here in Central
NY (USA) and a passenger were killed during the first takeoff of their
just-completed Lancair Legacy aircraft. Sadly they had invited family and
friends to witness this first flight.

According to the news article, the pilot/president was a former B-52 pilot
during the Vietnam war and had spent the last two years building the Lancair
Legacy.

From initial witness accounts speculation suggests engine failure on takeoff
followed by a turning stall.

http://tinyurl.com/2p9csw

--
Peter

Cloaking Device Off

Peter,

Tragic news.

Prayers for the family and friends.

Jay Beckman
PP-ASEL
Chandler, AZ

Cloaking Device On

On 4/15/2007 12:09:12 PM, "Peter R." wrote:

Yesterday (Saturday) the president of our local EAA chapter here in
Central NY (USA) and a passenger were killed during the first takeoff of
their just-completed Lancair Legacy aircraft. Sadly they had invited
family and friends to witness this first flight.

An update: Tonight after returning to my home field I spoke briefly with a
source who witnessed this accident. The source stated that the engine of the
airplane was not running right as the aircraft taxied by the small crowd that
was invited to watch the flight. There was no at-length run-up performed
before takeoff.

Additionally, preliminary investigation discovered metal, corkscrew-shaped
shavings throughout the fuel system. The engine was brand new/ According to
this witness, it appeared that after engine failure during takeoff, the pilot
did attempt a turn-back to the airport but stalled and spun the aircraft in.

Preliminary accident report is he

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...24X00449&key=1


--
Peter

Peter R. wrote:
The source stated that the engine of the
airplane was not running right as the aircraft taxied by the small crowd that
was invited to watch the flight. There was no at-length run-up performed
before takeoff.

Stuff like that, if true, simply blows my mind.

Yet we hear and read it again and again...

"B A R R Y" wrote in message
. ..
Peter R. wrote:
The source stated that the engine of the
airplane was not running right as the aircraft taxied by the small crowd
that
was invited to watch the flight. There was no at-length run-up performed
before takeoff.

Stuff like that, if true, simply blows my mind.

Yet we hear and read it again and again...

Yep. I hope that a record of this whole incident is kept as a record of
what not to do for an airplane's first flight.

Let's see; what can we list, so far.

*Taking a second, unnecessary person along during the testing period.
*Not performing a nose high (climb attitude) extended full power engine test
run.
*Adding to the pressure of taking off on a certain time and place, because
of an invited, interested, significant
person crowd being present for first flight.
*Allowing contaminants to be present in the fuel system.
*Not doing a runup before first flight.
*Taking off with a rough running engine.
*Attempting to do the deadly "return to the runway turn" at too low of an
altitude.

On 4/27/2007 10:57:56 AM, "Morgans" wrote:

Yep. I hope that a record of this whole incident is kept as a record of
what not to do for an airplane's first flight.

I failed to mention previously that there were at least two if not more video
clips of the entire ill-fated flight so I am hopeful the NTSB will be able to
come to a confident conclusion as to the cause of this accident.

--
Peter

On Apr 27, 8:57 am, "Morgans" wrote:
"B A R R Y" wrote in gy.net...

Peter R. wrote:
The source stated that the engine of the
airplane was not running right as the aircraft taxied by the small crowd
that
was invited to watch the flight. There was no at-length run-up performed
before takeoff.

Stuff like that, if true, simply blows my mind.

Yet we hear and read it again and again...

Yep. I hope that a record of this whole incident is kept as a record of
what not to do for an airplane's first flight.

Let's see; what can we list, so far.

*Taking a second, unnecessary person along during the testing period.
*Not performing a nose high (climb attitude) extended full power engine test
run.
*Adding to the pressure of taking off on a certain time and place, because
of an invited, interested, significant
person crowd being present for first flight.
*Allowing contaminants to be present in the fuel system.
*Not doing a runup before first flight.
*Taking off with a rough running engine.
*Attempting to do the deadly "return to the runway turn" at too low of an
altitude.

Man, even back when I was flying RC planes a lot, I always did a full
power extended engine test before flying a new model, and would tilt
the nose of the plane up, and down through the vertical to make sure
that it wouldn't cut out. That was all just to keep from wrecking a
plane that I had put lots of hours into. Now if my ass was going in
the plane that I had just built, I would want to be at least as
thorough in confirming that the engine was running reliably, and I
would wring out the flight controls and double inspect all structural
elements, and invite as many experienced builders to do the same as I
could find willing to help me...

I just can't understand why anyone would do anything less.