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TOW PLANE Accident



 
 
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  #21  
Old February 21st 19, 06:45 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Martin Gregorie[_6_]
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Default TOW PLANE Accident

On Thu, 21 Feb 2019 16:11:22 +0000, Jonathon May wrote:

you need an extended release cable or a piece of line on it so you can
hook it over your hand.

Fair comment. My Libelle has a fairly long release cable so my hand is
resting on my leg with fingers loosely round the knob. Cable is slack and
hand supported by leg.

Juniors are also good: arm supported on the cockpit rail with fingers on
top of, but not round, the T-bar release. Needs little more than closing
fingers to pull the release.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org
  #22  
Old February 21st 19, 06:48 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)
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Default TOW PLANE Accident

In general (likely 98%) I agree with you.
I, and others, lost a friend maybe 30 years ago in NJ with a squirrel on the back end and a friend on the front end.
Friend tried to save the tow (in a L-19 IIRC, not a wimpy towplane), I went to his wake.........

I believe the mantra to our towpilots is, "you get near a control limit while on tow, dump the glider......period.....".
I remember being the PIC (ride, training, don't remember....) in a 2-33, maybe 300' above field and sorta close.
I felt the tow get soft, I elected to abort and go and land.
Towpilot stated later, "I ran a tank dry, I was running in seconds!".
My comment, "you fly your ship, I fly mine.....with me gone, you have one less thing to worry about and your performance is better!"
So, we ate another tow. Big Frikkin deal......I would have happily paid for gas/time on the TP.
We still had 2 flying ships (and a little wasted time) and continued the day with no drama.

Yes, reading the NTSB report sounds like an issue on the glider end and the TP didn't bail early enough. From "facts", this was preventable.
I do not know anyone involved in this, sucks for everyone, site, family, anyone that finds this thread or report.
  #23  
Old February 21st 19, 06:52 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)
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Default TOW PLANE Accident

I do NOT do or teach keeping a hand on the release during tow. In anything........
Never.
In several glass ships I fly (mostly AS.....) we may have a loop of rope on the release to make a bigger target.....yes, I stated that before.
  #24  
Old February 22nd 19, 03:22 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Posts: 281
Default TOW PLANE Accident

Well, that was a tragic NTSB report to read. Aside from sterile cockpit, I'm thinking a lesson may be to slightly adjust CB SIT CBE.

Ballast already includes verifying the tail wheel is off.
Emergency needs to look at and touch the Yellow handle.

  #25  
Old February 22nd 19, 09:58 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
George Haeh
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Default TOW PLANE Accident

Cameras have become one more enticing temptation to fiddle with something on tow. I know of one premature release on tow when the pilot intended to adjust the rudder pedals. The result was an expensive tailboom repair. Fortunately no injuries.

Below 1000' Don't fiddle with anything but trim.

Exceptions:
the flaps are set wrong
the spoilers have come out
  #26  
Old February 22nd 19, 10:43 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
150flivver
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Default TOW PLANE Accident

I've been towing a number of years (3000+ tows). I ask every new glider student what's the number one rule on aerotow. They better answer: "Don't kill your tow pilot." The one time someone (very experienced glider pilot and CFIG) kited on me on tow, the negative g's plastered me against the ceiling of the towplane and I physically could not reach the tow release handle on the floor. If it had occurred a couple of hundred feet above the ground I would not have recovered. The pilot said he was momentarily distracted and looked away from the towplane. It doesn't take but a few seconds and no one is immune...
  #27  
Old February 23rd 19, 12:48 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default TOW PLANE Accident

On Tuesday, October 31, 2017 at 1:38:34 PM UTC-6, Richard Garrity wrote:
Skyline Soaring Club has suffered a tragic loss of a member in the crash of our tow plane. The accident occurred on October 7th while towing an ASK21. The glider released at very low altitude and returned safely to the airport. The NTSB is investigating and factual information is shown on their web site. Our flight operations resumed on October 21st after a Safety Meeting and a club Memorial at our hangar. Our sport has its own hazards and we must be constantly vigilant! Skyline Soaring with the strength of its 100+ members will continue with its mission to support soaring! The Club is reaching out to all in our community for any assistance in replacing our tow plane. We know that word of mouth is the best way to hear of a suitable tow plane that maybe becoming available. Your thoughts and ideas will be appreciated. Please contact me directly by phone or email. Thank you...

Dick Garrity
SSC Board Member
410 268 7069


Dick:

Although I understand when you say a 1000hr pilot is a pro, I take exception to the description. Being a professional pilot has far more to do with the attitude and discipline one takes with them into the cockpit. I've flown (as a CFI) with low time students who are totally focused on the relationship between them selves and the tow plane. I also tell my new tow pilots (as the chief tow pilot) the last thing you should do before moving the power lever to the maximum enthusiasm position is to review what you will do in the event of an untoward move by the glider pilot and last to look at the tow rope release lever before departing.
  #28  
Old February 24th 19, 06:22 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Charlie Quebec
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Default TOW PLANE Accident

Exactly why we use low tow as much as possible in Australia. Ive never done a high tow. I cannot see any good reason to high tow.
That said, there are other factors in the report, age and a heart condition. Perhaps you lot would be better to stop second guessing and pushing your opinions
over this tragedy.
  #29  
Old February 24th 19, 03:36 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Soartech
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Default TOW PLANE Accident

On Thursday, February 21, 2019 at 10:13:06 AM UTC-5, Charlie M. wrote:

I don't hang onto the release during tow.
I never taught to hang onto the release during tow.
In glass ships, we have a looped rope tied to the release and laid across our thigh to make a quick release easier.


I totally agree with this and use the looped cord! My release "knob" is a small diameter sphere and it too easily has slipped from my grasp.
Thanks, Charlie for pointing out the best course of action here.
  #30  
Old February 25th 19, 04:53 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
John Foster
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Default TOW PLANE Accident

On Saturday, February 23, 2019 at 10:22:10 PM UTC-7, Charlie Quebec wrote:
Exactly why we use low tow as much as possible in Australia. Ive never done a high tow. I cannot see any good reason to high tow.
That said, there are other factors in the report, age and a heart condition. Perhaps you lot would be better to stop second guessing and pushing your opinions
over this tragedy.


We infrequently do low tow here in the US. High tow keeps the tow plane on the horizon, at the same level as you. If you are doing a long tow cross country though, then low tow is used more frequently here. There are also different hazards to the low tow position, so what you save on one hand, you give up with the other.

As to the mention of heart condition in the report, it did mention he had coronary plaque build-up. But none of these were sufficient to cause a heart attack. No no evidence for a heart attack was found on the autopsy. He did have a big heart though, but that is unlikely to have caused a sudden incapacitation of the tow pilot.

The bottom line from this report, is that the glider pilot was distracted, got high, and up-ended the tow plane too close to the ground. The rope broke before the glider pilot released. I will do my best not to do this to any tow pilot.
 




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