OPS Topics

Flying Safety, June, 2001

Editor's Note: The following accounts are from actual mishaps. They have been screened to prevent the release of privileged information.

A Tale Of Two Tree Surgeons

The Piper Arrow mishap aircraft (MA) belonged to the local Aero Club, and the sortie was planned (and flown) as a pre-check for private pilot fixed wing certification. The mishap student pilot (MSP) held a commercial helicopter pilot rating, but had comparatively little fixed wing time. On the other hand, the mishap instructor pilot (MIP) had several thousand hours fixed wing time.

The MSP and MIP departed the home field and flew to the work area to practice maneuvers. Once done there, they flew to a nearby airfield to run through forced landing procedures. Once there, limited lighting and the snow-covered airport surroundings combined to give the terrain a featureless appearance. (Do you hear that voice? "Danger, Will Robinson, danger!")

The flight proceeded normally through downwind. The MSP extended the gear, turned base with the intent of touching down in the first third of the runway and proceeded to fly a flatter-than-normal no-flap approach to Runway XX. Evidently, both aviators were focused mightily on the touchdown point, since neither one of them took action to avoid the treetops, which their trusty Piper Arrow dutifully chopped through. The crew initiated a go-around and headed for the home field, where postflight inspection revealed wing dents and assorted treetop parts lodged in one of the main landing gear wheel wells.

Treetop damage cost? Inconsequential (unless you can put a price tag on the rattled nerves of the birds dwelling therein). MA damage cost? Less than one thousand dollars. Cost of lessons learned by the MIP and MSP that will last a lifetime? Priceless...

"I Hate It When THAT Happens!"

The C-5 mishap loadmaster (ML) in the troop compartment was preparing for passenger departure. Once the high stair vehicle was in place, the ML opened and secured the No. 6 service door, unbuckled the emergency escape slide case and removed the pins securing the girt bar. He then rotated the slide case onto its side and proceeded to push it into its stowage area between the seats and fuselage.

If you're not acquainted with the C-5, the No. 6 service door is aft of the wings and about 30 feet above ground level. Taking into account that the emergency escape slide, when activated, extends diagonally from the fuselage some considerable length greater than thirty feet, you can bet your bottom dollar that inflating it inside the troop compartment could be characterized as an event that would be beyond "mildly interesting."

The ML had moved the slide case halfway into position for stowage, when there was a small "Pop!" and the slide started inflating, half in and half out of the case. The ML cleared himself and the ready-to-deplane passengers from the area of the inflating slide to prevent injury; however, since the slide wasn't fully deployed from the case, a seam burst and it never reached anything near full inflation. Damage was limited to the slide, slide case, some troop compartment interior trim panels and the adjacent seat assembly.

When handling escape slides, be alert to exposed portions of the pull cable assembly and be careful, or you, too, may find yourself mortified and lamenting, "I hate it when THAT happens!"

Pop-Top Warthog

Mission planning, preflight, engine start, launch, takeoff and departure for the sortie were uneventful. Forty minutes into the sortie, the A-10 Thunderbolt II mishap pilot (MP) entered the designated MOA and initiated a climb to accomplish an advanced handling characteristics profile.

In accordance with the Dash-1, the MP proceeded to preheat the canopy using the defog knob while passing 15,000 ft MSL. Defog system noise was bothersome, so the MP rotated the defog selector to off. There was a hissing sound, so the MP rotated the defog knob to mid-range then off again, when it happened. "It," was a loud "Bang!", followed by wind blast, dust and debris swirling around within the cockpit and then...departure of the canopy.

The MP lowered his seat and reduced airspeed to minimize effects of the windblast, coordinated for a chase ship, performed a controllability check and diverted to the nearest suitable airfield, where he safely landed his convertible Warthog. Kudos to the MP for so coolly and skillfully handling the inadvertent canopy departure and saving this valuable combat asset so it could fly and fight another day! Subsequent investigation determined loss of the canopy was largely attributable to material failure.

1 V 1: Eagle Vs. Turkey Vulture

The mishap aircraft (MA), an F-15E, was No. 1 of a two-ship low level, surface attack tactics sortie. Following target attack, flying at the crest of a ridge line at 490 knots and 710 ft AGL, the Strike Eagle suffered a bird strike to the left wing. The mishap crew (MC) called a "Knock it off" and the MC's wingman conducted a battle damage check. The MA was controllable and there was no fuel leaking, but the aircraft had sustained a sizable hole in the leading edge of the left wing. The two aircraft headed for home station and landed uneventfully.