PIPER COLT IN 35 FEET OF WATER - OOG?

[EDMO 1078]

I haven't heard about this on the news yet, but my buddy called me tonight:

A pilot flew my friend's repaired Luscombe 8A/F from Texas to Sullivan, Mo. last Friday just before the cold blizzard hit here - He was followed by another CFI in a Piper Colt - They got here about 4 PM with a 50 mph tailwind - My buddy tried to get them to stay all night and fly back to Texas in the morning in the Colt - But they departed here about 5 PM  -  About 8 PM and about 8 miles from the Airport at Branson, Mo., where they were going to stop for gas - the engine quit and they went into Bull Shoals Lake.  Both, about age 60, managed to swim out, and were picked up in a car and treated at hospital for hypothermia.

The NTSB is supposed to raise the Colt from the waters next week for an investigation.

A Colt holds 18 gal of gas - burns at least 6 gal per hour x 3 hours = 18 gal.

Don't forget the headwind they were fighting.

EDMO

Edited 8 Jan 2014 by Ed In Missouri

[akflyer 1427]

The colt I ferried for a buddy had 18 gallons per side.. The better question is WHY THE HELL would you fight a 50 MPH head wind in a colt if you had other options

 

[lostman 198]

I agree, flying at night with that type of headwind is just needless. Especially if given a place to stay and being able to fly the next day without the same wind, in the daylight.

I understand trying to get home at times, but if it's just for pleasure why do it?

 

Glad your friends are both okay. I'm glad I can learn from others at times!

[EDMO 1078]

Best Guess - Save money instead of getting Motel for the night?  Had another contract waiting in Texas?

Sometimes, age and experience can lead to bad judgement and overconfidence......

EDMO

[akflyer 1427]

ahhh.. or in my case youth and big brass commercial fisherman balls got me into some weather shit I had no right to live through... it is amazing to me today that I have the ability to say no, I am going to hang here another night versus pushing the weather as I have in the past.. Damnitall, does that mean I am getting old, now that would just piss me right off if I was

 

At any rate, I am glad to hear they both made it out and are still able to fog up a mirror held under their nose   Too bad it cost a plane to learn that lesson.

 

[EDMO 1078]

It may have cost them contracts, or even some problems with the Father of American Aviation department - they were CFIs too.

And who pays for the recovery of that wreck - the taxpayers (NTSB) or them?

EDMO

Edited 9 Jan 2014 by Ed In Missouri

[akflyer 1427]

hopefully the plane was insured and the insurance pays for the recovery.. which in turn is passed on to anyone who has insurance, or is trying to get it.

 

[EDMO 1078]

Funny part is - They were bringing my friend's Luscombe back and contracting for the insurance company who had just paid out about $25K to restore it after he hit a hole in the air on landing and drove the gear up to the roof!

BTW: He is mad as hell - this was a first prize winner at Osh - and he is a perfectionist, and said the plane now looks like crap!

I think he now has photos and ready to raise hell with somebody!

EDMO

[lostman 198]

I wasn't going to say anything before, but now it seems there was a lot more bad judgment involved that I even thought! Stirring up the hornets nest isn't the way to keep tickets, CFI, friends, or airplanes in this case.

[lostman 198]

Ed,

Does the airplane look like crap due to the two pilots to delivered it or because of the company that did the restoration? At first I figured they beat the hell out of it, now I'm wondering if it was just a crap resto job.

[EDMO 1078]

The pilots delivered some mechanics poor restoration job as they were contracted to do - They just made a poor decision for whatever reason they had to rush the return flight, and paid for that decision - almost with their lives.

There are probably not too many of us who can look back without thinking of how stupid we were in some of our flights - But hopefully, as we age and gain experience we do not make the mistakes like we made years and hours ago.

EDMO

Edited 9 Jan 2014 by Ed In Missouri

[akflyer 1427]

After the time I have spent working on the 180, I can tell you now that my level of "good enough" is WAY WAY WAY above that of most local IA's (and that aint saying much) I went back and cleaned up a lot of sloppy work that was done on the plane.  Just because its "good enough to fly" don't mean its done right or up to the standards of MOST home builders.  Your buddy should have gone to the shop to check it out before he accepted delivery of the plane.   The insurance company should work with him to get the plane restored to the condition it was in prior to the accident.

 

I made the local paint shop repaint my truck 5 times till they got it right after my kid had a little fender bender in it.  The insurance co stood behind me and withheld payment to the shop till it was done to my satisfaction.

 

[EDMO 1078]

After being around my perfectionist flying buddy for the last 50 years, I know that he should have flown to Texas to inspect his bird, but know that he is not going to spend a dollar more either - I knew this was probably going to happen. 

      He is a combination of spend-thrift and perfectionist.  I cant do my work around him, because "my safety wire isn't twisted just so, and I have an extra 1/2 thread sticking out of a nut, etc.", while he spends days trying to get $1 off of something he needs to buy - Just drives me nuts!  He worries about things I wouldn't think twice about.

     "Airworthy" is my standard - not perfection or show quality for my birds.

He is also a perfectionist pilot - I would never have gotten my license if he was my CFI.

      I am glad I'm not fighting this battle - but sure I will hear all about it.

I only posted this to show the pilot putting the Colt in the lake - didn't mean to drag out the other side of the story, but maybe someone can learn from that too.

EDMO

[lostman 198]

I think this other side of the story shows that there has to be a happy medium between being safe and legal, not to mention between frugality and being obsessive to a point that there is no return.

There is definitely a lot we can learn from these types of stories.

[EDMO 1078]

Got an initial report on my friend's "repaired" Luscombe - He took 120 photos and started calling head of insurance and all the others involved:   Remember, this was a "award-winning show-plane".

1.  oilcan dents in belly and another panel - one was strengthened by a riveted angle - still shows dent

2.  red and other colored screws where white should be, or other way around

3.  lower windshield attach strip not drilled, and white silicone put where screws were originally- paint on roof damaged

4.  fuselage was painted with doors closed - paint don't match

5.  engine was not protected - has heavy coating of sanding dust and paint on it.

6.  prop bolts overtightened - not torqued.

7.  overspray on upholstery.

Meetings are scheduled with insurance.

EDMO

[lostman 198]

Wow, sounds like someone is in for it! Glad that they will at least meet to discuss it though. Anyone that says they are professional and then does that type of work deserves a little "visit".

[EDMO 1078]

Did I mention that this was supposed to be a "4-month" repair, and has taken over a year.  I think he said "18 months"!

He had more than I listed.

EDMO

Edited 18 Jan 2014 by Ed In Missouri

[dholly 718]

Sounds like someone took their chances... maybe with the low bid... and got bit alright. Why a 'perfectionist' would allow anyone other than a well-known specialty restoration shop at his award winning show plane is beyond me. 'Perfectionist' and 'cheapskate' are mutually exclusive IMHO, and I suppose I would know because I've been called both more than once!

[EDMO 1078]

Not Low Bid - Repair place recommended by insurance adjuster - maybe buddy?- Supposed to be an "expert" in Luscombe repair -   but we found out different about that...

You figure!

Damage estimate was $25K - a few more K would have totaled the bird - He would be better off that way - Going to sell it once it is fixed, because no longer "perfect".

EDMO