Kelly Landrum okay, Subie 6 is lost...

Just catching up on news after returning from vacation...

Kelly won a couple of awards for craftsmanship with his 6. Sounds like he is okay, but the 6 is a total loss.

Says he wants to use the engine again...

http://www.gazettevirginian.com/archivesfolder.html/10-03-2007.html

Object?

Since the photos were posted; what is the object mounted in between the hinges on the tip up canopy? Defroster tube?

I believe that's exactly what that is. Since they have real heat, one can run a line anywhere, and that looks like a shroud to spread the heat across the windshield.

Cause of Kelly Landrum's crash - in his own words

As you remember Kelly Landrum damaged his airplane a few month's back. He
writes the following:

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED. Quinti Flyspeed User Error!
I entered downwind,reduced power and went to flat pitch by pressing the
Flyspeeds up and down arrows simultaneously and deployed full flaps.
On short final realizing the airspeed was a little to hot for my short
strip, I executed a go-around. That's when the trouble started. Upon
powering and pitching up to clear obstacles past the end of my strip,
being power line, house and tall trees, in that order, I found myself
in deep trouble. Not anticipating doing a go-around, I had failed to
program Manual mode and Enter into the Flyspeed controller. Remember
them checklist we all are are supposed to use? The flyspeed went
course pitch. There was not enough time to clean up flaps and
reprogram the Flyspeed all while just barely clearing obstacles. The
wings stalled 50' above trees and I had about 1/2 second to slam full
forward stick and left rudder in order to ditch and stay upright. From
that point on the wrest of that ride was pretty horrific. Came down
brushing a tall wooded hedgerow and aimed it between two large
tree trunks. The wings took the blunt of the impact dissipating most
of the energy just prior to impacting the ground still wings level.
I'm almost knocked out, dazed, and Josie was long gone. I've since
purchased a new RV6 airframe constructed up to the finish kit by a
very meticulous mechanist in my area and the reconstruction is coming
along. I'll be using my canopy,turtle deck, tail group, instrument
panel and wiring harness, electronics and avionics and the engine, the
interior. Will have replace the prop,gearbox, oil cooler, cowl, gear,
and pants-fairings. So $30,000.00 and 2 years later,I might be back
where I was. At least I have the Piper Colt as my standby.
I want to thank everyone from the forum for there off-forum e-
mails and concerns about my well being. More later,,,
Kelly


Best,

Tim Naugler
RV-6 QB 60500
N251RV reserved
Kirkland, WA

Naug said:

<snip>I'm almost knocked out, dazed, and Josie was long gone.<snip>

Click to expand...

I don't get this part...was someone, or an animal hurt or something???


I'm glad to hear Kelly is building/rebuilding again.

Sorry about the plane, but I like the tree trunks dissipating energy part. I now know of three local incidents (not including yours), where landing in trees, or between trees, took the brunt of forces, and the occupants escaped serious injury.

L.Adamson

Prickly pear cactus

L.Adamson said:

Sorry about the plane, but I like the tree trunks dissipating energy part. I now know of three local incidents (not including yours), where landing in trees, or between trees, took the brunt of forces, and the occupants escaped serious injury.

L.Adamson

Click to expand...

If you are out in the West... a local Mooney pilot showed that landing in prickly pear cactus does the same thing.
Dissipated energy nicely until she slid into a mesquite tree. The tree is what really damaged the wing....

Not a test I would like to repeat... gil A

Not anticipating doing a go-around, I had failed to
program Manual mode and Enter into the Flyspeed controller


What the heck is a flyspeed controller?

I think if I read this right, the next time you use this system, always put things on manual mode for landing. I know when I do a go around, very rare, but when I do, everything happens real quick and the only thing I want to do is put in full power and maybe raise the flaps. In fact I have to say, that's all I think of. I also practice touch and go's with the flaps down, just in case I do a bone head and forget that. On a go around I WILL NOT pull out the check list, so keep it simple and things will work out just fine.

One more thing, why didn't you anticipate a go around, I think of it every time I land. Always be prepared.

allbee said:

Not anticipating doing a go-around, I had failed to
program Manual mode and Enter into the Flyspeed controller


What the heck is a flyspeed controller?

Click to expand...

All Bee -

The flyspeed controller is Quinti's system to control pitch of their propeller. It is a computer that needs programming and attention unlike the more simple constant speed controllers we Americans are familiar with. It is a system that adjusts prop rpm automatically based on manifold pressure and in some instances time. There is a procedure to get it into the go around mode. I had one 4 years ago and was quite proficient using it but have forgotten most of it since going with MT. You can educate your self on it by going to Quinti's web site and down loading an owners manual.

Beyond that, to Kelly Landrum's credit, he has reported what happened and why.

Naug said:

As you remember Kelly Landrum damaged his airplane a few month's back. He
writes the following: (snip)The flyspeed went
course pitch. There was not enough time to clean up flaps and
reprogram the Flyspeed all while just barely clearing obstacles. The
wings stalled 50' above trees (snip)

Click to expand...

I think I understand this accident, but it seems to be as much a design/setup issue as a pilot error/human factors one.

It seems obvious that the workload was unnecessarily high, which contributed to the pilot error.

I'm bothered though, that this RV couldn't make a go-around even with the flaps down and the prop in coarse pitch. RVs have really sporty power:weight ratios and the flaps just aren't that big.

Fixed-pitch RVs with cruise props are always in "coarse pitch" and they don't have any trouble outclimbing typical Cessnas. This airplane was apparently unable to maintain altitude, much less climb.

Does the Quinti setup have a coarse pitch stop? It seems to me that it was too easy to have the airplane configured in such a way that it wouldn't climb.

I'm reminded of some old Citabrias that had the mixture and carb heat knobs close together and similarly shaped. If a pilot (who shall remain nameless) forgot the carb heat until turning base, and grabbed it quickly while looking over his shoulder at the runway, he might be rewarded with silence. Always a good vocabulary builder...

Low power

James, a friend of mine nearby has a 4 cyl Subie in his -7. It's really short-winded. I gave him a BFR in it and we could only manage 162 MPH at 34" and 4800 RPM's/2700 prop RPM's. We figured it might make 130 HP based on his max fuel consumption of 7.2 GPH.

Regards,