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RV-14A Empennage Kit Arrives in Damaged Crate

bk1bennett

Well Known Member
Last Friday I took delivery of my very first shipment from Van's: the RV-14A Empennage Kit. You probably know the anticipation of tracking the progress of the kit as it traveled from the factory to my home. I was very excited as it made its way from Oregon to the Dallas area. I was hoping to avoid dealing with crate damage, which I know others have experienced and have documented here at VAF. Unfortunately, I was very surprised at the very unusual failure that the crate sustained in shipment.

When the truck driver opened up, I was greeted with this awkward scene, sinking my hopes of a clean shipment:

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Two bright red arrows were pointing to the west instead of toward the sky, which I was pretty sure was the packager's intent. I was more than a little miffed that FedEx didn't seem to share my understanding of the meaning of those arrows. The lid of the crate was mostly detached and packing material was visible. I remained as calm as I could. It turns out that the shipper probably oriented the crate the way it did in an effort to preserve the contents, which may have indeed been a good move, but you have to see more of the story to understand.

When the driver went back to the crate to start the process of unloading it, I was further dismayed when he pulled the paper work off the floor beside the crate. You can imagine my surprise when that appeared to be the only stuff that fell out. After some successful manipulation of the crate, he managed to get it where I could take more photos:

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From what I could observe, either the crating concept was heavily flawed or the supports were damaged and lost. It appears that the bottom of the crate in the center of the length was elevated by double two-by-fours, ostensibly to provide clearance for a forklift. In fact, the double 2x4 was only on one side of the crate when it arrived, such that the crate not only bowed in the center of the length, but also it was tilted to one side. On the ends, the supporting stock under the crate is 1x4, creating a see-saw configuration, which puts the crate in bending under a load. The bending load failed the side wall of the crate at the location of a giant knot, resulting in a long split of the wood.

If there was a metal band on both ends of the crate when it left the factory (I need to look for evidence of it), it didn't survive. Only one band was on the crate when it arrived.

The miracle is that so far I haven't found any damage to the contents. The top of the crate had two long tail-cone skins that appear to be ok, which is remarkable given that I could see the blue film on the skins from several feet away. There is a lot of wadded shipping paper and some cardboard that appears to have protected the contents fairly well.

I was gone over the Memorial Day weekend (which helps provide perspective -- the cemeteries are full of men who gave their lives for my freedom), so I haven't done much in the way of inventory, yet.

I am considering how to communicate this issue to Van's. I am not certain whether the shipping crate design is the root cause. However, it seems that, unless parts of the crate were damaged by abusive handling, that the shipping crate could be vastly improved for a minor investment of time and money.

I am open to your advice!

This is not the "announcement" that I'd hoped to issue for my first substantive post, but I am very excited to be starting the journey. Like a lot of people, I wish I had more space and more time, but I am going to methodically go through the process and do the best job that I can. I am sure I'll be needing your help and advice along the way.
 
Brian,
I can assure you that the crate is missing quite a few parts and looks nothing like it did when it left Van's.

You will likely see evidence that it originally had other metal bands vs the one that remains (I can see evidence on the lateral board at the end that is broken open).

Hundreds of these types of crates have been shipped (300+ for RV-14 and 1000+ for RV-10) with the majority of them arriving intact with no parts damaged.
You just happened to get the one that occasionally happens.....
 
Options?

Does the customer have the option of refusing the shipment when the shipping crate has been so obviously damaged?

Or is one obligated to receive the shipment "as-is" and then work out an insurance claim with the carrier and/or shipper?
 
Does the customer have the option of refusing the shipment when the shipping crate has been so obviously damaged?

Or is one obligated to receive the shipment "as-is" and then work out an insurance claim with the carrier and/or shipper?

My driver gave me the option of refusing the shipment, but I did not do it.

I did file a claim with FedEx, which I believe is the process that Van's wants me to follow. I now have to inventory and assess damage to finish the claim with FedEx.
 
Brian,
I can assure you that the crate is missing quite a few parts and looks nothing like it did when it left Van's.

You will likely see evidence that it originally had other metal bands vs the one that remains (I can see evidence on the lateral board at the end that is broken open).

Hundreds of these types of crates have been shipped (300+ for RV-14 and 1000+ for RV-10) with the majority of them arriving intact with no parts damaged.
You just happened to get the one that occasionally happens.....

Yes, I can see the evidence of bands, too.

Coincidentally, I have had two other large shipments in the past few months that were also heavily damaged. I am 0 for 3 in large freight.
 
Frustrating .. same thing happened to my empennage kit, looked like they drove the forklift through it .. quick inventory of damaged parts and call to Vans and the replacement parts showed up a few days later. Vans was great at getting it resolved quickly and with minimal hassle.
 
Frustrating .. same thing happened to my empennage kit, looked like they drove the forklift through it .. quick inventory of damaged parts and call to Vans and the replacement parts showed up a few days later. Vans was great at getting it resolved quickly and with minimal hassle.

I think forklift blight would be worse --- you can scarcely avoid damage in that scenario! Glad to hear Van's made it right for you!
 
I'm convinced that Fedex Ground/Freight simply doesn't care wholesale .. I've had nothing but bad experiences with shipments through them. Regular FedEx, however, has been great.
 
Brian,
I can assure you that the crate is missing quite a few parts and looks nothing like it did when it left Van's.

I think I just understood your meaning: It' missing quite a few EXTERNAL parts. I am really having a hard time understanding what in the heck FedEX did to the crate. It's wacky, but I'm not going to waste many calories on it. My hope is that it's not missing any INTERNAL parts!
 
Frustrating!

I had to deal with the same busted crate from FedEx in January. If you look at my blog under "Empennage kit delivery", you can see the very damaged crate! While the truck was still at the hangar (prior to unloading), I called Van's for guidance. Following the phone call, I refused the shipment and the truck driver drove away with the jacked up crate. Like Scott said, I was also concerned about parts that may have been missing since the entire top of the crate was detached. Van's said they would handle the claim with FedEx. About a month later, the second empennage shipment arrived with barely a scratch on it....also from FedEx with the same truck driver.

Other than refusing the crate at delivery, I didn't do anything during the process. Kim from Van's handled everything and was a pleasure to work with.
 
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I suggest you very carefully inspect the large skins: I missed some damage one one sking that was partially hidden by the blue plastic (looked like a minor tear, but skin had full-thickness damage underneath). Vans stepped up and took care of it when I found the damage later. As much damage as you have to the crate means some of the items inside may have been crushed against others - in my case I think a long angle perforated the skin with a very innocent looking little tear in the blue plastic.
 
I had to deal with the same busted crate from FedEx in January. If you look at my blog under "Empennage kit delivery", you can see the very damaged crate! While the truck was still at the hangar (prior to unloading), I called Van's for guidance. Following the phone call, I refused the shipment and the truck driver drove away with the jacked up crate. Like Scott said, I was also concerned about parts that may have been missing since the entire top of the crate was detached. Van's said they would handle the claim with FedEx. About a month later, the second empennage shipment arrived with barely a scratch on it....also from FedEx with the same truck driver.

Other than refusing the crate at delivery, I didn't do anything during the process. Kim from Van's handled everything and was a pleasure to work with.

Maybe I've made my first mistake -- I could have have refused to accept the shipment, too. I am disappointed in myself that I didn't even think about calling Van's when the shipment arrived in a damaged crate. Good "piloting" by you. The crate you sent back looks worse than mine is. Maybe I will get lucky.
 
regardless....

Based on what others who have posted, it sounds like Vans will get it all resolved and there is no wrong decision; refuse to accept or accept and work with Vans to get replacement parts as needed.
 
Was just notified that my -14 empennage shipped out today on OD, I hope it arrives undamaged. But lately my luck with heavy freight has not been the best.
 
I suggest you very carefully inspect the large skins: I missed some damage one one sking that was partially hidden by the blue plastic

Same here! Fortunately, Vans being a fantastic company to work with, they replaced it a month later.
 
I think I just understood your meaning: It' missing quite a few EXTERNAL parts. I am really having a hard time understanding what in the heck FedEX did to the crate. It's wacky, but I'm not going to waste many calories on it. My hope is that it's not missing any INTERNAL parts!

Correct
I meant exterior parts of the crate that are missing.
Can't comment on parts missing from the inside based on the photos
 
On both airplanes I had crate damage from forklifts that stuck forks into the crates. Both times Van's took good care of me, so always call them and let them know what's up. Both times too, the damage could have been far worse than it was, and it ended up being just some skins that needed being replaced if I remember correctly.

It does really baffle me why shippers don't pay attention to which side should be up, and stacking limitations, and all of the things that they do. Especially if they are on the hook for damages.
 
Same issue for me. Crushed/perforated wing kit from FedEx. After inventory and finding damaged parts, it was a simple matter of a call to Van's with follow up including emailing photos of the damage. They told me that as long as the freight is prepaid then it is on them (Van's) to deal with claims against the shipping company. I had my replacement parts within a week. Very painless and excellent support from Van's.
 
I have used Old Dominion and ABF to deliver my kits and they have been excellent. Because of continuous issues with FED EX over the last several years, I avoid them at all costs
 
If it is expected that the shipper ship an item like this with the arrows up, expect something to be stacked on top of it.

As far as the missing strap and 1X on the broken end of the crate, forklift drivers use that 1X to push the crate into position and if it fails, it does not get replaced.
 
At the expense of being flamed, I don't think it was the forklift, just a crappy plank on the side of the crate. Where it broke is a typical fault line.
 
Also at the expense of getting flamed, think about how many transfers that crate made from Oregon to Dallas, not only in the terminals, but moving around in the trailers too. This does seem to be a problem with Fed EX. I wonder if they would like it if someone treated one of their planes like this?

Tom
 
Back in the early 90's I was waiting, waiting & waiting for my 6 wing kit to arrive. A call to the shipping/trucking company told me to come and pick it up at their dock. I arrived, looked at all my wing parts laying on the floor. I refused it, and left. It was shipped back to Van's. They inspected, repacked and shipped it back in good shape. However, a fork lift fork pushed on one end of the spar crate and bent the tip of the spar web which I repaired ok. That's my experience.....
 
Me too...

Get used to it.

Every single large delivery that I have received has had some sort of damage. It started with the empennage kit, just like yours. Looked like they speared mine with a forklift and I ended up replacing the HS spar. Van's was great and I had the part in no time.

I bought the QB kits and had Partain deliver them...no damage whatsoever.

Showplanes cowl...crate damaged.

BPE IO-540...crate damaged.

Most recently, MT prop...crate damaged.

Luckily, nothing inside those crates had been damaged, as far as I can tell. All issues were photographed and noted on the BOL.

Even with the massive $$$ Aircraft parts $$$ on the crates, the shipping companies just toss them around...:mad:
 
This is why shipping is so costly. Employees rushing and not caring. Someone has to pay for the damages and in the end it's the shipper with high fees.
 
One issue I have observed is that Van's attaches the skids with staples. Every crate I have received had at least one of the skids torn off.
This would be a good area to switch to drywall screws or similar.
When you start pushing crates with forklift forks, badness ensues.
 
Maybe a new thread?

Show a picture of the condition of your crate when delivered.

If Vans' crating is insufficient for the rigors of transportation (skids attached with staples vs. dry wall screws for example), might be helpful for them to see the condition of their customer's crate upon arrival.

Not saying there is a problem. Call it quality control on the receiving end.
 
Four kits on an RV12 delivered by ABF. I did pick them up at the freight terminal in Midland, TX, and hauled them home by trailer/pickup. No damage on any of them, except for one of the 2x4 lifts on the bottom of one crate being missing.
 
my wife's company ships truckloads of freight daily, using just about every trucking company there is. most of them just don't care about anything. its a fight every day to get them to make right the things they damage.

that crate looks like the skid ripped loose, so the forklift driver could not pick it up in the center, so he picked it up on the end where he could get the tines under, the load on the crate from being lifted on the end cracked the board alone the knot and pitch fault in the lumber.

good luck, im sure vans will get it set straight for you.

bob burns
RV-4 N82RB
 
Thanks for the help and comments on this thread. I now realize how very common it is to get a damaged crate.

I hope that the situation will improve someday. Freight companies are losing the opportunity to increase profits, and I would think they would gather metrics and take corrective action. If one company emerges as a better performer, they will begin getting more business from customers who demand quality service. It seems like there is real opportunity to develop a competitive advantage, based on the feedback from this thread.

What can Van's do? I agree that using more screws in crating may be beneficial. The crates are taking a beating, and staples don't do much for structural integrity. Once skids and lids fall off, the damage can get severe in a hurry.

In my particular case, I went through the contents of my crate last night and thoroughly inspected the skins for damage. I found none. In addition, my inventory has gone very well. So far, I haven't found any parts missing. It is obvious that the care that the Van's team took in internally packaging the contents saved a lot of damage. The paper, cardboard and packing materials protected the kit very nicely even though the crate was coming apart. I am very happy about that. Thank you Van's!
 
My kit should be here Wednesday. I'm anxious to get it, but wonder what kind of condition it will be in.
 
My kit should be here Wednesday. I'm anxious to get it, but wonder what kind of condition it will be in.

Don't let a few comments make you nervous.
I would guess a 100+ crates leave Van's each month.
Only a very small percentage of them ever have damage anywhere close to the what was seen in the photos in this thread.
 
Don't let a few comments make you nervous.
I would guess a 100+ crates leave Van's each month.
Only a very small percentage of them ever have damage anywhere close to the what was seen in the photos in this thread.

While nobody wants to see a damaged crate dropped off by the shipper, the good news is that the crate protected what was inside. That's my takeaway here - the crate did its job.
 
It strikes me that Vans does a very good business selling airplane parts - to freight companies! :eek:

-Marc
 
Now thats funny. I wonder how many RV's they could build with the parts they have damaged over the years.
 
Crate damage

Mine came with all external reinforcements gone, exterior plywood bowed and distorted, some openings at the corners, and four fork lift penetrations full depth into the box. But.. nothing inside was damaged even though everything shifted around. Miracle!
 
All the worry and for nothing (this time). Received my kit today and the crating was it excellent shape. Inventory and check the contents tomorrow, got to dark to finish tonight.
 
Epilogue

Returned from vacation yesterday. Finished inventory today. All parts present. 100%!!! No damage to the kit despite the abuse endured by the crate. Thank you, Van's. That's great performance!
 
Old Dominion

In all the crates I received from Van's for the 14 and now the 10, I have used Old Dominion. In all but one case, the crates were pristine, no exterior flaws at all. In the one case there was a little damage to the crate, there was no internal damage to the parts. Van's does a great job packing it up and I will always use Old Dominion.
 
+ 1 for Old Dominion

I've also had good service from Old Dominion. I've received two crates from them, one had minor damage but the contents were ok. The real point of note though, is that the driver, in each case, was very courteous and conscientious.
It went the same way both times. After getting the crate off the truck, which was no easy feat because of how it had been loaded, they pulled the crate 5 car lengths, up hill, to my garage and asked me where I wanted it and how I wanted it positioned. These guys were great! Old school American customer service.
 
Just for reference, I received my RV-14A finish kit yesterday and the box was in perfect condition. My buddy's finish kit arrived a couple of weeks ago the same way. Both were shipped by RoadRunner.
 
I've also had good service from Old Dominion. I've received two crates from them, one had minor damage but the contents were ok. The real point of note though, is that the driver, in each case, was very courteous and conscientious.
It went the same way both times. After getting the crate off the truck, which was no easy feat because of how it had been loaded, they pulled the crate 5 car lengths, up hill, to my garage and asked me where I wanted it and how I wanted it positioned. These guys were great! Old school American customer service.

I had an awful experience with Old Dominion. The crate arrived fine but the shipment was supposed to be collect and the driver who dropped the shipment off said the invoice would be forthcoming. Well, two months later it showed up with a 33% penalty tacked onto it. This was an invoicing problem and not a payment problem. They dug in pretty deep on the issue until I finally gave them the choice of getting paid for their services less the "shake down" fee or to send it for collection........they opted for the first option.
 
+1 Old Dominion Freight.

No hassles, the driver was great. I can only hope ALL the kits are ODF!
 
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