JEK
Senior Insider
The windsocks say not so much!
Small airplane crashed a bit on landing just now
- Thread starter shihadehs
- Start date
JEK
Senior Insider
I think the starboard strut folded like a piece of paper - too much force.
Posted before?
PIRATE40
Senior Insider
Way to high, should be in ground effect coming down the hill....4-5 above, then stall about 1-2 feet above runway....he dove for the runway and resulted in downward force he could not overcome....IMHO
+1
Glad that the occupants made it safe.
Simply put, this was a hard landing followed by landing gear collapse. The investigation will say, but it does look like a structural failure of the right landing gear due to the strong impact (a contributing factor could also be that the right landing gear was not "locked" properly).
The plane was high, winds normal, but nothing out of control. A recovery before touching down was probably possible, by adding a little engine power to regain lift and aircraft control, and/or by pitching up slightly (raising the aircraft nose) to regain ground effect just before touchdown. Either way, from the video, it seems the last part of this approach was unstable and a go-around should have been initiated when above the hill. As the saying goes "every landing is a possible go around, be always prepared". Since an instructor was on board, it might have been a training flight with a student at the controls (as often pilots from Guadeloupe fly to SBH for training and obtain their airport qualification).
It is sad to see another cute little airplane being damaged.
Tail number F-BRAE (French registered) belongs to the flying club of Pointe-à-Pitre "Les Ailes Guadeloupéennes" and is well known in the Caribbean. It is an American-made Piper Aircraft Cherokee PA28R-180 manufactured in 1968. (the "R" stands for "retractable landing gear" and the "180" for the engine power). Powered by a 4-cylinder Lycoming piston engine. I believe the aircraft should be repairable, however this will be a lot of work and $$ (airframe repair, landing gear repair, propeller replacement, and engine inspection/overhaul due to the prop strike). The insurance company might just decide that's it's not worth it and scrap it.
Simply put, this was a hard landing followed by landing gear collapse. The investigation will say, but it does look like a structural failure of the right landing gear due to the strong impact (a contributing factor could also be that the right landing gear was not "locked" properly).
The plane was high, winds normal, but nothing out of control. A recovery before touching down was probably possible, by adding a little engine power to regain lift and aircraft control, and/or by pitching up slightly (raising the aircraft nose) to regain ground effect just before touchdown. Either way, from the video, it seems the last part of this approach was unstable and a go-around should have been initiated when above the hill. As the saying goes "every landing is a possible go around, be always prepared". Since an instructor was on board, it might have been a training flight with a student at the controls (as often pilots from Guadeloupe fly to SBH for training and obtain their airport qualification).
It is sad to see another cute little airplane being damaged.
Tail number F-BRAE (French registered) belongs to the flying club of Pointe-à-Pitre "Les Ailes Guadeloupéennes" and is well known in the Caribbean. It is an American-made Piper Aircraft Cherokee PA28R-180 manufactured in 1968. (the "R" stands for "retractable landing gear" and the "180" for the engine power). Powered by a 4-cylinder Lycoming piston engine. I believe the aircraft should be repairable, however this will be a lot of work and $$ (airframe repair, landing gear repair, propeller replacement, and engine inspection/overhaul due to the prop strike). The insurance company might just decide that's it's not worth it and scrap it.
amyb
Senior Insider
So right, Charlie.
The damaged plane is sad to see. I am reminded of the broken sircraft that was atop the debris pile near MarchU following Irma.
:up:
