Beverly MA, 17 YO student pilot lands after wheel fell off.

Sounded like Alan Alda to me too. She did a wonderful job.
 
Just watched an interview with Maggie on wbz tv, don't see it on line yet, but she is a brave kid. Her dad is a pilot also and saw the approach to land and said she did a better job than he would have under the circumstances. She is flying as a hobby now, but aspires to be an Air Force pilot. She is already tested under fire so I'm sure she will do well.
 
Matthew said:
Possible dinner table conversation:

Parent #1: I'm so proud of you, honey!
Parent #2: I TOLD you she shouldn't be in those dangerous little airplanes!

--

It was good CRM by all those involved - keep her head clear so she could fly the plane, which she did very well. Come up with a plan, then work the plan. Remind her there's no need to panic, to land it like she's already done hundreds of times, no big deal.

edit:

Actually, there's a certain phrase that always make me pause to think, and that's "say intentions". When tower said, "Hey, parts of your airplane are falling off, say intentions", I kind of figure that might have caused a little bit of a WTF moment, but she recovered well.
Click to expand...
Someday, some with a quick wit will reply to "Say intentions" with "Survive this".
 
midwestpa24 said:
The problem is without the links, the wheel is also free to turn around the strut. One instance that occurred near here the link broken on landing and allowed the wheel to toe out about 30 degrees, making taxiing impossible. Probably almost better for it to fall off than wind up turned 90 degrees. Although it would be even better to see a SB or AD on the issue, but that hasn't happened that I know of. I know our local flight school does thorough inspections of all PA-28 gear during 100 hour and annuals, and has replaced several in the fleet that were cracked.
Click to expand...

There already is an AD for certain torque links. It’s real too, I found one airplane with every single link cracked when I checked them.
 
So in this situation what is the proper thing to do with the landing? Just standard landing on centerline as slow as possible? Land at a bit of an angle as I’d guess you’ll get pulled hard in the direction of the offed wheel?
 
I was actually at HEF one day and caught wind on the tower frequency there was a Robin coming in that had lost the nose gear. Watched the guy land real nice and saw sparks from the stub of the nose gear. Other than that a non-event. Granted landing on two mains is a lot easier than on only one.

I was at OSH once and caught the landing of a P-51 that the right main wouldn't come down. Again, she did a great job setting it down on the good one and keeping it straight until it slowed to the lack of controlability and it groundlooped into the dirt.
 
Eric Gleason said:
Is the failure something that can be seen during preflight?
Sounds like she did a great job, at least as good as many pilots would.
Click to expand...

It's a student pilot ... I've had stuff fail that I had a mechanic say was fine 30 minutes prior.

scorpio said:
So in this situation what is the proper thing to do with the landing? Just standard landing on centerline as slow as possible? Land at a bit of an angle as I’d guess you’ll get pulled hard in the direction of the offed wheel?
Click to expand...

Imagine same as a flat, it's going to pull hard as your slowing ... so much so that it'll take FULL rudder and a TON of opposite brake. I've only had one flat, but it was on a rain slick runway, so I'm not sure if I caught a bit of a break/brake (pun intended).
 
Matthew said:
edit:

Actually, there's a certain phrase that always make me pause to think, and that's "say intentions". When tower said, "Hey, parts of your airplane are falling off, say intentions", I kind of figure that might have caused a little bit of a WTF moment, but she recovered well.
Click to expand...

I'd have a different reaction than her, that's for sure.

"Well first I'm going to pee myself a little, then I'm going to fly in circles until the tears stop, then I'm going to put a divot in the runway and hopefully not die. You?"



Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
 
danhagan said:
It's a student pilot ... I've had stuff fail that I had a mechanic say was fine 30 minutes prior.



Imagine same as a flat, it's going to pull hard as your slowing ... so much so that it'll take FULL rudder and a TON of opposite brake. I've only had one flat, but it was on a rain slick runway, so I'm not sure if I caught a bit of a break/brake (pun intended).
Click to expand...
I wouldn't be surprised if the stump had less ground friction (on a pave runway) than a flat tire.
 
Yeas ago I was working at Great Falls, Mt, when the flight service station (there were FS everywhere then)
said a plane had taken off from Cut Bank, Mt and had lost a wheel on take off. Pilot decided to try land at GTF since we emergency equipment. Pilot in a small high wing plane (don't recall type) came in as slow as he coult and put it on the grass, slowing on one wheel until momentum was lost. No scratches on paint as high wing slowly let down. A bit of grass and dirt on the axle but that's all. Great job.
 
Pilot did a great job, especially not panicking. And this is another good reason to use slips for crosswind correction rather than crab and kick... ;)
 
AD 72-08-06 torque link is a old A/D if you have the old dog bone shape torque link it applies they are prone to cracks and repetitive inspections. The new or replacement one has something like ribs or more beef to it and does away with the repetitive inspection. From the picture of the missing strut and what is left of the torque link looks like the old dog bone shape link. If the link breaks you get what happened in the picture the strut and wheel depart the plane and go someplace, hope it does not hit anybody but that is the chance you take with the old torque links.
 
Last edited:
What a great story!

I had just pulled into my tie-down and was getting the aircraft wrapped up for the day, we just had a small airshow at the field and a DC-3 and Waco were giving rides, so I watched the DC-3 take off, then was watching the Waco sitting on the Bravo taxiway waiting for it to take off, (not paying attention to the Warrior) when it turned back and headed towards the apron, I assumed the passenger got cold feet or something. So I ran into the hangar to answer the call of nature, while in there my phone begins to get texts left and right from my co-workers "you in Beverly? You at the airport? Was it you?" (Working in public safety, as many as my friends do, we know when somethings going down as it happens and an Alert 2 at BVY draws on 4 different fire departments and 2 EMS agencies to respond so it is put out on the area-wide fire mutual aid radio for all to hear) So I head back outside to the sound of sirens, grab the handheld radio as the warrior flew overhead, didn't pick up on it until its third pass that it was missing the wheel.

Flight instructors got whisked across the field to the tower and you can hear the rest on the recordings above, everyone did an awesome job. It was a super smooth approach and the landing was a greaser, she departed the left side of the runway and did some damage when she bounced over the taxi-way (heard it will need at-least a new wing), but given the circumstances it was a stellar performance. My tie-down is basically opposite the 1000' markers on runway 9 so standing up on the Cheetah I had a front-row seat. Only wish I had got it on video it, I'm sure she and her father (also a pilot) and her instructors would have loved to have watched it, had my good camera with me too...oh well.

Did take a pic after she got it stopped and got out safely.
ZuIf3ig.jpg
 
Saw a news clip yesterday. There are a few mistakes in this thread: She has 60 hours and a plastic pilot certificate that she displayed to the camera; it was her first solo cross-country, not her first or second solo (hard to make that fit with having a certificate, right? That part is questionable). Good job by her and her instructor.

Bob
 
bobmrg said:
Saw a news clip yesterday. There are a few mistakes in this thread: She has 60 hours and a plastic pilot certificate that she displayed to the camera; it was her first solo cross-country, not her first or second solo (hard to make that fit with having a certificate, right? That part is questionable). Good job by her and her instructor.

Bob
Click to expand...

Yeah, the one video I saw said it was her first solo flight and that she was on her way to Portland so I assumed that they meant it was her first solo cross country, not her first solo period.

I didn't see the plastic pilot certificate but it was probably a student certificate which of course she would need to have for solo. I don't see the significance of that fact.

The 60 hours just means that it probably took her a bit longer than average to learn to safely land, but learn she did. :)
 
bobmrg said:
Saw a news clip yesterday. There are a few mistakes in this thread: She has 60 hours and a plastic pilot certificate that she displayed to the camera; it was her first solo cross-country, not her first or second solo (hard to make that fit with having a certificate, right? That part is questionable). Good job by her and her instructor.

Bob
Click to expand...
I looked her up on the FAA registry and she is listed as a student pilot, which she told the FAA. I don't know what they issue student pilots now, but if they don't issue plastic it might be her father's license she is holding up.
 
PaulS said:
I looked her up on the FAA registry and she is listed as a student pilot, which she told the FAA. I don't know what they issue student pilots now, but if they don't issue plastic it might be her father's license she is holding up.
Click to expand...

Yes, student pilots *do* get green plastic certificates these days.
 
bobmrg said:
Saw a news clip yesterday. There are a few mistakes in this thread: She has 60 hours and a plastic pilot certificate that she displayed to the camera; it was her first solo cross-country, not her first or second solo (hard to make that fit with having a certificate, right? That part is questionable). Good job by her and her instructor.

Bob
Click to expand...
Student pilots get plastic certificates now that the AMEs don't issue them. In a pinch, the FSDO can issue a paper temporary, but the way you're supposed to do is wait for the IACRA submission to cause your plastic one to be issued.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top