95 year old pilot crashes

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Jim Logajan

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Saw a TV report about this accident at Toledo State airport in Oregon - the pilot has been flying for 71 years (since ~1941 by my count):

http://www.kval.com/news/local/95-year-old-pilot-crashes-small-plane-in-Toledo-168396796.html

The guy was interviewed at the hospital and sounds like he'll be OK. He also sounds like quite a character. Here is a video someone made of the aftermath - the fireman is obviously misinformed and appears to realize that, but provides an explanation anyway:


Toledo State airport is one of 28 airports operated by the state of Oregon and is allegedly the shortest operated by them, at 1750 ft. It is one of 9 airports that make their "Warning Airports" list because it is advisable to use a non-standard approach. I've landed there once - about a month ago - in a rented C-172. I now know how to handle an accidental ELT activation. The plane appeared fine afterwords - I don't know why it screamed. It flew fine when I later took it down to Shelter Cove.

I, and probably the accident pilot, did follow the recommended approach down the river which can be seen fairly well executed by this fellow who exercised better speed control than I and clearly had a high opinion of his landing:

 
That will buff right out. :D

Amazing how you stick a camera in front of someone and they become an expert.
 
Brake/Aileron assembly failure. Haha. They're interconnected, of course. ;)
 
"172"
Suuuure....

So how long was that sucker leaking fuel before he bent it you think?
 
Threefingeredjack said:
Is it just me, or did the guy in the video drag that plane it for a Verrrry long time?
Click to expand...

If you mean the landing video, yeah, for about 40 seconds; he increased the throttle from 0:20 to 1:00 to maintain altitude; he appeared to be at his desired approach speed at the beginning of the video and was fairly level over the river. Stall horn just before he was over the numbers on a pretty flat approach.

By the way, here's an interview with the 95 year old accident pilot with his explanation:

 
Skylane81E said:
"172"
Suuuure....
Click to expand...

Original news article got it wrong; it was a 152. They even spelled his name wrong; it has two "g"s. The two aspects that made this otherwise pedestrian accident interesting to me was the age of the pilot and that it happened at an airport I recently landed at and found it demanding of my modest abilities.

I wouldn't mind flying for another 73 years (he started in 1939) but they'll need to increase maximum human lifespan for me to accomplish that since I started so late.
 
I've been in an aircraft with an uncommanded off airport divergence. This one was due to a flat tire. Things happen fast, and can happen to anyone. Don't know enough to say whether or not the fellow's fogeyhood contributed. Still, having a codger like that still flying gives a shot in the arm to all GA.
 
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