Another accident at Gaston's last weekend

[Diana]

This is a cross post from the AOPA forum, but I thought those of you who don't go there might be interested...especially those of you who are planning to fly to Gaston's.

A friend of ours just flew in to visit, and told us there was another accident at Gaston's. He spent last weekend down there and the accident happened while he was eating in the restaurant. It was an American AA-1. (Don't know if you call those a Grumman or not?) The airplane came to rest beyond the end of Runway 6.

Anyway, here's the comment from the FAA accident site:

ACFT ON TAKEOFF, HIT A DIP, BECAME AIRBORNE, ABORTED TAKEOFF, WENT OFF THE RUNWAY AND DOWN AN EMBANKMENT COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR, LAKEVIEW, AR

Dave said they walked down and looked at it. It had a broken nose gear and a bent prop.

Here's the weather report from BPK about the time of the accident:

WEATHER: METAR BPK AUTO 222153Z 22008KT 10SM CLR 28/06 A2993

At least no one was injured this time.

 

[Steve]

There's my 8kt downwind limit....

 

[mikea]

This keeps up, and if they go after Gaston, there won't be a strip. We'll have to arrange caravans from the nearby airports and there goes the fun.

 

[AdamZ]

Wonder if that was Michael's Dip they hit. Diana the AA1 was an American Aircraft plane but it is generally consided a gruman as it was the precursor to the Gruman trainers the AA1A, 1B and 1C.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

Michael's "dip" isnt that far down the runway. I wonder what "The rest of the story" is.

 

[Ken Ibold]

Wonder if that was Michael's Dip they hit. Diana the AA1 was an American Aircraft plane but it is generally consided a gruman as it was the precursor to the Gruman trainers the AA1A, 1B and 1C.

Oh gosh, don't name it Michael's Dip. He'll be scarred for life!!!

 

[Michael]

Sigh.

"My" dip was more like a "hump". There was an actuall dip farther down the runway if i recall. I didnt get anywhere near that on takeoff, but i do remember feeling it while landing.

 

[Michael]

I thought i had a better picture of it, But Its real hard to see in these.

 

[bstratt]

Oh gosh, don't name it Michael's Dip. He'll be scarred for life!!!

I don't know - I suppose if you're going to be remembered for something it could be worse!

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

I thought i had a better picture of it, But Its real hard to see in these.

I'm glad it was just hurt egos from the dip...

BTW: Speaking of dips, if you want to see some real dips and humps, check out the public use airstrip trailhead at Soldier Bar ID.

LDG you touchdown uphill on the edge of the cliff just above MCA or so, so that you'll have enough roll time to slow enough to not become airborne again which would put your 2nd touchdown right onto the uphill slope of the second hump (which is a good place to collect wheel pants, wheels, and other body parts from those that have done so). Some guys prefer to touchdown just past the top of the second hump and let the ~10 degree upslope stop them in a few hundred feet or so.

Take off from the ~10 degree downslope is just very slow at first with not very much throttle until the first hump is cleared without becoming prematurely airborne, then full throttle and the second hump should boost you into ground effect if you're not there already, then on out over the cliff for the instant altitude even if you have a negative climb rate.

The PIX on mountainflying.com and the video clips on MountainFlyingVideos.com show a lot.

 

[SCCutler]

I wonder how heavy this fellow was... an AA1 should not have difficulty with Gaston's strip, even with 8 knots of tailwind.

 

[Steve]

Maybe a better name would be The Bockleman Prop Tip Dip....