Bonanza gear up at San Antonio

[txflyer]

..be interesting to find out what the problem was..

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/lo...r-problems-circling-5593400.php#photo-6542422

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

If you are landing gear up wouldn't landing in the grass be preferable?
Softer, less sparks?

 

[MAKG1]

One of the photos shows the left gear mostly up, and the right and nose gear down.

Obviously, a problem isolated to the right main gear.

It looks like the pilot sucked the two good gear up for landing, which makes a whole lot of sense to me.

 

[B350ATP]

If you are landing gear up wouldn't landing in the grass be preferable?
Softer, less sparks?

unless a hidden ditch or ruts which could make things interesting. At this point, insurance owns the plane, I would probably elect to use pavement also

 

[MAKG1]

If you are landing gear up wouldn't landing in the grass be preferable?
Softer, less sparks?

No. Sparks are not the issue. Irregularity in the surface is.

That hole you didn't see under the grass is MUCH more dangerous than scraping the skin on the pavement.

And, aluminum doesn't spark. Steel does that.

 

[AggieMike88]

Something prevented gear deployment....

 

[B350ATP]

No. Sparks are not the issue. Irregularity in the surface is.

That hole you didn't see under the grass is MUCH more dangerous than scraping the skin on the pavement.

And, aluminum doesn't spark. Steel does that.

your post is 1 minute after mine, we are on the same brain-channel

 

[txflyer]

If you are landing gear up wouldn't landing in the grass be preferable?
Softer, less sparks?

I thought about that too, then thought maybe sliding is better than digging in?

We've had rains where we're at. I don't know about S.A.

 

[Norman]

If you are landing gear up wouldn't landing in the grass be preferable?
Softer, less sparks?

Based on my experience repairing them, there's less damage landing on pavement than on grass. Although, if the spar carry-through took a hit the Bo is toast.

 

[Sac Arrow]

No. Sparks are not the issue. Irregularity in the surface is.

That hole you didn't see under the grass is MUCH more dangerous than scraping the skin on the pavement.

And, aluminum doesn't spark. Steel does that.

Ah but the foot step....

 

[txflyer]

There's no video yet, so I can't tell if he tried to position the prop, but it doesn't look like he killed it before landing in the photos...?

I don't know if I could do that with everything going on either ...

Poor prop.

 

[B350ATP]

There's no video yet, so I can't tell if he tried to position the prop, but it doesn't look like he killed it before landing in the photos...?

I don't know if I could do that with everything going on ...

Poor prop.

My opinion is trying to do that is poor judgement. Especially on three bladed. Just focus on safe landing. Insurance is in charge at this point anyway.

 

[HighFlyingA380]

"Small plane with gear problems successfully lands at San Antonio International airport after dumping fuel."

Didn't know there were any light GA's that could dump fuel. Or is that just one of the many idiotic things the media says when referencing aviation?

 

[frfly172]

The report I watched on Fox News,said pilot was burning off the fuel. Watched the landing live ,pilot did a great job. Fox had live video on the landing.

 

[txflyer]

My opinion is trying to do that is poor judgement. Especially on three bladed. Just focus on safe landing. Insurance is in charge at this point anyway.

I agree. Trying to stop the prop and position it takes away from flying the thing all the way to the ground.

And I don't know what the exact flight characteristics are on our plane when you stop the windmill right before the flair. It's going to change maybe drastically, I can guarantee you that.

It's a grey area. I've seen one video of a guy with a two blade who did it and it looked like he saved his prop and a prop strike on the engine.

 

[bnt83]

Someone aught to STC a composite skid plate that just screws on.

All jets out there have "aux landing gear" noways mostly to protect fuel tanks during belly landings, but the system could easily be adapted to GA to protect structures.

 

[MAKG1]

Skid plates on 4WDs exist for just this purpose. A badly placed rock can whack the transmission or transfer case and instantly disable the vehicle in the middle of nowhere. Worse, the fuel tank can take a hit.

They are H E A V Y.

You can quite easily make a very safe airplane that's too heavy to fly. It's not like modern "light" aircraft aren't already substantially heavier than earlier versions of the same airframe. It's inexcusable that the useful load of a 172SP is less than that of a 172M, or that CAP has trouble fitting three adults (let alone four) in a 182 while remaining under max landing weight.

In a standard gear up landing, the fuel tank should not be at risk because it should never be in contact with the ground.

 

[bnt83]

In a standard gear up landing, the fuel tank should not be at risk because it should never be in contact with the ground.

Ever worked on anything with a center section wing that is a giant fuel tank?

Cessna 525 series have a removable belly mounted composite skid plate that covers the tank. Its not that heavy either.

Some have rails, some are plates, and the Embraer Legacy (think ERJ size) have a big skid

 

[MAKG1]

Ever worked on anything with a center section wing that is a giant fuel tank?

Cessna 525 series have a removable belly mounted composite skid plate that covers the tank. Its not that heavy either.

Some have rails, some are plates, and the Embraer Legacy (think ERJ size) have a big skid

Umm, those are not at all comparable to the light singles under discussion here. Those are small to medium jets with a whole helluva lot of excess thrust.

The wrecked aircraft is a Bonanza. Not a regional jet.

 

[bnt83]

Based on my experience repairing them, there's less damage landing on pavement than on grass. Although, if the spar carry-through took a hit the Bo is toast.

Someone aught to STC a composite skid plate that just screws on.

All jets out there have "aux landing gear" noways mostly to protect fuel tanks during belly landings, but the system could easily be adapted to GA to protect structures.

Umm, those are not at all comparable to the light singles under discussion here. Those are small to medium jets with a whole helluva lot of excess thrust.

The wrecked aircraft is a Bonanza. Not a regional jet.

 

[RotorAndWing]

Impossible! This is a Bonanza, and with all of that "quality" built in it simply cannot be mechanical!

 

[bnt83]

Impossible! This is a Bonanza, and with all of that "quality" built in it simply cannot be mechanical!

Imagine the crap that would be posted if it were a 337.

 

[Jimmy cooper]

This happened at national apt. In D.C. In the 80's with the FBO flying his own airplane, a bonanza. The plane was jacked up, the gear lowered, a new prop installed and he flew it back home to the eastern shore of maryland. In this case it looks like the pilot killed the engine prior to landing so engine may be fine. Happens a lot. In the case I mentioned, pilot was a former corsair pilot with thousands of hours. He simply forgot to lower the gear.

 

[RotorAndWing]

Imagine the crap that would be posted if it were a 337.

Well in another thread recently where the "bonanza quality" was being bloviated a poster was going on how a 182 gear leg fell off in flight and how "robust" the bonanza's gear is.

Any make can and will fail without proper maintenance.

 

[Jimmy cooper]

Well in another thread recently where the "bonanza quality" was being bloviated a poster was going on how a 182 gear leg fell off in flight and how "robust" the bonanza's gear is.

Any make can and will fail without proper maintenance.

Ahhhh, profound statement!

 

[txflyer]

Well in another thread recently where the "bonanza quality" was being bloviated a poster was going on how a 182 gear leg fell off in flight and how "robust" the bonanza's gear is.

Any make can and will fail without proper maintenance.

Yeah, but that remaining gear leg was one stout mothertrucker.....

I put Pponk's gear beef up kit on mine when the Sportsman STOL cuff went on. We inspected the main gear to frame assembly pretty close. There's a lot of debate on the boards about the kit, but it eases my mind, so in that sense, it was worth it. It wasn't an expensive mod. Added maybe a grand to the job. What I want is a mirror out on the starboard side so I can see my right wheel and gear without leaning way over solo. It bugs me sometimes. I want to see it.

That would be a rodeo. Landing with no right wheel and you don't know it...

 

[RoscoeT]

If you are landing gear up wouldn't landing in the grass be preferable?

No, you're more likely to cartwheel on grass. On pavement, it'll just slide to a smooth stop.

 

[Capt.Crash'n'Burn]

"Small plane with gear problems successfully lands at San Antonio International airport after dumping fuel."

Didn't know there were any light GA's that could dump fuel. Or is that just one of the many idiotic things the media says when referencing aviation?

A mis-quote on the part of the media. They spent about an hour flying around burning off excess fuel.

 

[Zeldman]

I had to land a Chieftain one time without any indication of the gear being locked. I dumped a load after I got out of the plane, but it wasn't gas.