Cessna 180 Crash - Lampasas, TX

Lowflynjack

Lowflynjack

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Jack Fleetwood
Back in March, on a windy day, I got a call that a Cessna 180 had crashed into the trees at Lampasas. My first thought was that it was very windy. I was glad the pilot was okay, sad that the plane was not.

Today I saw the video! This idiot killed this plane! Enjoy!


On March 30, 2022, a Cessna 180, registration N4738B, was involved in an accident at Lampasas Airport (KLZZ), Lampasas, Texas, when the pilot, Robert Earhart, attempted to take off in high winds and crashed into trees. According to Mr. Earhart, when he landed at Lampasas, the landing was "rough" and right at the edge of the airplane's crosswind capabilities. Due to the strong crosswind, Earhart thought that he would be better off taking off from the perpendicular taxiway that was oriented more into the wind. Earhart reported that the wind was not as strong as he had thought and he wasn't able to clear the trees in the departure path. When asked if there were any mechanical problems with the airplane, he stated that there were none. Earhart further noted that he had owned the airplane since 1983. His intended destination was the Lakeview Airport in Dallas, Texas (30F).
 
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That wasn't even close to a proper short field take off. I think this guy was not running on all cylinders, whether chemically induced, or natural.
 
He owned the plane since 1983 and I hear he flew a lot. Not sure why he thought this was a good idea, but I’m assuming it wasn’t the first time he did it!
 
I can almost hear him yelling "hold my beer" out the window as he rolls by.
 
Send it!!!
Glad no one got hurt. This was rather hilarious to watch. Guy pulled out the camera for the sole purpose to document this.

anyone else ever pull out the phone with the intent of having something to show NTSB later on if needed???
 
It looks like his intention was to taxi. If that engine was making full power it’s a lot quiter than mine. That wasn’t a runway and not aligned with wind. He lost it before crossing the intersection. The video doesn’t make any sense.
 
Stewartb said:
It looks like his intention was to taxi. That wasn’t a runway and not aligned with wind. Was there a malfunction with the throttle? Very odd.
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He stated it was an intentional takeoff due to crosswinds.
 
Stewartb said:
It looks like his intention was to taxi. That wasn’t a runway and not aligned with wind. Was there a malfunction with the throttle? Very odd.
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No, he intended to take off! He admits it. He was moving so fast, that I thought someone had sped up the video to shorten it while he was taxiing out!
 
If that’s a runway running left-right, that would have been a better choice. A crosswind for the left is easier to manage than from the right. Oh well, stuff happens.
 
Knew it was a crash video, but when I started watching it I thought, “you’re going to make me watch the taxi out to the runway too?” What I saw next was unexpected and takes some alternate thinking to assume it was a good idea.
 
Crazy!!! My first thought was a full throttle start with a stuck throttle; even fools deserve the benefit of the doubt. If he did that intentionally...no room for doubt.
 
benyflyguy said:
Send it!!!
Glad no one got hurt. This was rather hilarious to watch. Guy pulled out the camera for the sole purpose to document this.

anyone else ever pull out the phone with the intent of having something to show NTSB later on if needed???
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One of our plane partners drove by shortly after this crash happened. He sent us all a text saying it wasn’t our plane that crashed. Winds were howling that day.
 
Macho attitude ,sounds like he has used taxi ways as runways before this attempt.
 
You can hear the narrator say the wind was right down the runway now, so obviously it had shifted. He executed a flawed plan. Humans do that sometimes.
 
Just how long is that taxiway, anyhow? I don’t see how on earth he thought he could make it. Heck, he didn’t even get the tailwheel up before he tried to rotate.
 
Rgbeard said:
I think instead of cognitive decline this is simply a case of having gotten away with something, more than once.
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Certainly. I’m sure this wasn’t the first time something of this nature had been attempted.
 
RyanB said:
Certainly. I’m sure this wasn’t the first time something of this nature had been attempted.
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Hey, if Mike Patey had done this with Draco, it wouldn't have become salvage.
 
Does the hangar to the right look like it might be blocking the view of final for the actual runway?
 
This is one where I wonder what the insurer is going to do.

Or if it was insured at all.
 
That plane looks repairable. If goes out to auction it’ll sell easily.
 
That's better than I could do....
 
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