Dr Van Snow's crash(from Santa Ynez,Ca)

T

ted gilbertson

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If there is anyone in the Santa Ynez,Ca area that has any idea what happened to Dr Van Snow it would be nice to know since my wife's family knew him. All we know is her was flying his Harmon Rocket and had a mechanical problem.
Just read more news coverage and as usual the word "Home built" was plastered on every headline! The plane he was flying was not a Hamon rocket but a F-1 Rocket. The last crash of a homebuilt made front page. What is the media's obsession with so called "Home Made airplanes?"
 
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ted gilbertson said:
If there is anyone in the Santa Ynez,Ca area that has any idea what happened to Dr Van Snow it would be nice to know since my wife's family knew him. All we know is her was flying his Harmon Rocket and had a mechanical problem.
Just read more news coverage and as usual the word "Home built" was plastered on every headline! The plane he was flying was not a Hamon rocket but a F-1 Rocket. The last crash of a homebuilt made front page. What is the media's obsession with so called "Home Made airplanes?"
Click to expand...

It has not been a good week for experimentals at all. Go back for the entire week and a few days before that. Several RV-6s and other designs have gone down and taken their pilots and passengers with them..

Godspeed to all.

http://www.faa.gov/data_research/accident_incident/preliminary_data/events01/index.cfm

Ben
 
There is a preliminary NTSB report that is now available: http://ntsb.gov/ntsb/GenPDF.asp?id=WPR10LA195&rpt=p

I was there that day and was circling in the holding area with a student of mine, next in line to fly after Van. The only thing I would add to the NTSB report is a note to pilots to maintain your situational awareness. The pilot took the time to talk to his coach on the radio as precious altitude disappeared. There was enough time for a couple of exchanges, back and forth. It is time the pilot should have spent trying to get out of the airplane. Think about that before you take off for an aerobatic flight. Resolve that you are going to get out if there is a problem and you are going to do it quickly, no matter how fast you are going nor how low you are. If there is the chance to gain altitude and slow down, great, but make sure you get out of the airplane. Talking on the radio can wait.
 
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