Drunk Teen in Car De-Wings Pilatus, Portsmouth, NH 8/30/26

That's gonna be expensive.

After my first night flight, I got confused taxiing in and almost got stuck behind some airplanes. I was looking for a way through where there was a light pole. The CFI said "If you have a choice between a light pole and airplanes, hit the pole. It's much cheaper." Fortunately there was a space and I successfully didn't hit either...
 
Kenny Phillips said:
Hit a tractor, as well. In a state that doesn't require auto insurance. And he's a minor. And was wanted for other crimes.
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If you don't have insurance here you have to prove you have $75,000 available by depositing it with the state treasurer. You can also file a form with the state after an accident to prove you can pay and if you don't you lose your license until you do pay. Insurance is easier. Suspect this won't work well for him.

I have a friend who works for Plane Sense that is based to of there. That was their Pilatus.
 
Pugs said:
If you don't have insurance here you have to prove you have $75,000 available by depositing it with the state treasurer. You can also file a form with the state after an accident to prove you can pay and if you don't you lose your license until you do pay. Insurance is easier. Suspect this won't work well for him.

I have a friend who works for Plane Sense that is based to of there. That was their Pilatus.
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Well, Plane Sense (there's one based near me) certainly will have insurance. But as a minor, he's gonna find out the Wrath of Dad. I hope. Because subrogation is a thing.
 
Pugs said:
If you don't have insurance here you have to prove you have $75,000 available by depositing it with the state treasurer.
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really? I never knew that (but I'm in taxachusetts).

I hope the state treasurer is required to put it in some interest-bearing account and the interest follows the money.
 
Pugs said:
If you don't have insurance here you have to prove you have $75,000 available by depositing it with the state treasurer. You can also file a form with the state after an accident to prove you can pay and if you don't you lose your license until you do pay. Insurance is easier. Suspect this won't work well for him.

I have a friend who works for Plane Sense that is based to of there. That was their Pilatus.
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I couldn't find anything that says you have to do anything regarding proof of financial responsibility until after an accident. It must be there, right?
In Ohio, you must submit the proof to get your DL renewed, or a new registration, if you have no insurance.
 
I find the verbiage in the article interesting…

NH teen allegedly caused crash at airport while driving under the influence, police say​

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So he was driving under the influence and allegedly caused the crash

The suspect allegedly drove his car through a fence and across an aircraft parking apron before crashing into a tractor and an aircraft.​

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He crashed into a tractor and an aircraft, after allegedly driving his car through a fence.
A New Hampshire teen is facing criminal charges after allegedly driving while under the influence and causing a crash
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Now he was under the influence and caused a crash while allegedly driving.

:rofl:
 
MauleSkinner said:
I find the verbiage in the article interesting…

So he was driving under the influence and allegedly caused the crash

He crashed into a tractor and an aircraft, after allegedly driving his car through a fence.

Now he was under the influence and caused a crash while allegedly driving.

:rofl:
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Allegedly.....
 
Let's see:
Fleeing a traffic stop.
Eluding.
Speeding.
Crash into/ through fence
Crash into mule
Crash into Pilatus
Fight cops while being detained
Under the influence.
Underage

Fault: Air traffic controllers not on duty
 
FlightmechH3 said:
Let's see:
Fleeing a traffic stop.
Eluding.
Speeding.
Crash into/ through fence
Crash into mule
Crash into Pilatus
Fight cops while being detained
Under the influence.
Underage

Fault: Air traffic controllers not on duty
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What, no mention of how close this was to a school?
 
Underage kid will probably get a slap on the wrist and nothing else. No real justice will be served.
 
Brad Smith said:
Underage kid will probably get a slap on the wrist and nothing else. No real justice will be served.
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I doubt that the kid will escape without liability (passed on to his parents), loss of driving privileges until age 21, and mandatory drug testing.
 
bonefishpete said:
That wing looks fragile. Just saying.
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Not sure how much over engineering is built into the Pilatus design for unintended excursions outside the normal operating envelope. However, I have noticed there have been multiple in flight breakups of this breed of Swiss aircraft.
 
Rick A said:
Not sure how much over engineering is built into the Pilatus design for unintended excursions outside the normal operating envelope. However, I have noticed there have been multiple in flight breakups of this breed of Swiss aircraft.
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Which match up with multiple instances of excursions outside of the design flight envelope. Shockingly, it can happen to any airplane.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
Hit a tractor, as well. In a state that doesn't require auto insurance. And he's a minor. And was wanted for other crimes.
www.boston.com

NH teen allegedly caused crash at airport while driving under the influence, police say

The suspect allegedly drove his car through a fence and across an aircraft parking apron before crashing into a tractor and an aircraft.
www.boston.com

View attachment 154676
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Believe if these two kids got together they could come up with an airplane that'd fit thru the gate.
1788204706809.png
 
Kenny Phillips said:
Which match up with multiple instances of excursions outside of the design flight envelope. Shockingly, it can happen to any airplane.
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Seems some may be more over-engineered than others. To the best of my knowledge for over 7 decades of flight all metal Mooneys always, except for one thunderstorm induced breakup in Alabama (possibly corrosion involved), seem to end up in one smoking hole with all parts present.
 
Rick A said:
Seems some may be more over-engineered than others. To the best of my knowledge for over 7 decades of flight all metal Mooneys always, except for one thunderstorm induced breakup in Alabama (possibly corrosion involved), seem to end up in one smoking hole with all parts present.
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Believe I remember a guy who got caught in thunderstorm in Nebraska successfully landed but with something like 12g of damage.
 
Rick A said:
Seems some may be more over-engineered than others.
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Not really. Simply look at the design limits for a selection of aircraft and you'll find they all have the same or similar limits. So any comparisons between models requires a bit more research than simply looking at the number of times a wing structurally failed.
 
Bell206 said:
Not really. Simply look at the design limits for a selection of aircraft and you'll find they all have the same or similar limits. So any comparisons between models requires a bit more research than simply looking at the number of times a wing structurally failed.
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I'd say you might want to read up on the Mooney wing ... Al over engineered it.
 
Rick A said:
Not sure how much over engineering is built into the Pilatus design for unintended excursions outside the normal operating envelope. However, I have noticed there have been multiple in flight breakups of this breed of Swiss aircraft.

lets not bring up V35 vs F33.
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Rick A said:
To the best of my knowledge for over 7 decades of flight all metal Mooneys always, except for one thunderstorm induced breakup in Alabama (possibly corrosion involved), seem to end up in one smoking hole with all parts present.
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Comforting.
 
ionel said:
Believe I remember a guy who got caught in thunderstorm in Nebraska successfully landed but with something like 12g of damage.
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Yes, that's possibly a Mooney story I believe to be true, although I remember it happening in Texas. Unless the Nebraska incident is yet another.

The way the Texas story is remembered was the pilot was alone flying VFR, and decided to fly beneath a building thunderstorm. Back in the 1960's and early 1970's all metal Mooneys came from the factory with a dirt simple vacuum powered wing leveler named "PC" for Positive Control, which was on all the time. You had to press a little thumb plunger on top of the left horn of the control wheel to disengage it, which lightened the aileron forces for more nimble turning, if you desired. As soon as you removed your thumb it was back on.

The plane got sucked up into the storm and the turbulence was so bad the seat came off its tracks and the pilot, still strapped in was thrown around the cabin. At around 13,000' he was spit out of the side of the storm into clear air. He unbuckled from the seat, positioned himself on his knees, found an airport and landed. I'd imagine the PC wing leveler had something to do with his survival.

The Mooney was totaled, complete with bent wings and popped rivets. The pilot was hospitalized with back and neck injuries.

Sometimes I feel a little paranoid admitting that one of the airframe features drawing me to stick with Mooneys (flying the third one) was the well earned reputation of them being very hard to break.
 
Bob Noel said:
and, more important, no mention of a flight plan
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That one comment made me imagine a Bob Newhart one sided phone conversation where the kid calls ATC to file a flight plan where he plans to be drunk, crash through a fence, into a plane and then a tractor...
 
Rick A said:
Yes, that's possibly a Mooney story I believe to be true, although I remember it happening in Texas. Unless the Nebraska incident is yet another.

The way the Texas story is remembered was the pilot was alone flying VFR, and decided to fly beneath a building thunderstorm. Back in the 1960's and early 1970's all metal Mooneys came from the factory with a dirt simple vacuum powered wing leveler named "PC" for Positive Control, which was on all the time. You had to press a little thumb plunger on top of the left horn of the control wheel to disengage it, which lightened the aileron forces for more nimble turning, if you desired. As soon as you removed your thumb it was back on.

The plane got sucked up into the storm and the turbulence was so bad the seat came off its tracks and the pilot, still strapped in was thrown around the cabin. At around 13,000' he was spit out of the side of the storm into clear air. He unbuckled from the seat, positioned himself on his knees, found an airport and landed. I'd imagine the PC wing leveler had something to do with his survival.

The Mooney was totaled, complete with bent wings and popped rivets. The pilot was hospitalized with back and neck injuries.

Sometimes I feel a little paranoid admitting that one of the airframe features drawing me to stick with Mooneys (flying the third one) was the well earned reputation of them being very hard to break.
Click to expand...
On April 10, 2005, a commercial pilot flying a Mooney M20M (registration N21816) encountered severe weather at 16,000 feet. While attempting to avoid reported severe storms further south, the aircraft encountered an unanticipated, violent downdraft within Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) over Nebraska. [1]
The downdraft caused a total loss of control, sending the aircraft into a rapidly descending spiral dive. The pilot managed to regain control and level out at 6,000 feet—descending 10,000 feet before reaching visual conditions. A precautionary landing was made at Lincoln Airport (LNK), during which the right landing gear collapsed due to the severe structural stress sustained during the pull-out. [1]

Severe Forces & Structural Survival
Following the incident, an inspection revealed substantial damage including a bent wing spar, wrinkled wing skin, and a collapsed landing gear. [1]

    • The 12-G Load: A representative from Mooney analyzed the airframe deformation and calculated that the aircraft experienced about 12 Gs of force during the pilot's dive recovery. [1]
    • Why it is Famous: Standard civil aircraft are typically certified to handle up to 3.8 Gs (or 4.4 Gs for utility category) before permanent deformation occurs. Withstanding 12 Gs without the wings detaching is an extraordinary testament to the structural "roll-cage" design and renown strength of Mooney aircraft spars.
    The full official details and final determination can be found in the NTSB Aviation Investigation Final Report (Accident Number CHI05CA092). [1]
 
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