Eufaula Airport (Alabama) Nearly Destroyed

[Stephen Poole]

Hope no POA members had a plane based there ... fortunately, no injuries at the Airport. We have 22 dead in that region, though. Sad day for Alabama.

https://www.dothaneagle.com/eufaula...cle_b02b607c-3e14-11e9-9ee8-170edce7bc06.html

Edit: that's KEUF, Weedon Field.

 

[Stephen Poole]

 

[Kenny Phillips]

Yeow. My in-laws would have driven through that region coming home from Santa Rosa Beach, but decided to visit a relative that was on the east coast, so left before the storms.

 

[wayne]

Tornadoes also hit in Lee County, AL, north of Eufala. My sister lives in the southeast corner of Lee County. She said one hit about 1/2 mile from her house.

Last report I heard/saw was 23 dead and more still missing.

 

[sourdough44]

Yep, if in the hangar not much you can do if the ‘F5’( or slightly less) strikes. Hopefully the insurance was set at the right level. Just had a conversation with my aircraft insurance provider today. The new policy will be done soon. I did raise the value some, may tweak the numbers a bit more before finalizing.

 

[Stephen Poole]

The NWS said this morning it was at least an F3. They'll probably adjust that upwards, given a half mile wide path of destruction.

 

[Kenny Phillips]

The NWS said this morning it was at least an F3. They'll probably adjust that upwards, given a half mile wide path of destruction.

The Enhanced Fujita Scale rating is based on estimated winds, not the overall size of the tornado, so you can have a 100-meter-wide F5 and a kilometer-wide F1. I'd almost forgotten the outbreak from several years ago, where hundreds died in the south.

 

[Bill]

Evening news says the Lee County tornado has been upgraded to EF4

 

[Hank S]

It's bad in eastern Lee County and points south, lapping over into Georgia and Florida. One of my wife's coworkers has found her missing sister in the hospital, but is still looking for their mother. People rebuilding in the Florida panhandle from Hurricane Michael have taken additional damage . . . .

 

[Stephen Poole]

The Enhanced Fujita Scale rating is based on estimated winds

It is "scored" by damage. The biggest difference between the old Fujita and the Enhanced is that the latter has many more scoring points. For example, the tornado is assumed to be stronger if it breaks a brick wall off the foundation, as compared to one that just wrecks some poor trailer park.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Fujita_scale

you can have a 100-meter-wide F5 and a kilometer-wide F1

Theoretically. In real life, the larger one would certainly be more destructive overall.

As for the outbreak in Alabama in 2011, one tornado dissipated just as it entered our neighborhood. It still totaled one of my neighbor's houses and badly damaged our roof. That was a very scary wake-up call![/QUOTE]

 

[Stephen Poole]

It's bad in eastern Lee County and points south, lapping over into Georgia and Florida. One of my wife's coworkers has found her missing sister in the hospital, but is still looking for their mother. People rebuilding in the Florida panhandle from Hurricane Michael have taken additional damage . . . .

I know, it's awful. I was wondering if any POA members here were affected, then realized that, if they were, they're probably a bit preoccupied at the moment ...

 

[3393RP]

So sorry to hear of the destruction and especially the loss of life.

 

[Stephen Poole]

 

[Groundpounder]

I saw some footage that showed a HondaJet and a Challenger 300 in those crushed hangars. That is going to be expensive.

 

[Old97]

Hate to see that old square-tail like that

 

[Bill]

View attachment 72256

Damn, a lot of shattered dreams right there ...

 

[IK04]

I saw the same thing at the Tamiami (now Miami Executive) airport after Hurricane Andrew. I got to see it from the air and there were so many warbirds strewn all over the fields, it was sickening...

 

[Zeldman]

Wow... look at how the cement footings were just yanked out of the ground.

 

[frfly172]

Such a tragic loss to aviation,also a tragic loss of life.RIP

 

[Kenny Phillips]

Wow... look at how the cement footings were just yanked out of the ground.

Wet, sandy ground, and attached to thousands of square feet of "wing", it's not shocking. I doubt whether any sort of anchor would have helped much.

 

[Stephen Poole]

I saw some footage that showed a HondaJet and a Challenger 300 in those crushed hangars. That is going to be expensive.

The sheriff said yesterday that every airplane was badly damaged. Given the size of the market I wonder what effect this will have on prices???

 

[IK04]

Wow... look at how the cement footings were just yanked out of the ground.

Yep. That is how I lost my first airplane. The wind folded it backwards like a taco over the fence behind it. The chains holding the wings down broke and the cement mooring holding the tailwheel pulled right out of the ramp!

Thankfully, nobody was hurt in that storm. http://articles.latimes.com/1989-05-20/news/mn-293_1_storm-damage-helicopters-john-chapla

 

[Hank S]

View attachment 72256

That's just awful!! Eufala was a nice, sleepy airport!

I've heard and seen pictures of damage to FBO, hangars and fire department. Any word about the restaurant just outside the fence, an easy walk from the FBO?

 

[BrianNC]

EF1 tornadoes destroyed more than 30 hangars and at least 21 aircraft at Weedon Field, a GA airport in eastern Alabama

Somehow there were no fatalities or injuries at Weedon Field in Eufaula, but at least 21 aircraft were damaged or destroyed, including one jet worth an estimated $20 million and a beautiful 1956 Cessna 172 that was in the twister.

https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/article/storms-wreak-havoc-at-alabama-airport/?utm_source=sfmc-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Tornadoes Wreak Havoc#.XH7sry3MzOR

 

[Spring Ford]

Photo of hondajet.

https://cdn.theatlantic.com/assets/...abama-tornadoes-tk/a24_RTX6PSN1/main_1200.jpg

 

[Salty]

Photo of hondajet.

https://cdn.theatlantic.com/assets/...abama-tornadoes-tk/a24_RTX6PSN1/main_1200.jpg

The guy that designed the intake cover is about the only one feeling good about that picture.

 

[Zeldman]

Photo of hondajet.

Oh man, wonder how many hours this one flew.??

 

[ribbits123]

I know, it's awful. I was wondering if any POA members here were affected, then realized that, if they were, they're probably a bit preoccupied at the moment ...

Yep, I lost my C-172 (yellow tail feathers in pictures) I've owned for 33 years.. I was actually there getting her ready for an annual when it hit.. Although I'm very sad about losing my bird, I feel lucky to be alive! Thanks God for the WX app on my cell phone or I wouldn't even known it was coming. It allowed me to make it to the FBO parking lot before it hit and missing me buy 150 feet..

 

[ribbits123]

Oh man, wonder how many hours this one flew.??

I believe the owners had only flew it for like 2.0 hours since taking delivery.. I heard there was some kind of discrepancy about one of the engines?

 

[Hank S]

Yep, I lost my C-172 (yellow tail feathers in pictures) I've owned for 33 years.. I was actually there getting her ready for an annual when it hit.. Although I'm very sad about losing my bird, I feel lucky to be alive! Thanks God for the WX app on my cell phone or I wouldn't even known it was coming. It allowed me to make it to the FBO parking lot before it hit and missing me buy 150 feet..

Oh, my God! Glad that you are alright, that was a really close call. I was in a hangar in Prattville, listening to the sirens and watching the rain fall sideways, then drove home through Wetumpka right afterwards, basicly folowing the storm along Highway 14.

Hope things settle down soon. Congratulations for having a good attitude about this. Modern weather and communication technology have certainly saved many lives.

 

[Stephen Poole]

Yep, I lost my C-172 (yellow tail feathers in pictures) I've owned for 33 years.. I was actually there getting her ready for an annual when it hit.. Although I'm very sad about losing my bird, I feel lucky to be alive! Thanks God for the WX app on my cell phone or I wouldn't even known it was coming. It allowed me to make it to the FBO parking lot before it hit and missing me buy 150 feet..

Thank God you're OK!!