Hi! What's a Metal Detectorist doing here you ask?

molewacker

molewacker

Pre-Flight
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Jul 5, 2016
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31
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Yacolt, WA
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molewacker
Hi!

I was detecting near lower Kalama River in WA and dug a metal something that says "unlock before takeoff" 7" down half under a cedar root. Sang sweet on the ATPro, better than a beer can. Must be high grade aluminum.

Can't post photo yet - newbie first post. But would be happy to email pics to member for posting for ID, or work on getting my 5 posts in. it's flat bluish grey w/ red stripe/lever back and on the other side the words and the actual red lever, t shaped with "Lock" on it. Behind that is another raised white letters piece that says "Locked" Kinda shaped like a flat bottle, long neck.

I know nothing about aircraft parts - asked if any owners scrapped such - no one since 1960, don't know about pre-60 owners cutting up aircraft.

No one on the MD boards can help, so coming here.

Thanks!
 
Oh, forgot to add that I told my hubby I was gonna look for DB Cooper loot that day - funny I found something aircraft related -:)
 
More info -

17 1/4" long - 1 1/16" wide at neck - 2 13/16" at base

Painted flat side has red T handle / t at bottom in square recess

Instructions are raised red letters on white background

Unlock before
take off
_____________
To unlock
Push lock up
______________
To open
pull handle
and push out.

Regards - molewacker
 
When I first uncovered some of the flat side, thought it might be a big piece of fishing lead. then a Teflon iron, but no steam holes
 
If forced at gunpoint to guess, I'd guess that it's a gust lock lever.

From what kind of aircraft or what it was doing under a tree root, I have no idea.

Rich
 
That is 2 for Gust lock - if anyone wants to poke at what it came off, feel free! It would make a strange addition to my MD display -

A elderly groundskeeper I spoke to said "private planes have flown up/down the river forever, likely fell off."

Regards -
 
Based on its shape, at first I thought it was the wine bottle locker hatch plate cover from a Cirrus. In retrospect, I remembered that Cirrus pilots (term used loosely) drink wine from boxes, thereby ruling out my original hypothesis.
 
I'm going to make a different guess and say it's part of an emergency exit.
 
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Reactions: Ted
Everskyward said:
I'm going to make a different guess and say it's part of an emergency exit.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking similar. Question would be what it came off of and why it was there. I'd wonder if there was ever a crash in that area and that piece simply hadn't been found before.
 
If you look 2/3 up the R hand side, there is a bit of edge damage, a crack w/outer edge depressed. it is the Kalama river flood zone, so can't say positively this was the original resting spot.
 
What's that part number? Just above and to the left of "unlock before takeoff"?

It looks similar to a cargo door latch:

a06c0204_photo_1.jpg
 
Good call on the part number, Matt.

Any part numbers or markings will make it more possible to identify.
 
Dunno. Probably from an alien craft... that's the only explanation I got left.
 
Hmm. What would you Unlock BEFORE take-off that could also need to opened? Seems odd.

Some type of escape hatch or ???
 
Take it to Rick from Pawn Stars, I'm sure he will know what it is. :lol:
 
ChemGuy said:
Hmm. What would you Unlock BEFORE take-off that could also need to opened? Seems odd.

Some type of escape hatch or ???
Click to expand...
You want it unlocked so the passengers can get out. Kinda the same reason you hear the announcement about the doors being armed in an airliner.
 
Looks like an ideal part to whack a mole with.
 
I blush - but you never know who has the connections -

Just you noticing the part # has been a great help -
 
NOTE: the actual number is 63-32129 The parts manual uses the # in id parts. This part has no #. Sorry for any confusion.
 
Mr. Little of the Museum of Flight in Seattle have answered in part - I have replied w/ requested photos - fingers crossed

"The number on the part, 63-32129, sounds like a United States Air Force serial number, with the first two digits, “63,” indicating that the aircraft was built with funds from Fiscal Year 1963, which ran from 1 July 1962 through 30 June 1963. Unfortunately, the highest USAF serial number that I can find for FY 1963 is 63-13694 (source: 1963 USAF Serial Numbers.), which is much lower than the serial number on the part that you found."
 
Those numbers look like whole aircraft numbers, not a component like a door latch. Maybe with the pics Mr. Little can ask around. Good call on checking with a museum, though.
 
A Grumpy Old Aircraft Mechanic said: "It's an Emergency release for the side glass in T-6/SNJ canopies with two piece glass." and added: "BTW, I maintain a T-6D, T-6F, SNJ-4 and Harvard Mk. 4 along with a few others..."

And another Grump said: "I've spent many hours staring at that thing." "He is correct."
 
Last edited:
GlennAB1 said:
A Grumpy Old Aircraft Mechanic said: "It's an Emergency release for the side glass in T-6/SNJ canopies with two piece glass."
Click to expand...

Thanks for the lead!!!!

You know, with the Kalama river being part of Mt. Saint Helen's Drainage - Debris could have washed down in 80's.
 
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