This one won't buff out

Always blame the wind.
 
Prop tip looks healthy, nah must been a ginormous gust of wind.
 
A moment of inattention ,maybe.
 
glad they were all ok.. Definitely a fear of mine. I'm fine in any winds "aloft" but closer to the ground I get flustered. As soon as the winds are high I see if my instructor has time or a cancelation to practice.
 
A moment of inattention ,maybe.
Yes, makes me remember that often it's all about focus.

Flying a TW, I was focused on every landing and most takeoffs... Wind speed and strength, obstructions, etc. i even had a little exercise I would perform with my feet in the pattern to 'wake them up'.

Two years later in a heavier trike I find that sometimes I've blissfully unaware of the crosswind component and not worrying about the nose being a degree or two off from straight ahead in the flare.

Reminder to self: Refocus!
 
I've seen planes shoved sideways, or wingtips shoved into the ground during landing and saw one flipped completely over and turned 180 degrees during take-off by a dust devil. High winds in hot climates, moving between buildings and such can do really weird things.
 
I got about >< *that* close on rollout, back when I flew a Cardinal RG, from being either flipped or going off runway. Rogue gust, on a day of otherwise-modest winds. Had relaxed, mentally done flying. Lesson learned.
 
okay very stupid question time;

Is this plane a total loss? Does insurance with airplanes work similarly to cars in that if its 10% or 15% the cost to repair they just write it off? Or do they try harder to save the airframe? etc..

I mean that wing looks fairly mangled.. haha but it might be salvageable.. I'm no expert..
 
okay very stupid question time;

Is this plane a total loss? Does insurance with airplanes work similarly to cars in that if its 10% or 15% the cost to repair they just write it off? Or do they try harder to save the airframe? etc..

I mean that wing looks fairly mangled.. haha but it might be salvageable.. I'm no expert..
I'm pretty sure it depends on what the owner had declared the hull value to be and how that compares with the repair cost. At least that's how it was in the distant past. I know that because my former boss almost had his airplane totaled for not all that much damage (way less than the airplane in this story) because he undervalued it by a lot on his insurance. Someone else can comment on how it is now. I don't think it's quite like a car where the insurance company makes the determination of value.
 
The wind blew him 600 feet off the runway? That must have been one hell of a gust.

I was sitting right seat in a 310 when the right engine blew a gasket on the propellor hub and the prop feathered just before rotation, at night in a light rain. Two seconds prior, a hard substance was striking the windshield in front of me and as I began to question it the plane lurched hard to the right as if the right wing had been tied down.

The PIC did everything possible to regain control of the plane but we ended up running across two grass areas, a taxiway and ramp before coming to a shuddering stop a few feet away from a building. I'm convinced that, even if we had anticipated the failure, the change in direction was so sudden that there was no controlling the aircraft at that point. We were fortunate to have survived without causing any damage whatsoever, to ourselves, the plane or the planes parked on the ramp. So, it may be possible that control of the plane simply couldn't be regained before departing the runway. And once that happens, you're in untested territory. I'd give the pilot the benefit of the doubt on this one.
 
okay very stupid question time;

Is this plane a total loss? Does insurance with airplanes work similarly to cars in that if its 10% or 15% the cost to repair they just write it off? Or do they try harder to save the airframe? etc..

I mean that wing looks fairly mangled.. haha but it might be salvageable.. I'm no expert..

Typically if the repair estimate is >80% the payoff to total, it'll be totalled.
 
I'm pretty sure it depends on what the owner had declared the hull value to be and how that compares with the repair cost. At least that's how it was in the distant past. I know that because my former boss almost had his airplane totaled for not all that much damage (way less than the airplane in this story) because he undervalued it by a lot on his insurance. Someone else can comment on how it is now. I don't think it's quite like a car where the insurance company makes the determination of value.

Even with a car you don't have to accept the insurance figure on a typical ACV policy. There are also insurers for cars like Haggerty that will do Stated or Agreed (wording depends on what state you're in)Value policies which is what aircraft policies are.
 
Even with a car you don't have to accept the insurance figure on a typical ACV policy. There are also insurers for cars like Haggerty that will do Stated or Agreed (wording depends on what state you're in)Value policies which is what aircraft policies are.
That wouldn't do me any good because I don't modify my cars to make them worth more. They have all stayed pretty much like they came out of the factory. Last year I had $13,000 worth of hail damage fixed and they didn't even blink. Of course it was only six months old at the time. They basically reskinned the car. Now that it's been over a year, I think they did a good job. People tried to warn me about how it would never be like it was before but as far as I can see, it is.
 
That wouldn't do me any good because I don't modify my cars to make them worth more. They have all stayed pretty much like they came out of the factory. Last year I had $13,000 worth of hail damage fixed and they didn't even blink. Of course it was only six months old at the time. They basically reskinned the car. Now that it's been over a year, I think they did a good job. People tried to warn me about how it would never be like it was before but as far as I can see, it is.

Where the problem typically lies is with the "totalled" value of the car. Even stone stock if you have a low mileage vehicle that was in excellent shape, the value may be considerably higher than what the insurance company offers. That's when you do your own research and negotiate the numbers, or hire a private adjuster to do it for you. Easiest way with a later model vehicle is go to some dealers and price "like and kind" and bring the samples to the table.
 
Where the problem typically lies is with the "totalled" value of the car. Even stone stock if you have a low mileage vehicle that was in excellent shape, the value may be considerably higher than what the insurance company offers. That's when you do your own research and negotiate the numbers, or hire a private adjuster to do it for you. Easiest way with a later model vehicle is go to some dealers and price "like and kind" and bring the samples to the table.
My one experience with a totaled car was that they gave me more than I thought it was worth, considering that it had 180,000 miles and hail damage from before that I didn't fix. Yes, we get a lot of hail here. :D
 
My one experience with a totaled car was that they gave me more than I thought it was worth, considering that it had 180,000 miles and hail damage from before that I didn't fix. Yes, we get a lot of hail here. :D

OTOH, when my mom's 73 Mercedes got totaled in 1996 with 72,000 miles on it, original paint in excellent condition (always garage kept), and no rust, the insurance offered her $1700. I got her $6600.
 
When I was learning to fly I had some trouble with with how much rudder to use to maintain directional control. Eventually, after an ATP CFI literally stomped on the rudder pedal I learned that you use all the rudder required. I'm thinking the Bo driver never learned that lesson.

If anyone wants to learn that lesson, go for your tailwheel endorsement.
 
OTOH, when my mom's 73 Mercedes got totaled in 1996 with 72,000 miles on it, original paint in excellent condition (always garage kept), and no rust, the insurance offered her $1700. I got her $6600.
She had a "classic" while the insurance company just saw it as an old car. I had an old car. People warned me (why do people keep warning me?) that they would only give me about $500 for it and that I should protest. They gave me more like $2,500. That was also in the mid-1990s.
 
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