Mooney down in Arizona

[flyboy0681]

Thankfully no fatalities. The steel cage may have been the reason.

http://www.azfamily.com/news/Small-plane-crashes-at-Sedona-Airport-226984321.html

[mooneygirl]

Dang.  That looks bad.  So glad that Mooney strength was there for them. 

[wishboneash]

The pilot will have to fill us in since ...

 

"Normally, the Federal Aviation Administration or the National Transportation Safety Board or both would investigate, but not this time due to the federal government shutdown."

[rbridges]

The pilot will have to fill us in since ...

 

"Normally, the Federal Aviation Administration or the National Transportation Safety Board or both would investigate, but not this time due to the federal government shutdown."

 

I guess we'll get Cooter at the local gas station to give us a write up.  

[RocketAviator]

Just glad they all lived through it.

[chrisk]

I too am glad everyone survived.   And I will also speculate, as learning from others mistakes is a good way to not make the same ones. 

 

Take a look at the picture of the airport.   Yesterdays winds in Sedona at 11am were 17mph SSW.   Add to that the airport remarks:  "WHEN LANDING RY 21, DURING STRONG SW WIND CONDITIONS, STRONG DOWN DRAFTS ARE VERY PROBABLE NE OF APCH END OF RY 21."

 

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Sedona_airport.jpg

[Bob]

Looks like they were landing down hill on 21??  Unfamiliar with the aircraft (on vacation in a rental Mooney) and also airport (Must land going up hill at Sedona)  Had to go around because they could not stop?  No NTSB or FAA investigation, UNBELIEVABLE!

[Piloto]

Looks like he landed long and tried to go around. He failed to apply power on time or the engine did not responded quickly for the go around procedure and lost speed and altitude.

 

The top skin appears to been cut out by the rescuers. The cabin integrity looks pretty good. No blood on the seats.

 

Now the Germans have quite a story to tell from their vacation in America

 

Glad they made it.

 

José 

[201er]

Wasn't me! Though I was flying my Mooney in that area yesterday. Heard a plane request flight following to Sedona and ATC said the airport is closed. Pilot said he had a briefing and wasn't aware of this. ATC responded that there was a crash at the airport and that it was closed until all the debris can be removed. Didnt realize it was a Mooney.

[John Pleisse]

The most even keel, well done reporting I have ever seen by a none aviation local or national TV affiliate.. Factual and intelligently done. Usually not the case.

[DaV8or]

Looks like they were landing down hill on 21??  Unfamiliar with the aircraft (on vacation in a rental Mooney) and also airport (Must land going up hill at Sedona)  Had to go around because they could not stop?  No NTSB or FAA investigation, UNBELIEVABLE!

 

I'm unfamiliar with Sedona, but would like to go someday. Do you land uphill on 3 even when the winds favor 21? How bad are these down drafts?

 

This seems like a hot landing followed by a late go around. Was it a high DA that day? I'm wildly speculating, but this seems like the kind of accident that could be avoided with the implementation and training in the use of an AoA indicator. High DA, or just the higher altitude of the airport combined with a high gross weight and lack of familiarity in type might have had the pilot guessing as to the correct approach speed, and or he maybe just always uses the same high speed everywhere he goes.

[ToddDPT]

I landed in higher winds this last summer.  This was my first time into Sedona and I came in higher than normal expecting these downdrafts.  There is a smaller peak just north of the approach end of 21 that stirs all this up.  I ended up going around the first time because my speed was too high and didn't like how the whole thing felt.  Downdrafts were there and the wind seemed to shift quite a bit when you passed over that mountain peak just north of the approach end of the runway.  IAS changed quite a bit as well.  Second try I didn't have any problem.  

[chrisk]

I recently took some mountain flying training, and as some one new to the topic, I am certainly no expert.  One of the topics up was down drafts and the need to protect airspeed when in a downdraft.   The problem is when you get close to the ground, the down draft can turn into a tail wind.   Imagine what happens when you are climbing at Vx and you get a sudden 15+ knot tail wind, and your only a few 100 feet from the ground.  An AoA indicator isn't going to help.

[MARZ]

Thinking he cleared the fence in ground effect, which disappeared when the terrain dropped away.

[carqwik]

It appears that the plane went off the departure end.  Given the wind direction at that time (out of the south at 13G22), he would have likely encountered an updraft as the wind comes up the hill to go over the airport.  The downdraft occurs at the approach end (21) as the wind comes over the airport and then down into the valley...a Bo crashed into the escarpment in front of 21 there a few years ago trying to drag his plane in. 

[jwilkins]

I like visiting Sedona, but, for me,  there was also a mental aspect of landing there the first few times due to the plateau terrain. I felt the same the first time I flew into Catalina Island. I've done a couple go-arounds at Sedona when the approach just wasn't right, and I've also cancelled a couple Sedona trips due to high winds and gusts. 

 

It's a fantastic area, a nice airport with a  good restaurant, but, with the plateau terrain and gusty winds, it's not an easy place to land. It's a balancing act between carrying enough speed for the gusts and down drafts, and being slow enough to land. Since I don't HAVE to go there, I just stay away during bad weather and gusts. Or drive; it's only an hour and half drive for us from Prescott.

 

I'm glad everyone survived.

[jlunseth]

I disagree with your cause.  I am 100% certain that the failure to file a VFR flight plan to stay in the pattern was the cause of the accident.  I am sure the news report will bear me out.

[chrisk]

It appears that the plane went off the departure end.  Given the wind direction at that time (out of the south at 13G22), he would have likely encountered an updraft as the wind comes up the hill to go over the airport.  The downdraft occurs at the approach end (21) as the wind comes over the airport and then down into the valley...a Bo crashed into the escarpment in front of 21 there a few years ago trying to drag his plane in. 

It was unclear from the report what runway was being used, but 21 certainly makes sense given the wind direction.  Now,  I'm really curious about what happened, if he was likely to encounter an up draft.

[fantom]

Too bad Becca wasn't with them, to fend off disaster, like she did for we know who.

[aviatoreb]

That is a tough airport to attempt in an unfamiliar rental.

[jetdriven]

Too bad Becca wasn't with them, to fend off disaster, like she did for we know who.

I had to write up the antiskid on that one.

 

Gosh, Gary,  for an old man you sure have a good memory. I almost forgot about that one.

 

[fantom]

 

Gosh, Gary,  for an old man you sure have a good memory. I almost forgot about that one.

 

 

 

Old....me? Memory....what did I remember?

[MB65E]

NTSB walked off the job last week Tuesday at the CJ2 crash in Santa Monica. The jet was still in the hangar that collapsed on it when they walked. Hope the guys are ok in this wreck. I just bought 4 inertia reels with sholder harness and new belts yesterday! There is a guy on EBay that has 2 left...good pricing.

[DaV8or]

NTSB walked off the job last week Tuesday at the CJ2 crash in Santa Monica. The jet was still in the hangar that collapsed on it when they walked. Hope the guys are ok in this wreck. I just bought 4 inertia reels with sholder harness and new belts yesterday! There is a guy on EBay that has 2 left...good pricing.

 

Umm... no. All four people onboard died in the wreck. Probabably some burned to death. Seatbelts weren't going to save these guys, but wise decision for you.

[MB65E]

Yes, I know about Santa Monica, way sad. I was referring to the ntsb and FAA comments as well as I hope the three in the mooney in Sedona are ok. Seat belts helped in Sedona for sure.