Mooney gear up at my home field today

[yvesg]

http://www.lapresse.ca/le-droit/actualites/justice-et-faits-divers/gatineau/201406/16/01-4776317-atterrissage-durgence-a-gatineau.php

I was able to talk to the pilot who happens to be a friend. He was training doing some IFR approaches with his instructor when the gear refused to go down. The emergency manual gear down did not work. He said as he turned it, there would not be any friction that he was used to when trying using this before. Any clue what could cause this?

They flew around getting rid of excess fuel for a few hours while the firemen foamed the runway. The landing was a non event. He was surprised on how little damage this has caused to his plane.

Yves

[N201MKTurbo]

What plane does he have? It depends on which actuator he has.

I would guess it is a Dukes with a sheared disconnect coupling.

[kerry]

Looking at the picture it doesn't appear to have had a prop strike.  Nice job.

[mulro767]

There were a few discussions here about a tiny $800 clutch spring that, if failed, would render your landing gear useless. Both normal and alternate extension. I'd search the forum for "clutch spring" and see what pops up. I think I remember a similar story as well of a gear up.

[drapo]

And here is the video link, with a couple of french speaking ads as a bonus! Looking at it the second time, I think that there was a prop strike.

 

http://tvanouvelles.ca/video/voyez-l%5C'atterrissage-d%5C'urgence-spectaculaire/3625636282001

[yvesg]

What plane does he have? It depends on which actuator he has.

I would guess it is a Dukes with a sheared disconnect coupling.

It is a 1977 J model.

Serial 24-0297

Yves

[N201MKTurbo]

You would have the Dukes actuator, the same as my plane with the crank on the side wall.

It is real easy to accidentally engage the emergency retract mechanism. If it is engaged and you try to raise or lower the gear the crank handle will spin around real fast and then stop. When it stops you have just sheared the splines out of the disconnect coupling. That coupling is very hard to find.

I had one of the brushes come loose and fall out of my actuator motor once so it stopped working. Luckily my emergency system worked.

[Joe Zuffoletto]

Merde!

[OR75]

You would have the Dukes actuator, the same as my plane with the crank on the side wall.

It is real easy to accidentally engage the emergency retract mechanism. If it is engaged and you try to raise or lower the gear the crank handle will spin around real fast and then stop. When it stops you have just sheared the splines out of the disconnect coupling. That coupling is very hard to find.

I had one of the brushes come loose and fall out of my actuator motor once so it stopped working. Luckily my emergency system worked.

 

How do you check that "the splines out of the disconnect coupling " are OK ?

 

I have had several instances on the handle spinning during the gear check at annual

[KSMooniac]

There is another failure mode with this system... if the emergency mechanism is mis-rigged, the spline that is engaged by pushing the lever forward could be touching the mating spline in normal operation....not enough to actually spin the crank in the cockpit, but enough to booger-up the splines from the contact such that they will not engage when the lever is pushed forward.  Then your gear is stuck in the wells...

 

This is why the system should be checked at annual for engagement AND disengagement.  

[aviatoreb]

http://www.lapresse.ca/le-droit/actualites/justice-et-faits-divers/gatineau/201406/16/01-4776317-atterrissage-durgence-a-gatineau.php

I was able to talk to the pilot who happens to be a friend. He was training doing some IFR approaches with his instructor when the gear refused to go down. The emergency manual gear down did not work. He said as he turned it, there would not be any friction that he was used to when trying using this before. Any clue what could cause this?

They flew around getting rid of excess fuel for a few hours while the firemen foamed the runway. The landing was a non event. He was surprised on how little damage this has caused to his plane.

Yves

 

Well done by the pilots to best handle the situation and to work the system to a best safe outcome - obviously a good landing.

 

That will be a prop strike inspection tear down and prop treatment and some belly work and by good pilotage that bird will fly again -  the pilots are safe and they will fly again too.

[N201MKTurbo]

How do you check that "the splines out of the disconnect coupling " are OK ?

 

I have had several instances on the handle spinning during the gear check at annual

You have to disassemble the disconnect unit. It is on the end of the actuator. It couples the motor shaft to the speedometer cable from the crank.

 

It is possible to remove it without removing the actuator.

 

You can test if it is OK on the ground by just engaging the emergency extension and see if the crank spins freely. If it does then you have a problem. Don't use too much force doing this test because if it is engaging you will be driving the rods past the over center stops and don't turn it in the direction opposite the arrow or the plane may settle to the ground.

[jamesm]

Bummer..... I  hate to see that happen.

[OR75]

You have to disassemble the disconnect unit. It is on the end of the actuator. It couples the motor shaft to the speedometer cable from the crank.

 

It is possible to remove it without removing the actuator.

 

You can test if it is OK on the ground by just engaging the emergency extension and see if the crank spins freely. If it does then you have a problem. Don't use too much force doing this test because if it is engaging you will be driving the rods past the over center stops and don't turn it in the direction opposite the arrow or the plane may settle to the ground.

 

is it that blue part ?

[scottfromiowa]

Has there ever been a gear-up landing on a runway in a Mooney invoving injuries?

[KSMooniac]

is it that blue part ?

 

Yes

[kortopates]

Has there ever been a gear-up landing on a runway in a Mooney invoving injuries?

Not that I have ever heard of in the last 15 yrs. But if you broaden the question to include prop strikes, the only injuries I have heard of is when the pilot elected to continue a late go around after striking the prop and the plane didn't make it around pattern sometimes resulting in fatal injuries. I know of at least one lucky pilot that pulled it off and landed after another circuit in the pattern with curled prop and swears they didn't realize the prop strike on a bounced landing till after they landed; despite the ruptured nose gear donuts.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[N33GG]

Used to have a J.  Love my C.

[OR75]

A little related to this topic:

 

When I stop my engine,  I notice that the prop always stop in the vertical position. In the case of a gear up, I suppose it would be best to have the prop stop in the horizontal position.

 

Is there a way to do get it to settle horizontal ? Or will it be windmilling anyway ?

 

Not planning on testing in real

[KSMooniac]

It will be windmilling unless you have catastrophic engine damage....although I've heard you can slow enough to get it to stop but that is much slower than your typical approach speed, so if you think you want to do it, do it HIGH above the airport, and then glide down with it stopped instead of trying to do it on short final and stalling the plane.  You might have to bump the starter to get it horizontal, which again is not a distraction you need on final.

 

Having said all that, a controlled landing under power is still the best thing to do to minimize the risk of injury and that is what I'll do if ever presented with such a situation.  Sort out the engine and prop after you walk away from the landing, vs. getting extricated from a crumpled mess from trying to "save the engine."

[carusoam]

In the picture...

Is that THE spring?

The famous no back clutch spring???

I've never seen one.

Best regards,

-a-

[Rhumbline]

Used to have a J.  Love my C.

 

The Johnson (Flintstone) Bar is, in my opinion, as close to foolproof as it gets.  I wish Mooney built them that way with four bangers and round dials today.

[carusoam]

Beware the J bar has two modes of failure...

The guide block at the top wears in an oval pattern leading to failure to lock down.

The top of the handle has become disconnected and departed by the force of the spring.

Unfortunately the perfect structure for landing gear is fixed.

I prefer imperfections, six bangers and round dials (with digital innards)...

Best regards,

-a-

[Gone]

A little related to this topic:

 

When I stop my engine,  I notice that the prop always stop in the vertical position. In the case of a gear up, I suppose it would be best to have the prop stop in the horizontal position.

 

Is there a way to do get it to settle horizontal ? Or will it be windmilling anyway ?

 

Not planning on testing in real

 

One of the advantages of continuing to live in the "those that will column" is playing the "what if" scenarios available.  For me, a moment of absolute clarity was provided to me by one of our flying school instructors as I was trying to "get back on the horse" following a ground loop in our Arrow (which totalled the aircraft).  We were practicing all kinds of emergency procedures in a 172 and some other things.  

 

We did stalls, spins, heavy crosswind landings, engine-out landings, no-elevator landings, no-aileron landings, and no-rudder landings - all designed to get my confidence back.  During the roll out on the last one he turned to me and said:  "If it ever goes wrong and you have to make an emergency engine-out landing remember this.  The instant that the prop stops turning, the aircraft belongs to the insurance company. Concentrate on saving the people."

[N33GG]

A little related to this topic:

 

When I stop my engine,  I notice that the prop always stop in the vertical position. In the case of a gear up, I suppose it would be best to have the prop stop in the horizontal position.

 

Is there a way to do get it to settle horizontal ? Or will it be windmilling anyway ?

 

Not planning on testing in real

 

If you have enough altitude, I have heard, never had to do it myself, you can slow the airspeed until the prop stops.  Then bump the starter to get the prop horizontal.  Ground effect with gear up on a runway is supposed to be amazing.

 

I used to work with several test pilots that said this works great.  I haven't had the urge or necessity to try it.  FWIW Be careful out there!