Gear extension failure / gear up landing

[Loogie]

Guys debriefing an event and thinking of different options or courses of action is OK. There may be an event in the future that might be beneficial.  G'ing up an airplane to try an extend a gear after it failed to retract is a common procedure, would it work? Who knows, no one can say, has it worked in the past? Yes, however if this knowledge might help someone in the future, it's good to know. Don't get trapped in thinking that because it didn't work on so and so it won't work on my problem.   Same with shutting an engine in the flare. Pulling a mixture in the flare is not difficult, we do way more complicated stuff etc.. It's just something to have in the bag of tricks.  These are just ideas based on experienced aviators, it's ok to second guess yourself's, it's all part of a learning process.  No one is blaming or critizing any action taken.  A debrief is just that, a critical look at what happened, and maybe an analysis of what other actions could or could not have helped.

Be careful saying things like "that would not have worked because it didn't in mine", a lot of what a pilot does or does not do is done based on how you feel that day, some days you are on top of things other days not so much.

Debriefing an event is important, and bringing up courses of action that have not been thought off is what is important.

There are some great ideas out there and great folks out there doing there best to mitigate future events.  Obviously in this case he did a great job, but there were some things that he didn't try that may or may not have worked.  And it's ok to talk about what options are available to someone in the future.

One of the hardest things we taught our upgrading instructor pilots was the skill to properly debrief, learning how to objectively look at events, reconstruct them, see if the actions were successful and if there were any other courses of action that could have been executed.  A critical eye to events is important in the mitigating or preventing future similar events.

So nice job to all for a nice debrief of this event, and thanks to IndyTim for sharing!  We all are better pilots for it.

Loogie

[yvesg]

Tim, I just saw this post. Diane and I are happy you and wife are OK. Hope to see you again in the Caravan this summer. A friend had a similar event last summer at my home field. His airplane is back in the air and life is back to normal for him. I'll try to find pictures and post them here.

Yves

[IndyTim]

Thanks Yves.  See you this summer!

[thinwing]

On February 12, 2016 at 5:02 PM, cnoe said:

Thinwing, with just a bit more embellishment this might interest the Coen brothers.

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Yeah they could use that really weird looking guy who played the killer in "no country for old men" to play me! Than use the lake / marina scene to portray his escape in " no country for old men II "

[22 others]

Something happened, then your bride got out and walked to the FBO. So did you. That makes you a %&^*ing PILOT!  

I bet if feels weird taking the short step off the wing.  

I like these stories. They have more nuance than the crap the NTSB investigators write.  I'm growing a little weary reading about Mooney's in preliminary reports. 

[Cyril Gibb]

I read this through and didn't see a root cause.  What was it?

 

[Danb]

I think you did a tremendous job in airmanship, decision making and a safe conclusion. Your statement of items you encountered and how you handled them will help someone else in a similar situation, one of the things about this forum. You should be proud to be a Mooney pilot.

[IndyTim]

On April 25, 2016 at 5:25 PM, Cyril Gibb said:

I read this through and didn't see a root cause.  What was it?

 

Sorry for the delay in responding to this question - it has taken much, much longer than I imagined to move the repairs forward.  As of this week, the gearbox has been disassembled. It was indeed a broken back spring.   Plessey gearbox.

For such fast vehicles, it always surprises me how slow the processes regarding airplanes, and aviation in general, move.

The engine is finally out and on its way to Continental for teardown and inspection.. Hopefully in another 5 or 6 weeks 252BH will be flying again.

[kortopates]

On April 25, 2016 at 5:25 PM, Cyril Gibb said: I read this through and didn't see a root cause.  What was it?

 

Sorry for the delay in responding to this question - it has taken much, much longer than I imagined to move the repairs forward.  As of this week, the gearbox has been disassembled. It was indeed a broken back spring.   Plessey gearbox.

For such fast vehicles, it always surprises me how slow the processes regarding airplanes, and aviation in general, move.

The engine is finally out and on its way to Continental for teardown and inspection.. Hopefully in another 5 or 6 weeks 252BH will be flying again.

Sorry to hear that!

How many years and hours were on the no-back clutch spring till it failed on you?

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[jackn]

Tim,

my 1987 K is very close to yours, when you have a moment, could you tell us how long it's been (hours & time) since the backspring was replaced. You can pm me if you want. Thanks