Ovation 2 with extensive damage history. Avoid?

[kortopates]

Those are just inspection panels. Plus those areas wouldn't even be damaged by a gear up. The area originally damaged would be the belly behind the engine and at this point you would have to drop the belly pan (which would have been replaced) to see the quality of the repair and extent of the repairs. Plus you could look for the 337 documenting the repair.

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[kortopates]

I would also add, if all the damaged parts and skins were replaced with new as is typically done for a minor gear up landing, I personally wouldn't see a problem. Generally there is no structural damage, just replacement of the belly pan, some plastic flap hinge fairings and other minor parts. Nor are the repairs very invasive. And after several years the stigma of the properly repaired damage evaporates. Meanwhile you get to take advantage of the stigma discount now. Just get a proper PPI to check it out.

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[roglaws]

Thanks.  Got a far better understanding now. Sometime, hopefully in the not to distant future, i'll take my foot out of my mouth.   

[Jeff_S]

So here's a reply from someone who's been there, done that...bought way more than the T-shirt! I, too, found an Ovation that fit my personal criteria at the time, two years ago. I was looking for a G1000 model, preferably an O3, with A/C and w/o Oxygen. Found just such a beast at a wonderful price point, due to the prior owner having experienced two prop-strikes and a gear-up. It was an example of a pilot who really did just get too much airplane for him, so after the gear-up (which wasn't actually just a botched landing...he experienced some electrical anomalies which caused him to turn off the Master, and then he decided to land the plane rather than mess with the manual gear extension) he decided he wanted out.

The plane was repaired with all new parts. The electrical malfunction was discovered to be a shorted battery (highly unusual) and that was also repaired. The engine tear down and rebuild was done by Zephyr in Florida, an excellent shop. And this plane was on the market for fully $60K less than comparable models with NDH. So after a thorough inspection I bought it.  I have been very happy.

Has it been maintenance free? No. During the first year I spent a bit of time diagnosing an intermittent gear warning light, not uncommon when they've had to do so much work under the belly. But it was never anything more than a limit switch that needed tweaking. I also replaced the main shock discs, and replace the exhaust stack, which can't really be attributed to the gear up. And there are always the little things that go wrong with airplanes that need attention. But overall the plane has performed very well and I love it.

The one issue I've been waiting for has finally appeared...I found a slight fuel seep on some rivets inboard of the right landing gear. That is the only possible effect I was worried about due to the gear up, that it might have put some stress on the fuel cells and create some premature leaks. But heck, this is a Mooney, and we all face that music at some point. I've budgeted for it.

So if you like the plane and it passes inspections by your trusted mechanics, I would encourage you to buy it. But one other thing...you say you are a fairly inexperienced pilot, so pay heed to what others have told you above. The Ovation is going to be a lot of plane for you initially, so please plan to spend a great deal of time with an instructor teaching you how to stay in front of it. And when landing, one thing to keep in mind....BACK PRESSURE. Keep applying back pressure on the yoke all the way to stopping on the runway. It does two things.  First, it will help you avoid a porpoise and prop-strike...that plane has had enough of those. Second, it provides aerodynamic braking, always a good thing when trying to stop.

Good luck! Feel free to reach out to me if you want to talk in person.

Jeff

[carusoam]

One thing to look for...

In the event that sheet metal has been replaced, The extent of the damage may be hiding behind the new sheet metal.  What shop did the repairs?

If you are like me, looking for GU indications on top of the wing, it is probably better buying a plane with NDH.  Your PPI will be much easier to understand...

If you are a mechanic, familiar with replacing parts after a GU landing, this could be a simple inspection prior to buying.

Planes with DH are not for everybody.  Especially if the new buyer has little airframe experience.  The unknown risks can be expensive...

The lowest cost Ovation on the market is going to be the lowest cost for a reason... Get to know,what they are.  Use professional help if you need it.

Best regards,

-a-

[Cruiser]

I agree with Jeff ^ above. 

If repairs are properly done, the only risk you have is someone coming alone later and saying this or that is unairworthy and the plane can't be flown even if it was signed off several times by others. Then you are stuck with the cost of getting an airworthiness sign-off. IF you feel that risk is minimal and the damage is minimal with good documentation Like "repaired at the Mooney factory" with Stacey Ellis signature in the logs. I would not be afraid of the plane. Of course remember, any damage history will automatically eliminate a portion of the future buyer that will just not even consider it. So it will reduce your opportunity for selling. 

[roglaws]

On 4/10/2016 at 6:47 AM, Godfather said:

My advice is to put a $1k deposit down if you are serious...make it refundable if past damage was not repaired correctly.  At $165k with a fresh engine someone (might even be from this thread) will probably lock up the deal.

Godfather on the money.  Start talking about the plane and it draws interest.  Deposit now put on it by someone who is not me.  Well, makes my life easier.  That plane is off the list and don't have to sell my wife on a budget increase.  Although we should get a commission, thanks again for the input. If nothing else, I learned a bunch.