Mooney down in Ocala FL

[KevinR]

A friend was at the airport- he believes is was an engine failure and attempt to turn back to the runway. 

Does anyone know N96398? One fatality, 1 injured. 

Ocala is my home base.

Let me know if I can do anything from here.

http://www.wftv.com/news/local/plane-crash-at-ocala-airport-kills-1-injures-another/204243213

Edited April 9, 2016 by KevinR

[FloridaMan]

That is one hell of an impact to survive with minor injuries for the survivor. 

[Marauder]

Pretty sobering to see considering the open fields surrounding the plane. Looks like it is owned by someone in Louisiana.

[Tom]

51 minutes ago, Marauder said:

Pretty sobering to see considering the open fields surrounding the plane.

Indeed.  I hope that we can learn something from this.

[bonal]

Hate to read of this I wonder of the impact looks like a good bit of open space and as always I hope we can gain some knowledge to improve safety for all. This is a risky activity for sure I'm going to say a prayer and do what ever I can to fly safe. God speed Mooney flyer.

[kpaul]

Sad to hear. Since Ocala is only 30nm from Sun-n-fun it may have been an attendee.

2 hours ago, Antares said:

That is one hell of an impact to survive with minor injuries for the survivor. 

I found another article that describes the survivor's injuries as severe and traumatic.  Both seem more likely than minor after seeing the photos.

  http://www.fox35orlando.com/home/119893084-story

 

[Danb]

This is just starting to get so old and tiring. The weather clear,light winds just wonder what went wrong with the plane and more importantly the pilot. God rest in peace.

[mooneygirl]

My thoughts and prayers are with the families.  That turn back to the airport is so tempting.  So very sad to see.

 

[ryoder]

Wow. Such an open field.

[Piloto]

Typical take off engine failure. This is the flight phase were most stress is imposed upon the engine with the fullest amount of fuel on board. They were lucky the plane didn't caught on fire. I noticed on the pictures propeller separation without blades bend. Did the propeller separated before impact?

José

[Alan Fox]

30 minutes ago, Piloto said:

Typical take off engine failure. This is the flight phase were most stress is imposed upon the engine with the fullest amount of fuel on board. They were lucky the plane didn't caught on fire. I noticed on the pictures propeller separation without blades bend. Did the propeller separated before impact?

José

My guess is no , what are the chances that it would have been found that quick , and survived the fall in that condition , Hard to believe anyone survived at all , look at the placement of the glareshield in relation to the seats...

[N33GG]

Turn back?  Don't be that person.

Prayers for all.

[Piloto]

When you look at the video the propeller shows in front of the plane at about 100' but on the pictures it shows to the side of the plane much closer. So it was moved after the crash. Even on heavy prop strikes during takeoff the propeller does not come off. The crankshaft prop attachment is subject to the total engine power thus it is very strong. If the plane was left tie down corrosion at this part of the shaft is a possibility that could have weaken it. The lack of bend on the prop indicate that it was not attached to the engine at the time of engine impact.

José

[mike_elliott]

This is very close to home....I fly into Ocala weekly, keep a car in a hanger there just in case I cannot make it back to my non-approach airport on trips.

The Mooney Summit will reach out to the families when we learn who and how.

So terribly sad.

 

 

[FloridaMan]

When you look at the video the propeller shows in front of the plane at about 100' but on the pictures it shows to the side of the plane much closer. So it was moved after the crash. Even on heavy prop strikes during takeoff the propeller does not come off. The crankshaft prop attachment is subject to the total engine power thus it is very strong. If the plane was left tie down corrosion at this part of the shaft is a possibility that could have weaken it. The lack of bend on the prop indicate that it was not attached to the engine at the time of engine impact.

José

Probably because he cartwheeled.

[gsxrpilot]

Two airplanes down today, both with fatalities, and both in huge open, mowed, fields. 

I flew an air race today out of T74 Taylor, TX. Between the time I arrived for the brief in the morning and we launched at 12 noon, an airplane of some sort crashed about 10 miles from the airport. During the race, I flew over the crash site. The plane was burned beyond recognition, and emergency crews were on site. The airplane is sitting in a field that had to have been several hundred acres. 

It's just so sad to see crashed airplanes in places where landings would have been easy.

[Piloto]

A fallen prop.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-34537135

[Raptor05121]

RIP.

[Hosshawk]

Looks to me like, after he made his turn back to the airport, he had insufficient altitude to arrest the desent and hit really hard.  But at least was able to get wings level and maybe save one life.  He was probably a couple hundred feet of altitude from pulling it off. 

 

Edited April 10, 2016 by Hosshawk

[Tony Armour]

This was posted over on Beechtalk:

 

 

 just watched helplessly as a plane crashed.

I had just landed at Ocala, FL hoping to grab some fuel and some breakfast at the Tailwinds Cafe. The line man had put a chock under the wheel and I was busy getting down off the wing. There were maybe 6 people on the ramp. A Mooney was talking off and the engine sounded wrong, there was a bang and then silence. Time seems to stand still. Several more people came out of the FBO while the plane was maybe 600 feet above the ground. The pilot tried to turn back and I thought he was doing a great job. Everyone on the ramp was just watching in scared anticipation, hoping that he made it. Maybe 75 or 100 feet above the ground the left wing fell and the plane crashed behind the VOR. I don’t even remember it making a sound when it came to rest. There was this surreal moment when time just stood still. The lineman calls on his radio for them to call 911. I start running across the ramp knowing that the crash site is at least 3/4 of mile away. The lineman starts yelling at me to stop that I can’t cross the runway. I yell back to tell the tower to close the field. He yells back saying tower says to stop and that fire and EMS are on the way. Some lady yells you can’t move the victim, they might have spinal injuries. All sorts of unkind words roll through my head but I stop, turn around, and look at these helpless bystanders.  

A dozen people stand on the ramp. Waiting. Watching. There is no smoke and the wreckage is behind the VOR so it is hard to see anything. I am pissed off! I keep thinking that if I was the pilot in the plane I would hope somebody is running to help me.  

Do you know how long it takes for 1 car to get to the scene? 10 minutes. It was a freaking eternity. I could have been there in 5. 15 minutes and there are police and fire and EMS on the scene.

Everyone wanders back into the FBO. I sit down in the cafe and order breakfast watching out the window as the 1st responders do their job. Helpless. Mad. Angry. Praying that there are survivors. Hoping against hope that everyone magically walks away. Thinking I should have run out there to help and f$ck them and let them throw me in jail. The cafe is quiet as everyone just waits for something to happen. Finally an ambulance rolls away from the scene, comes down the runway and out a perimeter gate. There were no lights, no siren. Is that bad? Is that good? Is everyone OK or is everyone dead? Thousands of questions and no answers.

About 45 minutes later the airport is open again. Planes take off and arrive like nothing happened. Life goes on.

My flight home is slow with a 35 -40 knot headwind. Lots of turbulence to match my mood. I am sad. Sad for the pilot. Sad for any passengers. Sad for their families.

[dlthig]

5 hours ago, Tony Armour said:

This was posted over on Beechtalk:

 

 

 just watched helplessly as a plane crashed.

I had just landed at Ocala, FL hoping to grab some fuel and some breakfast at the Tailwinds Cafe. The line man had put a chock under the wheel and I was busy getting down off the wing. There were maybe 6 people on the ramp. A Mooney was talking off and the engine sounded wrong, there was a bang and then silence. Time seems to stand still. Several more people came out of the FBO while the plane was maybe 600 feet above the ground. The pilot tried to turn back and I thought he was doing a great job. Everyone on the ramp was just watching in scared anticipation, hoping that he made it. Maybe 75 or 100 feet above the ground the left wing fell and the plane crashed behind the VOR. I don’t even remember it making a sound when it came to rest. There was this surreal moment when time just stood still. The lineman calls on his radio for them to call 911. I start running across the ramp knowing that the crash site is at least 3/4 of mile away. The lineman starts yelling at me to stop that I can’t cross the runway. I yell back to tell the tower to close the field. He yells back saying tower says to stop and that fire and EMS are on the way. Some lady yells you can’t move the victim, they might have spinal injuries. All sorts of unkind words roll through my head but I stop, turn around, and look at these helpless bystanders.  

A dozen people stand on the ramp. Waiting. Watching. There is no smoke and the wreckage is behind the VOR so it is hard to see anything. I am pissed off! I keep thinking that if I was the pilot in the plane I would hope somebody is running to help me.  

Do you know how long it takes for 1 car to get to the scene? 10 minutes. It was a freaking eternity. I could have been there in 5. 15 minutes and there are police and fire and EMS on the scene.

Everyone wanders back into the FBO. I sit down in the cafe and order breakfast watching out the window as the 1st responders do their job. Helpless. Mad. Angry. Praying that there are survivors. Hoping against hope that everyone magically walks away. Thinking I should have run out there to help and f$ck them and let them throw me in jail. The cafe is quiet as everyone just waits for something to happen. Finally an ambulance rolls away from the scene, comes down the runway and out a perimeter gate. There were no lights, no siren. Is that bad? Is that good? Is everyone OK or is everyone dead? Thousands of questions and no answers.

About 45 minutes later the airport is open again. Planes take off and arrive like nothing happened. Life goes on.

My flight home is slow with a 35 -40 knot headwind. Lots of turbulence to match my mood. I am sad. Sad for the pilot. Sad for any passengers. Sad for their families.

Well said. Tailwinds...

[DXB]

Sobering account - I find it easy to identify with the rage expressed by the witness from Beechtalk. I don't know the injuries of the deceased- he might not have made a difference had he run to the scene. But someone with basic medical training on the scene 5 minutes earlier can be the difference between life and death in such marginally survivable accidents. If the victim is accessible, it can be the critical time frame to open an airway, provide rescue breaths, or stop hemmorhage from a limb.  

A take away for me here is to do whatever I can to help a distressed aircraft or crash victim- as long as it can be done without creating a hazard for others (e.g. crossing an active runway). I would certainly hope a fellow pilot would do the same for me.  Deal with any consequences later - the  folks loitering on the ramp and saying don't try to help can go f*ck themselves.

[Tony Armour]

1 hour ago, DXB said:

Sobering account - I find it easy to identify with the rage expressed by the witness from Beechtalk. I don't know the injuries of the deceased- he might not have made a difference had he run to the scene. But someone with basic medical training on the scene 5 minutes earlier can be the difference between life and death in such marginally survivable accidents. If the victim is accessible, it can be the critical time frame to open an airway, provide rescue breaths, or stop hemmorhage from a limb.  

A take away for me here is to do whatever I can to help a distressed aircraft or crash victim- as long as it can be done without creating a hazard for others (e.g. crossing an active runway). I would certainly hope a fellow pilot would do the same for me.  Deal with any consequences later - the  folks loitering on the ramp and saying don't try to help can go f*ck themselves.

Amen !

[Danb]

Tony, I hope this doesn't take a toll on you, tough stuff, I don't know if I could have stopped in my pursuit? Surely your flight home albeit slowly was full of emotions we generally only get to test when were overseas in a nasty zone.  Im sure your strong enough to handle the situation, hang in there, we all pray for the survivor. I also hope you endure this event ok.

[MyNameIsNobody]

9 hours ago, Tony Armour said:

This was posted over on Beechtalk:

 

 

 just watched helplessly as a plane crashed.

I had just landed at Ocala, FL hoping to grab some fuel and some breakfast at the Tailwinds Cafe. The line man had put a chock under the wheel and I was busy getting down off the wing. There were maybe 6 people on the ramp. A Mooney was talking off and the engine sounded wrong, there was a bang and then silence. Time seems to stand still. Several more people came out of the FBO while the plane was maybe 600 feet above the ground. The pilot tried to turn back and I thought he was doing a great job. Everyone on the ramp was just watching in scared anticipation, hoping that he made it. Maybe 75 or 100 feet above the ground the left wing fell and the plane crashed behind the VOR. I don’t even remember it making a sound when it came to rest. There was this surreal moment when time just stood still. The lineman calls on his radio for them to call 911. I start running across the ramp knowing that the crash site is at least 3/4 of mile away. The lineman starts yelling at me to stop that I can’t cross the runway. I yell back to tell the tower to close the field. He yells back saying tower says to stop and that fire and EMS are on the way. Some lady yells you can’t move the victim, they might have spinal injuries. All sorts of unkind words roll through my head but I stop, turn around, and look at these helpless bystanders.  

A dozen people stand on the ramp. Waiting. Watching. There is no smoke and the wreckage is behind the VOR so it is hard to see anything. I am pissed off! I keep thinking that if I was the pilot in the plane I would hope somebody is running to help me.  

Do you know how long it takes for 1 car to get to the scene? 10 minutes. It was a freaking eternity. I could have been there in 5. 15 minutes and there are police and fire and EMS on the scene.

Everyone wanders back into the FBO. I sit down in the cafe and order breakfast watching out the window as the 1st responders do their job. Helpless. Mad. Angry. Praying that there are survivors. Hoping against hope that everyone magically walks away. Thinking I should have run out there to help and f$ck them and let them throw me in jail. The cafe is quiet as everyone just waits for something to happen. Finally an ambulance rolls away from the scene, comes down the runway and out a perimeter gate. There were no lights, no siren. Is that bad? Is that good? Is everyone OK or is everyone dead? Thousands of questions and no answers.

About 45 minutes later the airport is open again. Planes take off and arrive like nothing happened. Life goes on.

My flight home is slow with a 35 -40 knot headwind. Lots of turbulence to match my mood. I am sad. Sad for the pilot. Sad for any passengers. Sad for their families.

To this day I have a little spot in my craw for my father-in-law.  He has cottages in Northern Wisconsin that are on a lake.  If winds are out of the north final is right over their cottage.  One night he heard a plane go over following by loud noise....

Never called anyone...Never investigated.  An IFR pilot was attempting a landing and caught a tree.  Since event opening has been extended...Pilot died.  Wife seriously injured remained in the plane all night.  Two nieces in back seat exited plane and wandered in the dark until early morning when rescue was dispatched.

I have to live with myself.  I would have run to that aircraft.  I respect your decision and understand your emotion post event.  Mine would be similar.  We are a society based on rules, structure and the law...

My thoughts are with the family and hoping the injured passenger has a full recovery.