Mooney goes swimming

[Wildhorsesracing]

http://wspa.com/2017/05/09/plane-crashes-in-ocean-near-myrtle-beach-state-park/

I have always wondered if I could survive a forced landing in water, it would take a special approach and lots of patience.

[carusoam]

Nice work, Mr. Pace!

Best regards,

-a-

[MyNameIsNobody]

Excellent job by Pace and a save for helicopter crew getting there quick and dropping the preserver. Swimming in the ocean with clothes is taxing. Easy to fatigue when such an adrenaline event just occurred. Could of easily drown. Glad for the result.   

 

offsets the the sad story on the loss of life in California in the light sport  

 

[DAVIDWH]

I have always wondered if I could survive a forced landing in water, it would take a special approach and lots of patience.

 

I think Capt. Sully would recommend landing gear up if you are going to be in the Hudson. ( Close to crossing ferry boats a plus)

Something about cartwheels and summersaults with gear down water landings.

Again, just theorizing, not speaking from experience.

[Guest]

Landing with the gear down causes this.

 

[Bob_Belville]

2 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

Landing with the gear down causes this.

 

Wow. Tripped over his shoelaces!

[Bravoman]

14 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

Landing with the gear down causes this.

 

I wonder if that baby was useable after that?

[carusoam]

1) Wheels and water landings don't usually mix. Leave them up...

2) not a whole lot of time to close up air vents prior to landing, but while you are thinking about it, they may buy another minute or two...

3) Planes seem to sink Titanic style, nose first. Does the pilot ride the fuselage back by tail while waiting for rescue?

4) Landing into the wind is the way to go. Even if it leaves you going off shore.  Something to consider if there is land or a better situation available, if its winter or nobody going to be around, far from land is not going to be as good of a choice...

5) tank vents are open to the atmosphere. If the plane remains upright the air can't escape, unless the orings in the caps are leaky.

6) flipping upside down in a brief period of time, can leave the pilot a bit confused about how to get out without breathing water.

7) Low wing planes have an advantage over high wing planes.  This is it.  

8) What happens to an IO550 if Jet fuel is introduced to the fuel system? Does that cause an engine failure?  (Huge speculation here, but a reminder to always check what gets put in the tank)

 

PP thoughts that come to mind after the successful Mooney water landing...

Celebrating success,

-a-

Edited May 11, 2017 by carusoam

[Guest]

8 hours ago, Bravoman said:

I wonder if that baby was useable after that?

Lots of these see the air again after repairs.

Clarence

[thinwing]

One thing to grab on your way out... lower seat cushion..they are velcroed on later model ovations and Bravos ( I don't know about the rest)they are foam and will supply flotation...also I think if one is really cool and collected there is time to close the vents ,grab a cushion.hop on the wing and close the door.Theory is a Mooney will float longer by hopping on fuse by the baggage door.Insurance on my Amhib Husky 3x per hull value vs Mooney...so obviously it is a better water lander!

[Yetti]

Your jeans can be a flotation device...

[flight2000]

33 minutes ago, Yetti said:

Your jeans can be a flotation device...

Gee, thanks....you just brought back some really bad memories from basic training.    Couple hours in the pool until we were prunes, but very proficient at removing clothing while in the water and making our own flotation devices.  That was a great workout though...

Better yet, just carry life vests if going over water for extended periods and a life raft if over really big bodies of water.  This one was close to shore, so thankfully a jet ski operator was close by to help.  Going against the tide is bad stuff as a swimmer, even the strongest swimmers will fail that test eventually.

Brian 

[thinwing]

Like I said..don't be in any hurry to step off the wing,the plane is not going to just sink right now and suck you down like the Titanic did to jack Dawson....my fathers water landing in a shot up c-47 floated long enough for him to step onto patrol boat...

[Jerry 5TJ]

55 minutes ago, Hyett6420 said:

wear a life jacket of at least 15 newtons (I think) if you plan to spend more than 5 minutes over water.  

150 Newton or about 33 pounds force flotation.  

I have a couple of coastal inflatable vests in the plane. 

[Hank]

1 hour ago, Hyett6420 said:

wear a life jacket of at least 15 newtons (I think) if you plan to spend more than 5 minutes over water.  

If you're floating for a long time, kick off your shoes. 

A life jacket the size of 15 Fig Newtons woukd be pretty small . . . .

I went through Engineering with both English and metric units, but never figured out if 100N on my forehead woukd be noticeable or kill me.

Afterthought:  why doesn't England use English units???

[thinwing]

13 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

If anyone is interested i am talking to Mike Elliot at the moment about doing a talk about flying over water at the next mooney summit, how to prepare for landing on the water, what to carry, what to wear, how to "read" the water, how tomegress etc etc.  

Preparation is key. One thing you can ALL start doing now is practicing lying face down in your local swimming pool holding your nose.  Do it once or twice a week and gradually build up the time it takes.  When you beging to panic, relax and dont come up yet.  You wont drown like this, it will teach you to recognise your body and what it is doing and buy you time if you get trapped under the water.  

You want us to what!!!

 

[thinwing]

Ok ..I mean face down in a public pool controlled by young mother nazi..I mean face down in a pool of #1...#2...and god helpuss..#3..I just can't do it..wah...

[thinwing]

5 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

Hank regarding units I'm not going to go there except to ask why the USA which speaks English drives on the French side of the Road.   

We do it to stay alive

[thinwing]

Which brings to mind...aircraft overtake rules..pass on the right (us) or pass on the left?

[Bennett]

A long time friend (now deceased from a non aviation related illness) ditched his 231 into (onto) a lake. We talked about his experience at some length. This was a first flight after an annual, and the persons at the airport saw a trail of smoke coming from the airplane. One called him on the CTAF, and as he sought to return to the airport, the engine quit. There was a lake between his position and the airport, and he elected a water landing. Wheels up, as slow as possible, door cracked open, and in his words "the airplane skipped like a rock across the surface". He told me that at no time before the airplane stopped on the water did the nose dip down deeply. The passenger opened the door (this was her first flight in a GA aircraft), and they both stepped out on the wing. The 231 had the shoulder harnesses and neither had any injuries. A boat from the shore came out and picked them up right before the aircraft sank. He said they barely got their legs wet before they were rescued. He was a very experienced pilot, and I know he would not panic in this type of situation. Great combination of luck and skill.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[amillet]

My wife and I completed this aviation egress course years ago.

http://www.dunkyou.com/

[Seth]

On 5/11/2017 at 5:22 AM, Hyett6420 said:

If anyone is interested i am talking to Mike Elliot at the moment about doing a talk about flying over water at the next mooney summit, how to prepare for landing on the water, what to carry, what to wear, how to "read" the water, how tomegress etc etc.  

Preparation is key. One thing you can ALL start doing now is practicing lying face down in your local swimming pool holding your nose.  Do it once or twice a week and gradually build up the time it takes.  When you beging to panic, relax and dont come up yet.  You wont drown like this, it will teach you to recognise your body and what it is doing and buy you time if you get trapped under the water.  

If not 2017 this could be a topic for 2018!!

 

-Seth