towing damage

[skyking1]

I left my eagle overnight at PHF with instructions on how to tow the airplane. I was informed  that they knew all about Mooneys as they had one on the field for nine years . I showed them the red tow lines etc. I returned in two days to fly and found the gear horn and a gear unsafe light on! Atlantic aviation was the fbo and have treated me worse than you can imagine! They called out two mechs who were supposed to know mooneys. Four days latter I was accused of having brought the airplane in with prior damage and I would have to pay for any costs. I have gotten the airplane out of there and have taken it to a Mooney service center in fll who found two loose bolts that could have caused a gear up later. I have since purchased a do not tow banner and will pull the airplane myself from now on! This story has a lot more detail but has anyone had a similar experience?

[takair]

Do you know which bolts were loose?  I'm trying to picture which bolts could be loosened due to towing.  Typically you will see tubing damage first, or broken off stops, when they hit tow limits.  Did you have the stops broken?  I had the tubes dented at one point, and since then I check my tubes and stops whenever I leave a plane at an FBO.  Most FBOs are very familiar with those tubes (after they've paid for a set) and in some cases the linemen will check them before towing for previous damage (again, through bad experience). 

[skyking1]

The loose bolts were after they had signed off the airplane as airworthy. The main bolt that is horizontal on the nose gear and bolts on the gear tubes that had also been bent were loose. The service center said he was glad I had it checked as it would have come loose later. The stops were broken as well as the tubes dented. A large tug was used with a long tow bar exerting a long arm and equal force.

[takair]

Thanks for clarifying.  Big tugs and Mooneys don't go well together.

[flyboy0681]

This is a great fear of mine and I really wonder how it should it be dealt with in a logical manner. Giving verbal orders certainly doesn't help. Should we pre-print instructions, keep them in the plane and have the FBO read and sign it?

It's always going to be their word against ours, and we are almost certainly going to lose because they will always claim it was pre-existing damage, just as Skyking1 reported.

[rbharvey]

If you are really paranoid, point that cell phone camera at your gear horn and snap away after shut down. It will record the time and date and give you a good position to point blame....you can also get a picture of the lineman at the same time...works well

Bob

[roundout]

Seen it a million times. Do what rbharvey said. It isn't worth not doing.

[richardheitzman]

really a shame. I hate to say it, get a lawyer and sue them. Get it fixed in the mean time then send in the lawyers to harass them till they pay up. They will offer to settle after the lawyer gets involved. Don't let them push you around, especially if you that is not your permanent base. That's probably why they are treating you bad. They knew you would go away.

real shame.

[231Pilot]

Had a similar incident in Jackson, MS.  I didn't know they had used a power-tow (I had asked them not to, and they said they were used to handling Mooneys).  On take off, while applying a little right rudder, I heard and felt a "pop" just as I rotated.   The gear retracted fine, and I flew to my home base (KGPT at that time).  On landing, I had NO RIGHT TURN CAPABILITY FROM THE NOSE WHEEL.  The rudder helped, but I left the runway (to the left), missing the taxi lights and stopping on the grass.  After being towed to the FBO and maintenance shop, the mechanic who had been doing all the work on the plane for the previous 4-5 years found a bent gear horn.  Expensive repair (I think it cost me about $1,300 at the time).  I couldn't prove it was them, but I never landed tehre again..

The mechanic I use now has a power tow that pulls the nose wheel onto a platform and lifts it a few inches off the ground, taking the wheel's turn limitations out of the equation.  I like that system better if hand towing is an impractical option.