Mooney Down in IL

[Geoff]

 

Date:

17-FEB-2011

Time:

10:25 LT

Type:

Mooney M20K

Operator:

Daniel Folk

Registration:

N262CP

C/n / msn:

25-0092

Fatalities:

Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1

Other fatalities:

0

Airplane damage:

Written off (damaged beyond repair)

Location:

Urbana, IL -   United States of America

Phase:

Landing

Nature:

Private

Departure airport:

KC16

Destination airport:

KC16

Narrative:

Mooney pilot was practicing cross wind landings on runway '09' at Frasca Field - pilot was aware he wasn't going to make the runway and banked left, the port wingtip caught the ground and cartwheeled the aircraft. Pilot survived with minor injuries.

[DaV8or]

That's the bitch of it. If you're not good at something, you're supposed to go out and practice until you are good, but if you're not good, the chances are greater that you'll screw up. I know you're always supposed to practice with a CFI along, but many of them will just ride along to the crash site too. Tough call. When to call in the CFI and when not to.

Sympathies to the pilot. He must feel horrible. He went out on a day looking for a challenge and wrecked his plane. He could have stayed on the ground, but no doubt thought that the day was perfect for practicing cross wind landings. This was not the outcome invisioned.

[jlunseth]

Yes, I think we have all had close calls of that nature.  You need to challenge yourself to get better, and it is very dicey knowing when you are challenging yourself enough, and when you are challenging yourself too much.  A CFI does not always help I find, because you are trying to learn how to fly under adverse conditions for yourself.  At some point you have to cut the cord and do it alone, or you do not learn the lesson.

[Seth]

Here is the news article about it:

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/courts-police-and-fire/2011-02-17/pilot-walks-away-after-crashing-plane-north-urbana-yard.html

The pilot's name was mentioned in the article.

Daniel, if you normally read MooneySpace, then know that we're glad you're okay.

-Seth

[fantom]

The amazingly strong Mooney cockpit cage saves yet another unlucky pilot. Don't try this trick in a clorox bottle plane.

 

[231Pilot]

Hate to see a Mooney destroyed, but overjoyed that a Mooney pilot was not destroyed.

[scottfromiowa]

If you don't have shoulder harness fitted in front of your Mooney...Git 'r Done!  Here's to our roll cage!!!

[scottfromiowa]

Anyone know what the winds were doing there on 2/17?  I flew two days ago and today (CID-Cedar Rapids, IA North West of accident site).  Winds were strong out of west (300@19 gusting to 25) I landed on 27.  Today was 330@19.  I landed on 31...The article spoke of pilot flying west to east for landing which would be landing on 9.  I can't remember what the winds were doing yesterday, but they were gusting quite high with temps in high 50's to 60's...

I know the couple of times I have landed with a quartering tail wind my plane floated LIKE CRAZY...NOT FUN on anything but a really accomodating runway.  With gusting winds they can literally change directions for a couple of minutes going from a quartering headwind to a quartering tailwind...Anybody else experienced this?

[AustinChurch]

Quote: scottfromiowa

......With gusting winds they can literally change directions for a couple of minutes going from a wuartering headwind to a quartering tailwind...Anybody else experienced this?

[alex]

Winds were gusting over 30 from the west at DPA earlier today. DPA SW of ORD

[flight2000]

Someone over on the AOPA board pulled the METAR at KCMI which is just down the road to the south of Frasca.

KCMI 171553Z 18020G27KT 10SM CLR 13/09 A2978 RMK AO2 PK WND 18027/1547 SLP086 T01280094

Yikes!!

[N9937c]

The truth of this hole thing is one of the guys that owned the airport was watching as per the news clip.

Lots of times someone like this has other things to do but you know the chance of seeing something OUT OF THE ORDINARY is just too good to miss. It also helps the Investigators later

larry

[N513ZM]

I landed Monday KLKU rwy 27 winds 260-300@18G35

original plan was to land at KCHO rwy 21 - changed destination to KLKU to stack the deck in my favor.

later that day landed at KBDR rwy 29 winds 290@22G34

yesterday landed KISZ rwy 24 winds 300-350@12G18 - direct xwind when I landed - windsock straight out from the right.

Sorry to hear about Daniel's crash and very glad he's OK.

[sleepingsquirrel]

Since I'm a relatively new Mooney pilot I am trying to learn from these reports.  What I have learned:

A. If one is going to make an off airport landing, in someones back yard, doing it in a Mooney is desirable regardless of any other circumstances.

B. My maximum cross wind component is when:  I can no longer maintain runway alignment and my anal sphincter is chewing a hole in the seat cover.

C. Humility, it can happen to me.

D. Pick my days as my skills evolve , flying is not a contest with Mother Nature.

[skyking]

Squirrel: you may be new but it looks like you learn fast.

A truly smart man learns from others mistakes and mis-fortune. I am glad Daneil is OK too.

Such a shame , trying to upgrade your skills and look what happened. I am sure we have all been there we were just fortunate enough to have different outcomes.

[sleepingsquirrel]

Yes, it's good that no one was seriously hurt. I've been lucky that my lessons come from squeakers. Once, while landing with my instructor, he put in full right rudder. I saw him do it. I wasn't concerned, the airplane skewed off to the right and I didn't do anything.  Next thing I know I get a friendly tap on the back of the head with his clipboard. " What the hell do you think your doing, don't let the airplane do what it wants"! "Get on it"! "Stay on it"! The kindest lesson I ever learned.

Well , I feel that clipboard on the back of my skull to this day, just before something bad is going to happen. Learning is an amazing thing.