Mooney in the water in Palo Alto

[kerry]

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-palo-alto-crash-20180904-story.html#

[orionflt]

not much detail yet, wonder what happened.

Prayers for the survivors and families

Brian

[DXB]

http://www.fox5ny.com/news/faa-confirms-palo-alto-plane-crash

[LANCECASPER]

49 minutes ago, orionflt said:

not much detail yet, wonder what happened.

Prayers for the survivors and families

Brian

If it's N701JM . . . 

https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N701JM

 

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N701JM

 

 

[orionflt]

N701JM

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N701JM/history/20180904/1637Z

SPENCER W JOHN

 

[mike_elliott]

So terribly sad. This makes 9 brothers/sisters we have lost since the last Mooney Summit. If anyone has verified contact info for the deceased's family and survivors, please PM me, or @Seth or @neilpilot the details. I will be off line a lot in the next week or 2 and they can make sure Alice gets the info so we can reach out with the Bill Gilliland foundation assistance.

 

[neilpilot]

Mr. Spencer was flying 2 passengers  as a volunteer pilot for Angel Flight West.....https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/plane-crash-palo-alto-dead-one-airport-13203858.php

[M20FanJesse]

From IG user "carboncubadventures"

"So I witnessed a fatal plane crash today. Trouble on departure. Pilot made a low level steep turn at about 200 feet. Watched it stall spin, saw a chunk of airframe fly 100+ feet in the air. My wife and I (she's a nurse practitioner) were the first on the scene. We tried to help. Pilot was pinned in place, slumped over, not breathing, no pulse. Front passenger bleeding from the head but conscious. Back passenger fine - on her phone. EMS showed up, we helped at first then gave statements and left. Absolutely crazy. Fly safe guys."

Warning: Could be considered graphic

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnUSVD0ABpF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_loading_state_control

 

I'm amazed two survived at all from a stall spin

 

[SantosDumont]

What is the part that is sticking out in the bottom left of the photo?  Is that a piece of the tail?

[ArtVandelay]

What is the part that is sticking out in the bottom left of the photo?  Is that a piece of the tail?

The left wing looks badly damaged, so could be anything on the left side, I thought it was the elevator at first, looking at the end looks like the counterweight.

 

[M20FanJesse]

34 minutes ago, SantosDumont said:

What is the part that is sticking out in the bottom left of the photo?  Is that a piece of the tail?

The left elevator for sure. Looks like the counterweight dug in and pulled it from the hinges and is left hanging by the elevator jointer

[Marauder]

I rented out of Palo Alto a couple times back in the 1990s. I remember it being a short runway. Really sad situation. Anyone know if he is a MooneySpace member?

[RobertGary1]

Reports are that it was a go around after a landing attempt. He was delivering a patient to pao?

[Skates97]

1 hour ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

Heart breaking.  I’ll leave it at that.

Jim

 

My thoughts exactly.

Also thinking that I should work in a go around more often on purpose so when I do one out of necessity it doesn't catch me by surprise.

[Stephen]

7 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

Also thinking that I should work in a go around more often on purpose so when I do one out of necessity it doesn't catch me by surprise.

+ 1

 

[fantom]

Gut wrenching.....RIP

[MrRodgers]

4 hours ago, Stephen said:

+ 1

 

I concur.  Go arounds, especially with passengers on board can be stressful as you are not only managing the airplane but also have the judgement and comfort of the passengers to consider.  Such a sad event.  

[MBDiagMan]

My prayers are with these people and their families.

I have been transitioning to the F and did my CFI checkout for insurance.  In the course of it I bounced for the first time in a Mooney.  I cobbed the throttle and got out of there.  I had full flaps and it had no trouble at jumping into the air.  Was a good confidence builder to know it would get up so well if need be.  Wish they had been able to do it.

 

[Shadrach]

I strongly suggest that folks get comfortable with go arounds and touch and gos by practicing them regularly. I know that some in the Mooney community think they are a bad idea in this make of aircraft, but there may come a time when a landing need be aborted after touchdown or just before. Better to sharpen one’s skills when the only life at risk is one’s own. Every part of that airfoil is deformed and it’s clear that the left side of the plane hit hard and hit first. Shoulder harness will do little good when the force is coming from the side. The cabin held up remarkably well but the forces at work inside must have been tremendous. I’m glad the two passengers made it out. God speed Mr. Spencer. 

[DonMuncy]

2 hours ago, Skates97 said:

My thoughts exactly.

Also thinking that I should work in a go around more often on purpose so when I do one out of necessity it doesn't catch me by surprise.

As poorly as I land, I do not have to intentionally plan on "go arounds". I have had a lot of practice  

[apenney]

According to a Redit post:https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/comments/9cyp9q/mooney_down_near_palo_alto_airport/

[–]deftoneuk 20 points 6 hours ago 

There is a guy on Facebook that was in the pattern when it happened. Apparently porpoised it, prop strike and when he tried to go around couldn’t climb.

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[Hank]

8 minutes ago, DonMuncy said:

As poorly as I land, I do not have to intentionally plan on "go arounds". I have had a lot of practice  

Me, too . . . . .  

[JohnB]

This is terribly sad news.  As Marauder mentioned, Palo Alto is a short runway that I am reluctant to fly into, and won't if there's any significant crosswind or gust  because of this fact. According to his communication to ATC, he came in too fast, (and may have been high as he couldn't initially find the airport?).   Either or both are not a good combination with our laminar flow Mooneys particularly at short runways. Perhaps this terrible accident emphasizes the go around with a simple pattern entry even before attempting to land if your approach is not stabilized, or if you don't see the airport with enough time to make your approach stable.  Prayers to his family and the survivors.

None of the above may have happened, but I am really saddened by this and I would not like to read about anyone of us having anymore accidents, ok?

[ArtVandelay]

As poorly as I land, I do not have to intentionally plan on "go arounds". I have had a lot of practice  

I think handling the bounce (fighting the urge to force it down) is what gets you into trouble, or a cross wind causes you to drift off the runway. Doing a go around while in total control is easy, doing one when you’re discombobulated is not...and how do you safely practice that?

[DXB]

I wonder if prop/engine damage from  the  porpoise/prop strike was a key element that made climbing out  unsuccessful in the go around attempt.  If not for the (speculative) power loss after a prop strike, the go around might have been handled well after a bad bounce.   Never having been there, I suspect it takes a lot of focus in the moment to differentiate a bad bounce meriting a go around from a prop strike, where its better to accept further damage on the ground along with maybe a bad but survivable runway overrun.