4 mile final and the Johnson Bar comes apart

[Ned Gravel]

As many of you know, I have owned my '65 E model since 2005 and one of the reasons I bought a J-Bar Mooney was serious lack of confidence in RGs that were operated either electrically or hydraulically.  This reticence was caused by a ground loop in a PA-28-180R Arrow that sent the front gear to work for the other team because I chanced to lift off a minus 26 deg Celcius and the nose gear broke something during transition.  In the end, the fault was mine because I was operating the aircraft outside its envelope (ie: below -25 deg C) but I was already on the "I gotta own the gear if I fly an RG" rant.

Along came J-Bar Mooneys and I was hooked.  Loved them ever since.  With nearly 900 hours in mine, I feel that I can make mine dance.  

Yesterday however, an incident occurred that nearly spelled the end of my relationship with C-FSWR.  After 1:51 of flying time to deliver C-FSWR for its annual, I was cleared by Toronto Center for the visual approach to runway 26 in Waterloo and told to contact the tower.  That done, I started to configure the aircraft for landing.  At about 4 miles out on final, I reached for the J Bar, pulled it out of the uplock block on the floor and it came apart in my hands.  Off popped the handle for the retraction lever, followed by the spring.  

Handle in my right hand and the retraction lever too short (without the attached handle) to go into the downlock block and keep the gear safely down for the landing.

Options ?

First option, the airplane now belongs to my insurance company.  Equipment failure will result in a gear up landing.  Either I walk away with a totalled aircraft, or it pays for the repairs.  My only job at this point is to save my life.  This is not really a difficult thing to do looking at 7000' of 150' wide runway at 1000' AGL doing 120 MPH.  All the time in the world and all the runway needed to make a safe belly scraping landing.  That whole consideration took about 2 seconds of my time.

Second option, try to piece it back together during the 3.5 miles or so left to me so the handle will fit into the downlock block and allow me to get it to the shop so it can be repaired during the annual.  That cogitation took about one more second.

Decision?  (Aviate - Navigate - Communicate)

1.  Maintain the approach (lotsa time available for option 1)

2.  Try to put it back together until about 500' AGL, then abandon this approach and proceed to drop the flaps and put it down at or below 65 MPH for option 1.

What happened?

I slipped the handle back over the top of the retraction lever and banged it three or four times until it settled over the lever as it is supposed to do - albeit minus its spring.  Then I pushed the whole thing forward into the downlock block and pushed the handle up into the block until it clicked into the handle's catch.  Pulled down to make sure it was locked - and it was.  I was now at 700' AGL and good for a wheels down landing.  I still did three GUMPS checks on a no-flaps landing - no flare - just let it settle on a squeaker.  Ahhhhhh.

C-FSWR lives to fly another day and my new seats (from @Alan Fox) and my new gear handle lock blocks (from @Sabremech) are going to be installed.  I don't think I will need a new gear retraction handle, but I have every confidence someone is going to look real close as to why it came apart in the first place.  @M20Doc (Clarence) now has C-FSWR in his shop for the annual and new installs.  There may be a resulting change in my procedures, but this lesson will not have cost us as much as it might have. 

Although I have not flown enough since January to feel real comfortable in my proficiency, yesterday's success partly mollified my guilt.  Isn't the only excitement we want to experience in flight to be generated from our love of flying?  I guess yesterday I was supposed to have more excitement than that.  

To top it all off, Clarence and his friend flew me back to Ottawa in a Turbonormalized Twink.  1:24 at 18 gph.  I paid for the gas - it was only fair.

Gratitude - there but for the grace of God go I................I remain in the left hand column - those have have yet to land gear up.

 

[0TreeLemur]

Cool thinking!   Good example of "working the problem" and saving the day.  Look forward to the report on why it came apart so all of us with manual gear can inspect and prevent the same thing.

[carusoam]

Way to go Ned!

There is at least one other thread with a report of the handle falling off the end of the J-bar...
 

Somewhere is a visible inspection hole in the J-bar itself... a possible place to see the nut... if it were to have a torque paint line on it?   More of a monthly or annual inspection kind of thing... I don’t think we could get our eyes down there and fly at the same time...

Lets celebrate the successes!

Best regards,

-a-

[chriscalandro]

Many days ago on a October's eve I was participating in a flying activity in my airplane solo.  The adventure started by driving unceremoniously to the airport in my Ford Fusion, and only after locking the doors to my vehicle did I attempt to open my hangar door.  

Having found the correct key for the sturdy, ruggedized padlock affixed to the locking bolt, I proceeded to attempt to turn they key approximately 90 degrees right to it's standard opening position only to find the tumblers inside the lock had not been compressed by the key, resulting is a lack of movement from the mechanism.  Applying slightly more torque to the key resulted in to increased performance of the mechanism and I proceeded to remove the key from it's slot.  Defeated, and concerned with the aforementioned rugged locks ability to become de-locked, my mind started racing.

Having had similar negative lock experiences in the past, I dashingly retrieved the bundle of keys made from mild steel from my front right pocket, being extra careful as my cellular telephone was located in the same trouser cavity, and I did not want to alter the viewability of it's display with supplementary abrasions.  Taking extra precautions I unceremoniously selected an alternative example from the cluster of mild steel.

I am pleased to say that this quick and clear minded thinking provided nothing but positive results for the forthcoming adventure as when I placed this new selection into the ruggedized locking mechanism, it properly and fully configured the innards of the device to allow for a full ninety degree twist releasing the hangar door from it's restraints and granting me access to the wonderful and magnificent treasures held inside.

 

I then flew for 1.5 hours uneventfully.

[carusoam]

Somebody took over Chris’ account...   

And replaced the usual channel with positive thinking and can-do attitude...

-a-

 

[MBDiagMan]

Great job!  

[gsxrpilot]

I know the PC thing to do here is congratulate Ned on such a good outcome. But truthfully, this is just another example of a good and talented engineer doing what engineers do. Thinking though a problem quickly, efficiently and working out a solution. And Ned is as good and talented as any engineer I know.

Great job Ned 

[0TreeLemur]

4 minutes ago, gsxrpilot said:

I know the PC thing to do here is congratulate Ned on such a good outcome. But truthfully, this is just another example of a good and talented engineer doing what engineers do. Thinking though a problem quickly, efficiently and working out a solution. And Ned is as good and talented as any engineer I know.

Great job Ned 

What does Positive Control have to do with this? 

[DXB]

Great job @Ned Gravel !  And thanks for sharing - Please do report back when you find out what made the J-Bar handle pop off.  I'd rather experience your issue vicariously on Mooneyspace and then take a preventive measure rather than get the real life learning experience. 

[hammdo]

Pics after the fact?

amazing job getting her down!

-Don

[Ned Gravel]

4 hours ago, chriscalandro said:

I then flew for 1.5 hours uneventfully.

That's the part I like...

[Ned Gravel]

2 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

I know the PC thing to do here is congratulate Ned on such a good outcome. But truthfully, this is just another example of a good and talented engineer doing what engineers do. Thinking though a problem quickly, efficiently and working out a solution. And Ned is as good and talented as any engineer I know.

Great job Ned 

Thanks for this and I will admit to a little self-congratulation on the outcome of the event. 

Between "Who'da thunk it?" and "Holy Crap" lives the old soldier.  You know the guy:  "Don't worry son.  Ain't nuthin' we can't handle." 

I am not always that guy.   But I would like to be.  Occasionally, we all get to rise to our own expectations of ourselves. This time it worked.  It has not always done so.

Now back to our regularly scheduled discussion of everyday non-life-threatening enjoyment of flying our Mooneys.   "Nothing more to see here.  Move along."  

[Guest]

Ned,

You left out the best part of the story...........you got a ride home in a Piper Comanche!!

Clarence

[hammdo]

You mean the 'air bus'? ;o) 

-Don 

[Ned Gravel]

7 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

Ned,

You left out the best part of the story...........you got a ride home in a Piper Comanche!!

Clarence

Well..  There was that too.  ATP in the left seat and you in the back seat.  Such a joy!!!  But I am not certain if you understand how grateful I am for the offer to do that for me.  I am.  Very.

Kidding aside, I was watching him (not to be named here without his permission) do exactly what I would do all through the flight home.  You ever notice how an instrument rated pilot lowers their eyes to the panel just before entering clouds?  We both did it at the same time and I wasn't doing any of the flying.  Requesting diversions around buildup to avoid growing CU. exactly as I would do as well.  We have all learned many of the same lessons.  

And I got home 7 days sooner than I originally anticipated.  I am probably going to ask @yvesg to fly us both to Waterloo when we pick it up.  We have not done a whole pile of formation work this year.  So this might be a good opportunity for the trip home.  Videos will follow.

In the meantime, can you get pictures of the parts for MS when you figure out what happened?

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, hammdo said:

You mean the 'air bus'? ;o) 

-Don 

Not sure it was a bus, nor my 400, but a Turbo Twin Comanche.

Clarence

[jamesm]

Thanks for sharing. I am glad everything turned out with  a positive outcome.

 

[Ragsf15e]

Awesome job!

Please don’t hesitate to tell atc you have a minor problem and would like a few minutes holding at a safe altitude to sort it out.  It seems you sorted your problem quickly, and I think it was just part ofthe story, but if the quick fix didn’t work, tell them you want some time and find a safe altitude to think everything through.  I’d hate to see your beautiful airplane on its belly!

[Don Heene]

Thanks for sharing, now we know if this happens to me it can be put back together in the air.  I would like to know how it came apart.  That will help us all.  

[redcatcher27]

Congratulations on a great outcome! And great to know information - that it can sucessfully be put back together in flight.

Another option not listed, and possibly the best option, (considering safety concepts such as "error chain" and "stabilized approach") would be to ask for vectors to a holding position to sort out the problem.  Continuing an approach with unresolved problems is a recipe for disaster, IMHO.  But please, don't confuse my opinion for judgement - I'm only trying to add alternative ideas to the discussion.

Again - congratulations and thanks for sharing!

[FloridaMan]

There’s an incident reported of someone who had a small flashlight fall down the hole under their Johnson bad (missing boot) and caused the ailerons to jam. 

[M20F-1968]

8 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

Awesome job!

Please don’t hesitate to tell atc you have a minor problem and would like a few minutes holding at a safe altitude to sort it out.  It seems you sorted your problem quickly, and I think it was just part of the story, but if the quick fix didn’t work, tell them you want some time and find a safe altitude to think everything through.  I’d hate to see your beautiful airplane on its belly!

Good job getting it down on its wheels.   As I was reading your story however, I was thinking that this is a problem that is begging a go around, just to have some time to sort out the issues, in an unrushed manner and make sure you do not become the victim of a distraction.  Your solution and result would likely have been the same, but if there was no real emergency and you had the luxury of time, go around, tell ATC what you are doing, ask for a straight and level segment, put the autopilot on at a safe altitude and take your time.

The nut could work its way loose and fall off the threads, which is likely what occurred.  Some Blue locktite might be nice.  When the nut backs off, the J-bar handle will be allowed to extend further.  You may notice this change or you may not.  Make it a point to periodically check the nut's position.  My plane is on jacks now as I am practicing my leather sewing skills to make a new J-bar boot.  You have just reminded me to check mine.

John Breda

[Seymour]

Ned, I'm VERY happy for the excellent outcome!

...and this is why I read MS.   ...so I already know the options and best outcomes when the J-Bar disintegrates in my hand in the pattern.     

[wcb]

@Ned Gravel Good job on getting your bird to live to see another day.  One more option unless you were low on fuel.  I had a breaker pop on my electric gear and instead of manual gear extension I simply exited the patter and flew away from the area to thoughtfully trouble shooting and then solved the issue with more time than worrying about that on final.  So, as long as you have fuel you do not have to put her down.  A go around could have simply bought a little more time to in reality do the exact same thing you did (jam it on and make it hold).  If while away from the airport it was determined that a gear up was the only course it also buys you time to declare emergency and all that entails.  Again to clarify I am not being negative on anything you did just a simple debrief for the group.

[hypertech]

Nice work.  Don't forget option 3 - abort the approach to land, climb to a safe altitude, engage the autopilot for slow, level flight, and work the issue with two hands.