Frank B. Posted September 22, 2020 Report Posted September 22, 2020 This was a great guy and had over 25K hours. He was a retired airline Capt based out of KFIN. https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2020/09/21/pilot-injured-in-plane-crash-in-near-hilliard/ 3 Quote
Eight8Victor Posted September 22, 2020 Report Posted September 22, 2020 Sorry to hear about this Frank. Peace to you and his family. 1 Quote
carusoam Posted September 22, 2020 Report Posted September 22, 2020 Prayers for the lost airman... Need to stay vigilant, no matter how many hours we accumulate... Best regards, -a- 1 Quote
Missile=Awesome Posted September 22, 2020 Report Posted September 22, 2020 Didn’t know there were dangerous changing weather patterns in North East Florida... Wonder what that means? Is that code? Can someone decipher the context of that for me? The stations “pro” also couldn’t resist talking about the sketchy safety record of experimental aircraft... Sorry a good guy perished doing what he loved. Quote
BKlott Posted September 22, 2020 Report Posted September 22, 2020 30 minutes ago, carusoam said: Prayers for the lost airman... Need to stay vigilant, no matter how many hours we accumulate... Best regards, -a- I think it was Richard Collins that said something like “the only hour that matters is the next hour”. 2 Quote
Missile=Awesome Posted September 22, 2020 Report Posted September 22, 2020 2 hours ago, carusoam said: Prayers for the lost airman... Need to stay vigilant, no matter how many hours we accumulate... Best regards, -a- My assumption is, by your statement, that perhaps he was NOT vigilant? Seriously, life is dangerous, so much so that no-one makes it out alive. Quote
carusoam Posted September 23, 2020 Report Posted September 23, 2020 On 9/21/2020 at 11:40 PM, Missile=Awesome said: My assumption is, by your statement, that perhaps he was NOT vigilant? Seriously, life is dangerous, so much so that no-one makes it out alive. Clearly, I used the word we in that statement... Very few people ever get off this earth alive... Some do, but only temporarily.... Did you see how many hours that gentleman has? A very large number... What I got from the brief statement regarding the accident... something I found I can use going forwards... so, I wrote It down... and shared it. How many posters do you have around your office that say Safety is no Accident..? How many different interpretations go with that? They’re all good... Best regards, -a- 2 Quote
Missile=Awesome Posted September 23, 2020 Report Posted September 23, 2020 8 hours ago, carusoam said: Clearly, I used the word we in that statement... Very few people ever get off this earth alive... Some do, but only temporarily.... Did you see how many hours that gentleman has? A very large number... What I got from the brief statement regarding the accident... something I found I can use going forwards... so, I wrote It down... and shared it. How many posters do you have around your office that say Safety is no Accident..? How many different interpretations go with that? They’re all good... Best regards, -a- Clearly you do not care for my reply -a-. There was a similar discussion in another thread where safety was, in my opinion, inserted where it did NOT belong. My point being: There is an effective spot to insert the value of training and maintenance in reducing risk exposure. There is also a spot where it is just not effective. This was a highly experienced pilot that crashed and passed. A tragedy. Do you have any specific area based on information provided for me to become more focused? My assumption with someone that is experienced is that he/she will have a vast amount of knowledge working IN THEIR FAVOR. Vigilance is a buzz word to me. Nebulous. This aviator knew a lot and he died. My takeaway from that is: regardless of controls there are uncontrolled areas that can take us all and fate is the hunter. Zero Accidents, Injury Free, All accidents are preventable are words/goals/truisms...”But” people are still dying and that is sad. I will try and stay vigilant though... My suggestion to Cedar Rapidians is: If you don’t know how to use a chain saw...DON’T USE ONE. (Based on Deratio incidents) Quote
steingar Posted September 23, 2020 Report Posted September 23, 2020 Where he was flying there are a LOT of woods. Flying over there I thought the place utterly uninhabited, all I could see is woods. Go down in that in an RV8 and it could well be curtains no matter what you do. Sometimes that's just how it is. Go down under control in a Mooney and I think you have a fighting chance, since the Mooney is stout as can be. Go down not under control and it's curtains no matter what you fly. The best airman in the world can be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Condolences to the OP. It diminishes us all when an Airman goes down. 2 Quote
Frank B. Posted September 23, 2020 Author Report Posted September 23, 2020 The second photo is Bill and his son taken approximately 1.5 hours prior to the accident . I believe it’s self explanatory if you look at the photo of the wreckage what happened. Big hole in the cowl and the engine was obviously not rotating at the time of the accident. 5 Quote
DXB Posted September 24, 2020 Report Posted September 24, 2020 13 hours ago, Frank B. said: The second photo is Bill and his son taken approximately 1.5 hours prior to the accident . I believe it’s self explanatory if you look at the photo of the wreckage what happened. Big hole in the cowl and the engine was obviously not rotating at the time of the accident. Ugh horrible. Thrown rod? Would be interested to know more about the history of the engine. I think these catastrophic bottom end failures are usually infant mortality events? Quote
Missile=Awesome Posted September 24, 2020 Report Posted September 24, 2020 On 9/21/2020 at 7:17 PM, Frank B. said: This was a great guy and had over 25K hours. He was a retired airline Capt based out of KFIN. https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2020/09/21/pilot-injured-in-plane-crash-in-near-hilliard/ Frank, Seeing that photo with his son makes me feel like (what I am) an insensitive ass. I am very saddened by this. I fly in areas that have a lot of woods and also lakes and I have already made my decision on going water with a retractable gear Mooney. There is hopefully learning and thought on prevention to be found from such a tragedy. I have a high time engine and this event gives pause. I mourn for what the family has lost... Scott 1 Quote
ArtVandelay Posted September 24, 2020 Report Posted September 24, 2020 The cowl damage could have been a result of hitting a tree stump or something else on impact. I wouldn’t assume it’s a result of an engine coming apart. 2 Quote
Frank B. Posted September 24, 2020 Author Report Posted September 24, 2020 7 hours ago, ArtVandelay said: The cowl damage could have been a result of hitting a tree stump or something else on impact. I wouldn’t assume it’s a result of an engine coming apart. How could you explain the propeller not being bent? I spoke with someone who was onsite and they reported that the engine did come apart. Quote
ArtVandelay Posted September 24, 2020 Report Posted September 24, 2020 How could you explain the propeller not being bent? I spoke with someone who was onsite and they reported that the engine did come apart. I don’t. That maybe what happened, I just like more than a single photo. Especially considering it landed in a forest, normal clues like a bent propellor from impact may be not apply. 1 Quote
carusoam Posted September 25, 2020 Report Posted September 25, 2020 Surely, it looks like a catastrophic engine fire, while in flight... Engines that are turning When the plane is in contact with the ground usually show scoring marks on the prop tip... At least a dirt stain... Soot and heat flow with the apparent wind... While on the ground, the heat rises, and stains are more vertical... Engine fires are a get down now! no waiting type of situation... note for Scott: No, I wasn’t there... but, when it comes to engine fires... it is hard to get on the ground safely/fast enough, in the amount of time that is left... It takes time to bleed off both altitude and speed... possibly, Several minutes... Emergency descents make great practice... PP thoughts regarding things we can learn from this awful experience... Not a CFI or a fireman... Best regards, -a- 2 1 Quote
Frank B. Posted September 25, 2020 Author Report Posted September 25, 2020 8 hours ago, carusoam said: Surely, it looks like a catastrophic engine fire, while in flight... Engines that are turning When the plane is in contact with the ground usually show scoring marks on the prop tip... At least a dirt stain... Soot and heat flow with the apparent wind... While on the ground, the heat rises, and stains are more vertical... Engine fires are a get down now! no waiting type of situation... note for Scott: No, I wasn’t there... but, when it comes to engine fires... it is hard to get on the ground safely/fast enough, in the amount of time that is left... It takes time to bleed off both altitude and speed... possibly, Several minutes... Emergency descents make great practice... PP thoughts regarding things we can learn from this awful experience... Not a CFI or a fireman... Best regards, -a- Eye wittiness reports fire before landing. On site inspection revealed that the engine did come apart, I don’t have anymore specifics other than it did come apart. As for the weather I was passing through the same area, approximately 20 to the east in route from KRBW to KOMN at 5500 at the same time as his accident and my G500 was showing a solid 21 knot direct cross wind out of the east. The sky was broken at 3,500 on the coast where I was at. Even with his experience accidents do happen. An in flight fire following a total engine failure would stress anyone I would think. I learned to fly and was based for the first 12 years of my flying career in central WV. There aren’t many places to go there if you had an engine failure, day or night so I always expected the worse should the emergency like this ever come up. A mutual friend is having a small get together to honor Bill this coming Saturday at his hangar at the airport. He will definitely be there, if only in spirit. 1 3 1 Quote
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