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K forced landing GA with injuries 5/20/21


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  • bradp changed the title to K forced landing GA with injuries 5/20/21

I’m from around there, if he came from the South he overflew or flew right by Albany which is tower controlled and has crash rescue etc and is what maybe 20 miles away? It’s where the hospital they took them to is.

There is nothing at Dawson, but there are several big fields South of Dawson too that would have been better than a road.

Want to bet fuel exhaustion?

Edited by A64Pilot
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Just now, Davidv said:

Someone on the Facebook group posted a picture of the engine with a hole in the top of the case, said they threw a rod.

Unfortunately, that happens more often than you might think with Continentals, big or small. The small Continentals that throw rods are usually turbos, while the large Continentals are usually normally aspirated.

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Just now, philiplane said:

Unfortunately, that happens more often than you might think with Continentals, big or small. The small Continentals that throw rods are usually turbos, while the large Continentals are usually normally aspirated.

On a related note does continental use a different alloy mix or thickness than Lycoming for the case?  They’ve always looked like slightly different metal to me but maybe that’s just the corse finish or paint...

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3 minutes ago, philiplane said:

Unfortunately, that happens more often than you might think with Continentals, big or small. The small Continentals that throw rods are usually turbos, while the large Continentals are usually normally aspirated.

How often might I think it happens and how often does it actually happen? What are the comparable rates for Lycoming engines of similar displacement?

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In the past ten years, just in my own experience, I have witnessed four TSIO-360's throw rods, and eleven IO-550's do the same. Zero Lycoming rods thrown. And the Lycomings represent three times as many flight hours. I haven't had the time or inclination to parse the data.

One TSIO-360 blew a hole through the top cowl of a Turbo Arrow, one in a Seneca II, the others in Mooneys. The IO-550 rod pukes were all in Cirrus sometime after overhauls or top overhauls.

This latest rod departure should be analyzed to see how long since any cylinder maintenance had been done. In Continentals, the common thread is recent cylinder replacement by people not paying attention to crankcase through bolt torque.

Edited by philiplane
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Someone on FB said the pilot has a broken back. I've heard back injuries are common in small plane forced landings. "Broken back" could mean a lot of things though depending on who says it. I hope he has a speedy recover and it isn't too severe.

 

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12 hours ago, philiplane said:

In the past ten years, just in my own experience, I have witnessed four TSIO-360's throw rods, and eleven IO-550's do the same. Zero Lycoming rods thrown. And the Lycomings represent three times as many flight hours. I haven't had the time or inclination to parse the data.

Could it be that Lyc doesnt waste lubrication on the tappets and valve stems and sends it all to the rod journals instead :)

 

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4 hours ago, mike_elliott said:

Could it be that Lyc doesnt waste lubrication on the tappets and valve stems and sends it all to the rod journals instead :)

 

funny you said that...Lycoming cylinders last longer because of how they oil the valve stems with oil, because the pushrods are on top of the cylinders. All that oil runs over the rocker arm, valve tips & stems, and valve springs. Continentals are on the bottom, so the oil coming through the pushrods doesn't get to the valve stems and valve springs in the volume that a Lycoming does. It's why Continental's rotocoils wear out quickly and then the valves stop rotating, and then begin to burn. Gravity works against the Continental design.

Continentals seem to suffer from main bearing shift that cuts oil to a main journal, which in turn starves a rod bearing, which then seizes and exits the case. It may be more pronounced because their cam is on the bottom of the case, and so there is no splash lubrication coming off the cam & lifters to fall on the crank. On a Lycoming, there is a copious amount of oil falling on the crank from the cam. 

Both Continental and Lycoming oil the cam gallery first, like most engines. The crank gets oiled next, and the propeller last. 

FWIW, the only Lycomings with oil system related short life is the TIO-541 (Duke/M22 Mustang) TIGO-541 (Pressurized Navajo) engines, which are the only Lycomings that have their cams on the bottom.

Edited by philiplane
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16 hours ago, Davidv said:

On a related note does continental use a different alloy mix or thickness than Lycoming for the case?  They’ve always looked like slightly different metal to me but maybe that’s just the corse finish or paint...

I believe it’s how they are cast, many Conti’s are sand cast and I believe that gives them a different finish, I’d assume rougher.

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The thing that struck me about that photo was the rod was completely separated from the crankshaft, and I’ve not seen that before, usually a rod will break in the middle somewhere.

Makes me wonder if a rod bolt broke. 

Edited by A64Pilot
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So this shiny surface is supposed to have a connecting rod attached to it...

Looks like it is in line with the #6 cylinder... front/pilot side for Continental engines...

Looking closer, looks like stretched rod parts on top of the opposing cylinder...(?)

-a-

 

AC2BB386-5668-41E5-9A9B-B06C37CFC3FB.jpeg

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  • 1 month later...

Aloha All!  I’m Anik, the pilot Leon Huffman’s daughter, and Sports Medicine Physician.  Thanks for your concerns for him.  He and my Mom both suffered burst fractures to their T12 vertebrae.  They did not have any other internal injuries.  We are so grateful for the miracle of their survival that day!  My sister had been waiting for them at the tarmac in Birmingham at their intended destination watching flight aware and saw them make a turn and disappear off the radar, with a call then followed up from EMS.  We are so thankful that our Dad was able to maneuver the landing and avoid power lines, homes, cars and trees and give our family the opportunity to make many more memories all together with their daughters and grandchildren, as well as avoid impacting anyone else. 

My Mom had spinal stabilization surgery and is doing very well overall. She remained neuro-intact. 

My Dad’s bone fragments displaced into his spinal cord with the trauma.  In the initial pictures of the crash landing, you can see him still sitting in the Mooney.  He could not feel his legs from the moment of impact.  He had emergent neurosurgical decompression, and then spent about a week inpatient on the trauma service.  He is continuing with intensive spinal cord rehab for functional recovery.  He’s doing phenomenally well overall and maintaining the mental fortitude and attention to detail I’ve loved and admired about him my whole life.  

He gave me permission to post his email address if you would like to dialogue pilot to pilot, or offer your aeronautical aloha on his continued road to recovery.  

Leon@rhanet.com

I can see how this is a supportive community and a wonderful place for collaboration.  Sending massive aloha for continued prosperity enjoying the altitudes and adventures in your collective genius zone of flying!

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