Unfortunate incident with the AOPA sweepstakes Husky

[Jackk]

4 hours ago, Shadrach said:

Likely the case. Maybe the FAA will incorporate knot tying into the 709 ride requirements…

There but by the grace of god go I…

 The mental image of a fed giving a “how to tie your shoes” lesson lol

 

 but yeah, taxi?  Unless he was doing tailwheel up taxi not sure average taxi speed does that to a plane, but hey might as well try, personally I would have done with the “there was a bee in the cockpit” angle 

[toto]

ASN page is up

https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/528089

[toto]

Also .. saw this on the sweepstakes site:

“Editor's note: The next AOPA Sweepstakes aircraft, an Aviat Husky A-1C-200, was involved in a ground incident while en route to EAA AirVenture, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Nobody was injured. The Husky will undergo necessary maintenance so we can have it back in the air soon. Unfortunately, the aircraft won't be on display at the AOPA Pavilion this week. We will provide regular updates on its return to service.”

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2025/july/17/bring-home-a-husky

[Echo]

I had 13 hours in a club Citabria. I was in club office after fueling the 172 and a newly soloed young pilot came in dropping fbombs. He braked to exit runway and was not used to solo one pilot weight. He nosed over and had a prop strike. Plane was grounded and I never soloed. Respect to taildragger pilots. 

[Scooter]

I just hate to see another perfectly good flying aircraft damaged 

[Jackk]

52 minutes ago, Echo said:

I had 13 hours in a club Citabria. I was in club office after fueling the 172 and a newly soloed young pilot came in dropping fbombs. He braked to exit runway and was not used to solo one pilot weight. He nosed over and had a prop strike. Plane was grounded and I never soloed. Respect to taildragger pilots. 

 
that’s up there with the AOPA laces for excuses 

 

soloed TONS of people in that type of plane, it’s easier to fly solo, and the amount of brake to EXIT a runway needed to prop strike on is a LARGE amount

One of the biggest offenders is airline guys who all of a sudden fancy themselves stunt pilot or bush pilots, second to folks who have time in modern fighters, yeah your time in a F15 or B777 amounts to jack and crap when it comes to tailwheel 

Edited July 20 by Jackk

[DCarlton]

On 7/19/2025 at 3:28 PM, Shadrach said:

“Shoelaces”…. They’ll get you every time.

I've worried about my shoelaces for years!   It's good to know I'm not THAT paranoid.  At least no one died; hoping for a tragic free year at OSH.  

[C.J.]

6 hours ago, Jackk said:

 
that’s up there with the AOPA laces for excuses 

 

soloed TONS of people in that type of plane, it’s easier to fly solo, and the amount of brake to EXIT a runway needed to prop strike on is a LARGE amount

One of the biggest offenders is airline guys who all of a sudden fancy themselves stunt pilot or bush pilots, second to folks who have time in modern fighters, yeah your time in a F15 or B777 amounts to jack and crap when it comes to tailwheel 

That's a lot of hostility for one post. Who pi$$ed in your coffee today?

[Shadrach]

6 hours ago, Jackk said:

 
that’s up there with the AOPA laces for excuses 

 

soloed TONS of people in that type of plane, it’s easier to fly solo, and the amount of brake to EXIT a runway needed to prop strike on is a LARGE amount

One of the biggest offenders is airline guys who all of a sudden fancy themselves stunt pilot or bush pilots, second to folks who have time in modern fighters, yeah your time in a F15 or B777 amounts to jack and crap when it comes to tailwheel 

I’m not disagreeing with you, but I will say that I unintentionally raised the tail on a Decathlon trying to stop short to make a Taxi way in the first few hours that I started flying it solo.  It’s surprised me…I got off the brakes right away, and the tail came down fairly hard.  That was my first “let’s not do that again“ moment in a Taildragger.

[GeeBee]

The Husky has a well known issue with main gear geometry which creates much higher LOC issues than its cousin the Super Cub. In addition it has very powerful toe operated brakes which also add to the issue. I like heel brakes in these kind of airplanes as it prevents getting overzealous or sloppy with foot position. Simply put it is easy to get crosswise in it. It ranks right up there with the C-195 for RLOC issues.

[Jackk]

8 hours ago, C.J. said:

That's a lot of hostility for one post. Who pi$$ed in your coffee today?

It might have come off a little hostile but that was not my intention.

However grabbing that much brake FOR TAXI in any aircraft is a larger issue that expands beyond tailwheel.  
 

Outside of a person or animal just darting out from concealment from a bush or something, I can’t think of a reason you need that much brake, especially at taxi speed.

Frankly aside from stopping at the chalks you shouldn’t really even need brakes during taxi, even flying the jet unless I’m holding short or pulling into the chalks I don’t really use the brakes for taxi

 

“The most common cause of brake failure is the creation of excessive heat through improper braking practices.Riding brakes while taxiing is similar to driving with one foot on the brake and one foot on the gas. This causes a continuous buildup of energy that would otherwise be moving the airplane”

Edited July 21 by Jackk

[aviatoreb]

It's amazing how many things and parts and systems have to go right to have a successful flight.  Even the shoe laces have to work.  No water bottles flying around.  Fuel testers.  I once put a luggage bag in the front set beside me in a turbulence bump it shifted forward and start pressing on the yoke.  And I had to wrestle it out of the way to keep the plane from wanting to nose down.  It wasnt a difficult thing to push it back but it was a scary reminder of things you dont even think of can get you.

E

[Paul Thomas]

10 hours ago, DCarlton said:

I've worried about my shoelaces for years!   It's good to know I'm not THAT paranoid.  At least no one died; hoping for a tragic free year at OSH.  

I've had my shoelaces get caught while riding a motorcycle and found out when coming to a stop at a red light. Thankfully, I was able to keep the bike upright but it did teach me about shoelaces.

I've always flown barefoot, just like I drive. In the Mooney, my flip flop are moved behind my seat as I transition into the pilot's seat. A couple instructors have told me that I need shoes in case of a fire so that I operate the rudders; I obviously don't agree with their risk assessment (if I did, I would switch to fireproof racing boots where laces are not an issue).

[Pinecone]

19 hours ago, Shadrach said:

True. I don’t feel compelled to fly barefoot in the Mooney. It’s a pussy cat to land compared to the Decathlon. I often go bare foot in taildraggers not because I’m worried about rudder inputs but because I’m less likely to inadvertently drag a brake in bare feet.

That is the nice thing about shoes made for track driving/racing.  Good feel of the pedals.

[Mufflerbearing]

On 7/20/2025 at 7:11 AM, Pinecone said:

I wear shoes made to track driving.

This has helped me a ton!

[DCarlton]

3 hours ago, Paul Thomas said:

I've had my shoelaces get caught while riding a motorcycle and found out when coming to a stop at a red light. Thankfully, I was able to keep the bike upright but it did teach me about shoelaces.

I've always flown barefoot, just like I drive. In the Mooney, my flip flop are moved behind my seat as I transition into the pilot's seat. A couple instructors have told me that I need shoes in case of a fire so that I operate the rudders; I obviously don't agree with their risk assessment (if I did, I would switch to fireproof racing boots where laces are not an issue).

I don't drive or fly with flip flops either.  Danger danger.  I'm thinking shoes with velcro laces for flying.  I do tuck my laces in if they're long.   

[Echo]

Slide in sketchers rock

[GeeBee]

7 hours ago, Jackk said:

Frankly aside from stopping at the chalks you shouldn’t really even need brakes during taxi, even flying the jet unless I’m holding short or pulling into the chalks I don’t really use the brakes for taxi

Hmmm, I think you're a bit out over the skis there. I've got 21K in transport jets and especially when light and engine A/I on which puts many types at high idle (especially P&W powered 757), you need brakes to keep taxi speed under control (Which is one of the reasons why most carriers order them with carbon brakes). The technique as you well know is to brake the airplane almost to a stop then release the brakes and let the speed build up, then when speed starts to be excessive brake the airplane down to a near stop. Rinse repeat. Big wide bodies control better and you can easily use no brake on single engine taxi or two engine when very heavy. They are not all the same.

[Hank]

5 minutes ago, GeeBee said:

Hmmm, I think you're a bit out over the skis there. I've got 21K in transport jets and . . .

Taxiing our Mooneys and the Husky in question has less in common with taxiing a large transport jet than with riding across town in a taxi. Ain't no need to brake a Husky or a Mooney or a Decathlon very hard during taxi, except when stopping, and not that hard even then, 

[GeeBee]

13 minutes ago, Hank said:

Taxiing our Mooneys and the Husky in question has less in common with taxiing a large transport jet than with riding across town in a taxi. Ain't no need to brake a Husky or a Mooney or a Decathlon very hard during taxi, except when stopping, and not that hard even then, 

I agree, but there was an assertion that you don't need braking in the normal course of operation of a jet, that's just not so, especially when engine A/I is on and the engine goes to high idle.

[Jackk]

5 hours ago, GeeBee said:

Hmmm, I think you're a bit out over the skis there. I've got 21K in transport jets and especially when light and engine A/I on which puts many types at high idle (especially P&W powered 757), you need brakes to keep taxi speed under control (Which is one of the reasons why most carriers order them with carbon brakes). The technique as you well know is to brake the airplane almost to a stop then release the brakes and let the speed build up, then when speed starts to be excessive brake the airplane down to a near stop. Rinse repeat. Big wide bodies control better and you can easily use no brake on single engine taxi or two engine when very heavy. They are not all the same.

My reference was widebodies and we are often heavy, no experience in the 73, 75, 76.

 

 But as others said, with small tailwheels you really don’t need much brakes, with one of my planes I have mechanical brakes, well maintained but it juuuust can hold full static power from a A65.

I have never felt under braked and the pads will probably last me a very very long time.

 

[Shadrach]

In case there was any doubt as to the veracity of the shoelace story… I’m not sure this reads much better? I can’t imagine landing a plane with my foot off the rudder.

[bonal]

I’m very particular about the shoes I wear when flying short laces a must but the feel I get from rudder to brake is very important. Playing my drums is always barefoot.  And no long laces when riding my rice rocket as they can and do get caught on the shifter or brake just as you try to put your foot down when stopped.  And no I’ve never laid it down but it has happened but was able to catch it in time.  Regardless it’s a shame this happened.