Stalling and spinning a Mooney

[Ned Gravel]

Hello All:

Just got this off the aviating dot com Mooney Talk List.

.  Lots of discussion on that list over this pilot showing a teenager how to stall a Mooney, after which it entered a spin to the left.  Scared the heck out of me - not because he put his Mooney into a spin (even though my POH says that spins are not authorised) but because he is so cavalier about it. 

Note that the pilot is not wearing his shoulder belt.  The roaring engine during recovery leaves me with the impression he firewalled the throttle in an initial attempt at recovery - but I could be wrong about that.

I have listened to enough anecdotal evidence that indicates our Mooney birds can be recovered from a spin.  Takes concentration, work, and may require 900 feet or more - or so I am told.  I have heard some state that the manoeuvre is doable, but they cannot determine why one would want to (at least in a Mooney).  I have stalled my own Mooney about 20 times during flight reviews.  It has always been characterised by a gentle nose drop while I get ready for the spin - but that part has never happened to me.

I had one really good instructor once tell me that safe flying often depends on knowing the procedures and executing them well.  Like other skilsets, I guess.  Short version: follow procedures or UWOF (upside down in the weeds on fire).  In this case, for me, the procedure is:  don't spin a Mooney.  I am not really keen on the UWOF option.

Just my opinion. 

By the way, here is Paul Bertorelli of AVWeb doing his version of the analysis of Cirrus stall-spin-crash-burn put together by folks that know more about this than I do.

 

[Jeff_S]

Even more interesting is that he seems to have intentionally entered a spin with what must have been close to a full gross weight load, as there was obviously a passenger (the videographer!) in the back seat. I don't know much about the W/B of Mooneys yet, but I know you would never intentionally do this in a Cherokee.

[Cruiser]

I watched this video also. I do not have a frame by frame viewer but I tried to stop it at the point of entry in the "spin" and the recovery from it. It is hard to tell, but I believe he did it on purpose and it is more of a diving spiral than a spin. By that I mean it looks like he has his right hand on the control yoke and it is in a full left bank position. The roar is from the rapid descent and corresponding speed increase. I don't think or can see in the video where he pushes in the throttle to increase power. Still, a stupid maneuver with passangers. Certainly not executing good pilot judgement.

Finally, I hope I never land my Mooney as hard as he did. 

[Jeff_S]

I don't know what all that extra stuff is in my post above. Perhaps someone tried to add a reply and the system just appended it to my entry.  But whoever wrote that, good luck finishing up your dual. I'll be in the same boat myself here hopefully very soon.

[Edit: Except, now ignore what I just wrote, because whatever was in my prior post has suddenly disappeared. The internet elves must be having fun today.]

[mooneygirl]

In my opinion the pilot of this Mooney inadvertently got into this spin. I think that his lack of attention to safety issues such as CG, and shoulder harnesses is really sad.  For me, this is the kind of pilot who gives GA a bad name.

His final approach was shoddy, and the landing wasn't great either.  Bascially someone who needs some dual with a Mooney CFI.

[dlthig]

I didn't view the video.  UTube and other sites that allow idiots their 15 minutes of fame encourage more and more foolish behavior.  Anyone dumb enough to video a potential violation should be visited by the proper authorties.  This includes kids videoing fights, robberies or drag racing.  What really burns me is the kids in southwest asia sending information on social networking sites.  I had an malfunction with my aircraft a while back and my wife knew about it within 24 hours.  Unsat.

[eaglebkh]

Quote: mooneygirl

I think that his lack of attention to safety issues such as CG, and shoulder harnesses is really sad.  For me, this is the kind of pilot who gives GA a bad name.

[mjc]

Quote: eaglebkh

So are you saying that owners who have not added the shoulder harness to their vintage Mooneys have a lack of attention to safety?

[eaglebkh]

Ah, I see now in the opening footage that the shoulder harness is just hanging there.  Didn't see it the first time.  It's almost like the videographer wanted to capture the unused shoulder harness...

[mooneygirl]

After watching the video again with a friend, I think that this is a case of the pilot showing the characteristics of slow flight [at a low altitude] and wanted to demonstrate a stall [at a low altitude].  He didn't keep the ball centered and he inadvertently went into the spin. 

My comment about the shoulder harness is based on the fact that my beautiful face went smashing into the glareshield of a 1963 M20 C/D going about 55 mph.  Had shoulder harnesses been installed I wouldn't have suffered quite as much!  I think it was one of the first additions on my 65 E model.  Plus, for me, if I have a KID in the front seat, I have the shoulder harness on. I know that you don't have to, but I do out of safety, and vanity, and fear of further pain and suffering. [HA].

[jlunseth]

Well, I wouldn't call mine a beautiful face, but I have in my past been a rally car driver in an MG that had an actual shoulder harness, and out here in the midwest we do a fair amount of four wheel driving during bird hunting season, and I feel naked without that shoulder harness, whether in a car, four wheel drive vehicle, or a plane, it just doesn't feel right.  I have hit my head more than once in a four wheel drive, I don't do that anymore.

[jlunseth]

Double post.

[Dan]

Did anyone see the comment claiming to be from the person in the co pilot seat saying the stall was intentional but the spin was not? This seems to be a scary accident and luckily the pilot recovered.

Dan

[NFWCFII]

I viewed the video. Most likely an unintentional spin due to the ball out of center and the addition of power at the onset. The left seat PIC was demonstrating the stall to the kid and his Dad in the back. The 2 passengers are lucky the idiot in the left seat didnt kill them.

[skyking]

Cant believe what i am watching. No shoulder belts, passenger in rear seat, horrible flying

i will never fly with this guy if i knew who he was.