Bad ending to a good airplane

[FlyDave]

Quote: boppin

A couple of good points were made in relation to draining the fuel tanks and although I am no expert, I want to be clear on what was reported to me by the FBO just this morning as to what measures were taken during the fuel draining.

1. The bucket was plastic, but according to the chief of maintenance the bucket and the aircraft were grounded utilizing 2 grounds (one to the airframe and one to ground).  I mentioned the concerns noted here on the board and he stated that they had a grounding strap designed to insure the plastic bucket was fully grounded.  I have no idea what it would look like and did not ask for an example, but he was absolutely confident that the bucket was properly grounded, and from what the fire marshall has stated, he is probably right.

2. The defueling was done inside, with one hangar door open to ventilate.  He mentioned that if he were looking for one specific area that he would do differently it would be to have both doors open for better ventilation.  Why?  See below:

3. The fire started, not in the draining fuel, but in the vapors.  In fact, the original fire ball was under the fuselage on the ground away from the draining fuel.  It then spread and caught the draining fuel and that was all she wrote.  The current thinking at the FBO is that better ventilation (or, of course doing it outside) might have prevented the fire.

4. The source of the spark is the largest unknown at the moment.  The leader in the clubhouse is, believe it or not, the creeper that the mechanic was on or the mechanic himself.  It was a fairly dry day and static electricity is the current culprit du jour.  Infinity is currently testing ways to insure the creepers are grounded as well.

Keep in mind that this is not a "mom and pop" shop but a Mooney, Cirrus and Cessna service center and to put it in perspective, my airplane was the cheapest in the hangar (dollar-wise, of course) by 100Ks of dollars.  They certainly have done great work for me (with the exception of burning my airplane to the ground) including pre-buy, avionics and maintenance and treated me more like a turbine owner than a mid-70s piston driver.  That is not to excuse what happened here, but to emphasize the fact that if a shop like this can have issues draining fuel from airplanes, your local mechanic can as well.  Heck, I changed my home airport to be close to them and paid a premium to have them do my maintenance!

Interestingly, I am still considering them for my maintenance for any aircraft that I might purchase.  In my mind I realize that having my airplane destroyed while in their care should require the "death penalty" for future business.  But they treated me so well and their support before the incident (and, notably after the incident) was fantastic that I am still not ready to leap away from them yet.  This is a dilema that I will work through over the next couple of weeks.  As a note, they have offered to be my buyers agent to look for a new airplane and to do a pre-buy on any options (graitis) I might find.  Good business sense on their end?  Probably.  But I appreciate the gesture none the less.

Thanks for everyone's notes of sympathy for my loss.  But, as I tell my kids, a setback is really an opportunity as long as you keep positive.  It has been a tought 2010 so far; I was laid off in January and my airplane burned to the ground in March. But I formed my own company and now make more than I did while working and I'm sure I will end up with a real nice J model (the 252 thing is probably stretching it) at the end of this.  Just another opportunity to improve my lot.

 

Bob

[FAADAR]

Quote: boppin

 The Cirrus is an interesting story.  The left side of the airplane has significant heat damage (plastic melts, don't you know) and the original verdict was that it was totaled.  Cirrus is now pushing back on Infinity to determine if the airplane is reparable.  As the COO told me, this is a conflict of interest.  It will take a lot to repair (and a long time) and Infinity will be dealing with issues related to the fire for years to come.  So they and the owner want it totaled, but they can't get Cirrus to commit to it.  One suspects that Cirrus has no idea how heat impacts the overall aircraft structure and does not want to commit one way or another so they are passing the buck to Infinity rather than making a firm decision.

That is the only other aircraft affected (which is stunning).  The avionics shop was on the other side of the hangar but up high and they have sent all their items back to the manufacturers for inspection.  This is delaying a lot of work, (like the Socata getting a brand new Garmin panel including a G500), but no other damage was noted.

[RJBrown]

The posts that refer to the plane as just a chunk of aluminum are 100% correct. As a pilot we should always remember this.

I had just left KSFF (Spokane WA) heading home to Denver. I was above 12,000' about 80 miles out when I noticed low oil pressure and high oil temp in my M20K N231NH. Nearest airport was Orofino ID (S-68), a 2500" long field at an elevation of 1005'. I arrived over the airport at 9500'. The next airport was Lewiston ID (KLWS) 31 miles west. Being out of glide range of Lewiston I chose to circle and land at Orofino.  The airport is in a bend of the river and both ends extend over water. The surrounding hills are between 3500' and 4500'. I figured I had one shot at landing.  I decided that if anything went wrong the plane belonged to the insurance company and all I was going to save was my own sorry behind. On approach I had the seat as far back as I could and still reach the pedals. My seat belt was tight and the right seat was empty. I popped the door on final and was resigned to swimming if needed. The landing was uneventful.

Insured properly an off airport landing (crash) would only cost me $500, my deductible. Survivability is all that matters. Having already decided that the plane was expendable freed me up mentally. It allowed me to concentrate on the landing nothing else.

She had blown 6 quarts of oil overboard in about a half hour. I took 3 hops topping the oil at each to get back to Spokane. Where she was left eventually being converted to a 305 Rocket there.

[Gone]

Bob:

I agree with the comments, and your original sentiment, to maintain trust in a shop that is essentially trustworthy.  It is very difficult to find folks that care enough about what they do to your airplane and for you, that when you find a shop that does, you should trust your instincts and try and keep them.

Now burning down your airplane might be sufficient reason to change all that, but if you still trust them, then the incident is just that, an incident. 

In your shoes, I would accept their offer. 

Who knows?  There might be some new procedure for all shops to follow about using creepers within 20 feet (or whatever the finding turns out to be) that might save this very thing from happening elsewhere.  What folks did not know yesterday, has been learned and can be applied tomorrow.  And no one died.

Keep the faith and Good Hunting.

[M016576]

Quote: RJBrown

The posts that refer to the plane as just a chunk of aluminum are 100% correct. As a pilot we should always remember this.

I had just left KSFF (Spokane WA) heading home to Denver. I was above 12,000' about 80 miles out when I noticed low oil pressure and high oil temp in my M20K N231NH. Nearest airport was Orofino ID (S-68), a 2500" long field at an elevation of 1005'. I arrived over the airport at 9500'. The next airport was Lewiston ID (KLWS) 31 miles west. Being out of glide range of Lewiston I chose to circle and land at Orofino.  The airport is in a bend of the river and both ends extend over water. The surrounding hills are between 3500' and 4500'. I figured I had one shot at landing.  I decided that if anything went wrong the plane belonged to the insurance company and all I was going to save was my own sorry behind. On approach I had the seat as far back as I could and still reach the pedals. My seat belt was tight and the right seat was empty. I popped the door on final and was resigned to swimming if needed. The landing was uneventful.

Insured properly an off airport landing (crash) would only cost me $500, my deductible. Survivability is all that matters. Having already decided that the plane was expendable freed me up mentally. It allowed me to concentrate on the landing nothing else.

She had blown 6 quarts of oil overboard in about a half hour. I took 3 hops topping the oil at each to get back to Spokane. Where she was left eventually being converted to a 305 Rocket there.

[Earl]

Quote: RJBrown

The posts that refer to the plane as just a chunk of aluminum are 100% correct. As a pilot we should always remember this.

I had just left KSFF (Spokane WA) heading home to Denver. I was above 12,000' about 80 miles out when I noticed low oil pressure and high oil temp in my M20K N231NH. Nearest airport was Orofino ID (S-68), a 2500" long field at an elevation of 1005'. I arrived over the airport at 9500'. The next airport was Lewiston ID (KLWS) 31 miles west. Being out of glide range of Lewiston I chose to circle and land at Orofino.  The airport is in a bend of the river and both ends extend over water. The surrounding hills are between 3500' and 4500'. I figured I had one shot at landing.  I decided that if anything went wrong the plane belonged to the insurance company and all I was going to save was my own sorry behind. On approach I had the seat as far back as I could and still reach the pedals. My seat belt was tight and the right seat was empty. I popped the door on final and was resigned to swimming if needed. The landing was uneventful.

Insured properly an off airport landing (crash) would only cost me $500, my deductible. Survivability is all that matters. Having already decided that the plane was expendable freed me up mentally. It allowed me to concentrate on the landing nothing else.

She had blown 6 quarts of oil overboard in about a half hour. I took 3 hops topping the oil at each to get back to Spokane. Where she was left eventually being converted to a 305 Rocket there.

[RJBrown]

In retrospect I guess I was a little trusting.

The oil temp was the first indication of a problem. My 231 oil temp gauge was the first gauge to go high in a climb so it was always in the scan. High temp and slightly low pressure in cruise caught my attention.  I immediatly pulled back on the power and screwed back the prop rpm. I notified center and headed to the closest airport. Temps had dropped a bit and pressure stayed above the yellow. I figured that before the bottom end let go the prop would speed up. The prop governor never wavered. After landing the engine oil did not smell "hot". If you have ever smelled an engine with a rod knock you would know what I mean. I uncowled the engine to check for leaks and had another pilot run it up I only found oily exhast. There were no services there and Lewiston was only 31 miles away. After the first hop and no problems I felt OK to continue on one airport at a time.

[Earl]

Gotcha and thanks for the details.  I guess I had visions of oil all over the cowling having lost that much in a short time.  I think with all the other factors it doesn't seem as scary as I originally thought.  Glad it worked out and ended with a new powerplant, upgraded and all.

[jcolegrove]

Bob

I was the owner of N7407V from 1989 to 2005, when I was forced to sell it because of illness (multiple sclerosis). I had sixteen priceless years and 3000+ hours as PIC in N7407V; I traveled to over 30 states and all comers of the US, Canada, and Mexico in her...saw the northern lights, Haley's Comet,  performed Angel Flights, was awarded AOPA ASF Pilot of the Year in 1994, spent many wonderful flights with family and friends, and most memorable; took my son starting at 2 years old  (2000) in her for many trips (Bar Harbor, Chatham, Nantucket, MVY Katana, Mt Snow, and Rutland)...all in the "Money Jet"...

N7407V was originally sold to two TWA pilots in 1976, and changed hands in 1985 after a prop strike in Nashua, NH. I purchased her in 1989 from Plymouth Aircraft Sales, and she spent her next 16 years based in LWM and BED, went through an overhaul at 2200 hours. replacement tanks, and several avionics upgrades. I sold her to a dealer in Arizona, she made her way home to Nashua....fitting.

She was a wonderful aircraft, I earned my instrument and commercial ratings in her, and flew hundreds of low IFR flights and approaches in her. I only hope the short time you had her brought the same joy it brought me...

I owned other aircraft prior to and during my 16 years of N7407V, but like your first car, girlfriend, or firstborn child, the memories were priceless.

RIP N7407V....a great airplane.

Joel

Joel S. Colegrove

N7407V PIC and Owner (1989-2005)

[jelswick]

Loved your note Joel.  I feel horrible for Bob's loss and devastating photos of what it did to N7407V, but learned a lot in this thread and enjoyed all of the feedback.  They are just metal, but I'm personally very attached to the metal I own and while we have to remember they're really just machines, they are one of the greatest gifts and why I believe it's easy to credit them with personalities.  They've seen a lot of life.  I very much enjoyed seeing the wonderful life events this aircraft brought you during your ownership and to Bob for the short time he had her.

I've wanted to get in touch with the original owner of 45T to let him see what she is now and that it is a well cared for and appreciated life addition for our family.  He was Edwin Hatton and I've not been able to find any way to contact him, but would love to.  He purchased her new in '81 in South Bend, IN and he'd flown many aircraft in World War II including L-4s, T-6, P47, C45, C46, C47, B25, B26, B17 and B29s in his role doing Air Ferry.  According to the website his family put up he said "They would show you how to start them and shut them down and if you got back, you were checked out."  it sounds like most of his time was in B26 Invaders and eventually P51s before leaving the Army Air Corps having received the Distinguished Flying Cross in a mission in Korea in an Invader.  Wonderful history of someone I've never known, but shared a connection with this wonderful aircraft that is our families magic carpet that my daughter refers to as "Jim's other woman". 

They are machines and we have to remember that, I get that, but they're quite the blessing and something I have no issue bestowing personality to, investment in and love for.  Thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful memories of N7407V! 

[LT4BIRD]

Somtimes the mechanic will use a drill to remove panels under the wing's.

Only the fuel tank screws are what they get. And the drill set fire to the leak just created.

I'm not saying thats what happend but I have seen it more than once.