Piper Sport emergency landing on golf course, flips in water hazard

[opticsguy]

This happened last weekend.  A PS which flies a lot of training out of KADS had a "power loss" and the student masterfully put it down on a golf course fairway but chose to hit a water hazard rather than fences along the fairway.  The plane flipped and sank in 3-4 feet of water (I saw TV footage of it being lifted out of the water).  How they guy got out of a tip-up canopy upside down in water is beyond me.

 

I couldn't find an NTSB report, but it was disturbing that a Rotax would stop in flight unless it was a fuel-selector issue. I also heard through the grapevine that this Rotax had recently been apart (e.g., overhaul or cylinder head replacement).   This investigation is worth following.

[FastEddieB]

 

 

I couldn't find an NTSB report, but it was disturbing that a Rotax would stop in flight unless it was a fuel-selector issue.

 

Should not be particularly disturbing.

 

All types of engines stop in flight for all sorts of reasons - the ROTAX is not immune.

 

The "Achilles Heel" seems to be vulnerability to float bowl and float issues and vulnerability to the tiniest bit of debris.

 

Whether engine problems are more or less common in the ROTAX is still an open question, I think.

 

And, yes, as always the investigation is worth following. Far too often, nothing can be determined as to the cause, since many engine stoppages and power losses are due to a transient condition - slug of water, debris temporarily blocking the main jet - that sort of thing.

[opticsguy]

Without getting the rumor mill going, it needs to be seen if it was worked on by an, ahem, qualified Rotax repairperson.  There is none at the field where the plane was based.

 

Flights after any sort of major repair or maintenance are the most risky.  I tried to get the guy who did my 5 year hose swap to go up with me on the first flight.  Nothing doing.

[procharger]

I wouldn't have paid him until he went up with you

[WmInce]

Not all mechanics are pilots.  I would never fly with another pilot in a GA airplane if I was not a pilot myself.

Then how did you ever learn to fly?  By yourself? . . .   

[Tom Baker]

I would not go up in a GA aircraft with anyone flying without a medical.  My CFI had an ATP rating.

Do you know what kind of medical your CFI held, and when it was issued?

[Doug G.]

Not all mechanics are pilots. I would never fly with another pilot in a GA airplane if I was not a pilot myself.

Is that what you tell your passengers?

[Tom Baker]

He has a 1st class medical, he renewed it three months ago.

If he doesn't renew the 1st class medical in the next 12 months what kind of medical certificate and pilot ratings will hold?

[Tom Baker]

Why not get at your actual point instead of baiting the issue.  We can do this all day long.  My comment was more about sport pilot claiming he wont fly unless there are two pilots and about his contention that he trained himself out of a book (which if true, would require him to fly without a PIC and a license)....

My point was to get you to answer a question based on a statement you made, nothing more. I don't really care why you made the statement.

[opticsguy]

Where this is going is that Rotax will eventually make us have a Rotax certified mechanic burp our engine and check our oil during pre-flight.