Warmi Posted June 9, 2020 Report Share Posted June 9, 2020 Yesterday there was a fatal CTLS crash at my airport. An older gentleman just took off at around 10 AM and crashed within few hundred feet from the airport .. he had his hangar very close to mine and we have talked a few times about our Rotax powered planes. I was at the airport at that time with my wife but since we were syncing carbs I don't even remember seeing or hearing anyone take off and haven't learned about the accident until this morning. There is nothing but fields around C56 and his plane was found right in the middle of one. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/236831 Here is the crash site in relation to the airport: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrassStripFlyBoy Posted June 9, 2020 Report Share Posted June 9, 2020 Extremely hard / nose down impact. With so many landing options (recently planted low crop fields), in midwest flat land country, what a heartbreaking and terrible outcome. Not much for winds & weather factor, yesterday was a beauty of a day here in neighboring MI, I flew a couple hops. Will be interesting to see the final report and if any flight data can be extracted from ADS-B track, electronics, etc. A reminder to have a plan for various scenarios, rehearse in your mind, for when things go wrong low to ground there is little time to decide & commit. And above all else - fly the airplane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted June 9, 2020 Report Share Posted June 9, 2020 I knew the owner and his son. Condolences to the family and friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpiper Posted June 9, 2020 Report Share Posted June 9, 2020 Condolences to family and friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ODowneyEng Posted June 9, 2020 Report Share Posted June 9, 2020 My deepest of Condolences to family and friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
procharger Posted June 9, 2020 Report Share Posted June 9, 2020 Sorry to hear about that but 84 years old anything could have happened. I am pretty sure I will not be flying at 84 . Will not be driving a car either. My brain has already slowed down only 65 now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppercity Posted June 9, 2020 Report Share Posted June 9, 2020 So sorry to hear. Condolences to the family and friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdarza Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 Condolences to the family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vance Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 This is awful for family and friends of this pilot, and is a reminder to us of the potential consequences of our mistakes. Apparently, it started with engine trouble, and ended with LOC over flat terrain. I recently experienced a “high rpm” alarm buzzer and flashing red light just after takeoff, and even while knowing it was false (oil temp reading 1 deg, you can probably guess the cause), it was enough of a distraction to make me botch the landing. We’ve all heard the Bob Hoover quote about flying the airplane all the way through the crash, and I tell myself I can do that. But the truth is, it requires some serious mental discipline in that moment. You can’t overestimate the potential for distraction to diminish your performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGLyme Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 Great points John. I replaced a defective Dynon recently. To Dynon’s credit they replaced it for $0. For a year now I too would get crazy error messages... the worst was “low fuel” over One of the Great Lakes after coming home from OSH... the alarm went away after a minute or so. Seemed like an hour. As you mentioned, keep flying. Always keep flying. In reflection that is what I did. Fortunately I didn’t panic, nor did I panic on the other dozen or so error messages, most of them on the ground. but I was nervous and for several seconds I was totally confused and I desperately wanted confirmation if I was out of fuel or not. I looked at the wing tubes first... no bubbles because the tanks were full. The Dynon fuel gauge revealed almost full. I was 7,500 feet up. I cannot imagine that same situation, an alarm and a real engine problem — only a few hundred feet up. A harsh reminder to practice engine outs and departure stalls - a Lot. I know I have focused my training as of late on landing short field. Will add to the program starting immediately. Rest In Peace fellow Pilot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warmi Posted June 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 I actually went flying that evening and had my usual video going for capturing my landings which also captured the crash site. Doesn't look like this was a low level engine out with another impossible turn type of crash to me, when I passed the crash site turning crosswind I was at around 600 AGL ... so I am not sure what really happened .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animosity2k Posted June 10, 2020 Report Share Posted June 10, 2020 Thoughts and prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skunkworks85 Posted June 11, 2020 Report Share Posted June 11, 2020 23 hours ago, Warmi said: I actually went flying that evening and had my usual video going for capturing my landings which also captured the crash site. Doesn't look like this was a low level engine out with another impossible turn type of crash to me, when I passed the crash site turning crosswind I was at around 600 AGL ... so I am not sure what really happened .. Just out of curiosity, This is some sort of ground wire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warmi Posted June 11, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2020 18 minutes ago, Skunkworks85 said: Just out of curiosity, This is some sort of ground wire? Yeah, it is a carbon fiber plane so it tends to build up static electricity - according to the manual, the idea is that as soon as the plane lands the wire will touch the ground and discharge it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animosity2k Posted June 11, 2020 Report Share Posted June 11, 2020 Just now, Warmi said: Yeah, it is a carbon fiber plane so it tends to build up static electricity - according to the manual, the idea is that as soon as the plane lands the wire will touch the ground and discharge it. Never heard of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrassStripFlyBoy Posted June 11, 2020 Report Share Posted June 11, 2020 If you mount them on the outside of pant, and bend to 45 degrees, they double as a curb feeler. I hear those were a thing back in the 70's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpiper Posted June 12, 2020 Report Share Posted June 12, 2020 7 hours ago, GrassStripFlyBoy said: If you mount them on the outside of pant, and bend to 45 degrees, they double as a curb feeler. I hear those were a thing back in the 70's? 50's & 60"s. Not so much in the 70"s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Koerner Posted June 13, 2020 Report Share Posted June 13, 2020 No. The curb feelers were mounted directly to the belly of retractables. If you hear it rub you know you forgot to put the gear down. It gives you a chance to pull up and extend the gear before landing. Mike Koerner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpiper Posted June 14, 2020 Report Share Posted June 14, 2020 18 hours ago, Mike Koerner said: No. The curb feelers were mounted directly to the belly of retractables. If you hear it rub you know you forgot to put the gear down. It gives you a chance to pull up and extend the gear before landing. Mike Koerner So, do you hear the rub before or after the prop starts taking chunks out of the asphalt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warmi Posted October 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2020 It looks like this crashed CTLS had Rotax 912 ULS engine with aftermarket fuel injection kit and a turbocharger installed- not sure if it is related but on this flight he was also heading to Kankakee about 20 minutes away - that’s where he was servicing his plane at https://www.theultralightplace.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted October 25, 2020 Report Share Posted October 25, 2020 On 10/24/2020 at 7:49 AM, Warmi said: It looks like this crashed CTLS had Rotax 912 ULS engine with aftermarket fuel injection kit and a turbocharger installed- not sure if it is related but on this flight he was also heading to Kankakee about 20 minutes away - that’s where he was servicing his plane at https://www.theultralightplace.com Stopped at Kanakee on my way to Oshkosh a few years back. Nice little airport. Sad story, sorry for the pilot and family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Koerner Posted October 26, 2020 Report Share Posted October 26, 2020 Warmi, Tom, I'm sorry about the loss of your friend. I'm also very sorry to realize just now that my previous post to this subject was so totally inappropriate. By reading only "unread content" several days after having read the original post, I had lost the context of the thread. Sorry, Mike Koerner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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