PiperSport down

[CT4ME]

A PiperSport, being ferried from Florida to Illinois, apparently broke apart and crashed May 8th. The pilot, a 23 year old CFI and parachutist, died in the accident.

A good account of the incident appears here: http://www.thekathry...d-in-plane.html , but searching Google News with the proper key words has other accounts.

Based on what I've read, this will ignite the discussion over whole frame parachutes, again. I'm unsure whether this particular aircraft had a 'chute, but the BRS was an option in the PiperSport/SportCruiser. This seems like a perfect time to use a chute, as early reports vary between "broke apart", "lost a wing", or "was in a flat spin"... all circumstances that could benefit from an airframe parachute.

'A tragedy for sure... I hope we can learn from the incident.

Tim

[Roger Lee]

Initial reports are it came apart in the air. The pilot was found a mile a way.

[Philip Welsch]

The Piper Sport airframe shares many design features from the Zenith/Zenair 601XL. The 601XL had at least six wing failure incidents (10 killed) prior to NSTB/FAA determining that it did not meet ASTM specs for a SLSA at 1320 lbs and ordering modifications. The Piper Sport and Sport Cruiser are made by the company that assumed control of CZAW which made Zenair products for distribution in Europe and originally designed the Sport Cruiser. Lets hope the 601XL design faults didn't get carried over to the 601.

 

PRW

[opticsguy]

This is a wing torsion stiffness issue which results in a control reversal. Maybe this is why Piper divorced itself from this plane a few months ago.

[sandpiper]

Would Piper take that risk? The risk of knowing it was possible and believing it so firmly that they would disolve the partnership? Seems that would put them in a serious liability situation. Stranger things have happened.

[Roger Lee]

Piper split because of major money issues with the guys overseas. It was a major falling out, but they were very reserved in the public announcement.

[Roger Lee]

Hi All,

 

Another Sport Cruiser down. Reports seem to indicate a possible take off stall. Keep that speed up on take off and on approach. There is no good reason to be next to stall on a normal take off or landing. It just invites trouble one day.

 

http://www.kirotv.com/news/27897554/detail.html

[CT4ME]

http://www.komonews....121838949.html?

1 fatal. Less than 1 year old SportCruiser

tim

[Jim Meade]

A pilot said he thought it was going up too steeply and too slow. I wonder if he was familiar with that particular airplane and what was normal and what was within the envelope for it? People who think everything takes off like a Bonanza may not have a good perspective to judge how a Super Cub would normally depart, for example. It will be good to have some more info.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CT4ME]

...More on the first incident... preliminary report... but it just gets weirder. Extreme rate-of-descent, but no real indication of an in-flight breakup. The plane DID have a BRS and, while it's not clear if the handle was pulled, the firing pin in the rocket was NOT pulled.

Tim