Second Skycatcher crash
Moderator: drseti
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LightSportFlyer
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2008 12:44 pm
Some additional information from archerbravo.com's blog.
Yes they were conducting spin testing again when the plane entered a “rapid and disorienting” spin. After the plane wouldn't respond the pilot popped the BRS chute, this time it actually deployed, and stabilized the plane.
It seems they designed this chute to be able to be detached in mid air so they could continue the flight. Smart move as I believe this was the last flying SC they had. Evidently their plan was to normally land the plane, make the next round of changes and go fly it again. Also saves Cessna from the bad PR of saying another SC "crashed" again.
But the Skycatcher's bad luck continued as the pilot couldn't get the chute to detach. The article said he thought about bailing out but he was too low so he stayed with the plane.
Once on the ground things went from bad to worse as the chute, still attached, got caught by the wind and dragged the plane more than half a mile until it hit a fence and flipped over, heavily damaged.
If the Skycatcher didn't have bad luck it wouldn't have any at all.
http://www.archerbravo.com/bravoblog/?p=217
Yes they were conducting spin testing again when the plane entered a “rapid and disorienting” spin. After the plane wouldn't respond the pilot popped the BRS chute, this time it actually deployed, and stabilized the plane.
It seems they designed this chute to be able to be detached in mid air so they could continue the flight. Smart move as I believe this was the last flying SC they had. Evidently their plan was to normally land the plane, make the next round of changes and go fly it again. Also saves Cessna from the bad PR of saying another SC "crashed" again.
But the Skycatcher's bad luck continued as the pilot couldn't get the chute to detach. The article said he thought about bailing out but he was too low so he stayed with the plane.
Once on the ground things went from bad to worse as the chute, still attached, got caught by the wind and dragged the plane more than half a mile until it hit a fence and flipped over, heavily damaged.
If the Skycatcher didn't have bad luck it wouldn't have any at all.
http://www.archerbravo.com/bravoblog/?p=217