Conference vmszoo::flying

    A 152 with 2 pilots aboard went down in the woods yesterday apparently
    after experiencing engine failure. The plane was either out of Lawrence
    or went down near Lawrence. Don't remember which. I think they said it
    belonged to Atlantic Aviation. Mike Goulian was part of the news
    coverage as being one of the "owners" for lack of a better way of
    putting it. Both pilots walked away unhurt and refused medical
    treatment at the scene.
    
    Sounds like a text book example of "landing" in the tree tops and never
    stop flying the airplane.

    The passenger was one of our noters, so we might want to keep the 
    speculation down.  If he wants to share his experience, I am sure he
    will.
    
    Cheers,
    jeff
    

I'll write something up in a day or two after
I collect my thoughts.

    I'm glad everyone walked away.

    
    I would suggest that the folks who participated in this
    accident not get into the details in this forum until the
    wheels of the FAA have ground through.  The FAA may decide
    to initiate a certificate action.  It will take a while
    for them to decide whether or not to rule a cause as "pilot
    error" and if they do, it will be best to keep the info
    between the folks who were there, and their lawyer. Discussion
    here can wait 'til after the dust settles.
    
    Good the everyone limped away.

Okay then, for now I'll just summarize a couple of the more obvious
facts that I know were in the press and some conclusions.

Left seat was Bob Travis, also a contributor to the notesfile, and
right seat was me.  We were on long final to 32 at LWM when there was a
sudden and dramatic loss of power.  We flew the airplane into some
nice soft trees to the northeast and fell nose down 25 feet or so
to the ground.  We were able to dust ourselves off, unhook and get out,
and collect our stuff.

Some points that occur to me:

It was only a minute or so, and a mile of flying, from sputter to crunch.  We
just stayed calm, stayed with doing the procedures, changed the plan as it
seemed things weren't working out, and tried to ensure the best outcome.

Declaring an emergency right away is a good idea if you remember it.  In this
case I suggested it and Bob did it.  It lets everyone know you're in trouble
so they aren't shocked when you do a weird maneuver and probably gets the
equipment rolling faster in case you really need it.

I developed a new appreciation for the shoulder harness as one of your most
important pieces of survival equipment.  It is the only item in the airplane
that can hold you and your head in the seat away from stuff it shouldn't hit.
I know some of the planes I fly have harnesses that want to come unbuckled a
lot, and we kind of rush over that checklist item on the startup.  That would
probably have been a fatal on this accident.  You don't have time to fiddle
with it on the way down.  It's the only part of a real engine out that we
don't practice, but just like you can't take the hood off in actual, you are
most likely in for whacking into a hard object with some speed when it's for
real, and you really need that part of the airplane to be working for you.


   

From http://www.ntsb.gov/Aviation/NYC/97A049.htm:

<title>NYC97LA049</title>
<center>NTSB Identification: <b>NYC97LA049</b></center>
<p>
<center>Accident occurred JAN-29-97 at NORTH ANDOVER, MA<br>
Aircraft: Cessna 152, registration: N67898
<br>
Injuries:          2 Uninjured.
</center><p>

On January 29, 1997, about 1004 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N67898,    
experienced a partial power loss and struck trees, while on approach to Lawrence
Airport, North Andover, Massachusetts. The airplane was destroyed, and the 
private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions 
prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight which
originated from Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts, about 0920, and was 
operated under 14 CFR Part 91. The two occupants were recently certificated 
private pilots. The airplane was under the control of the left seat pilot, and 
on final approach to runway 32 at Lawrence, when the engine started to run 
rough. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude, and stalled the airplane into 
the tops of trees, about 50 feet above the ground. The airplane then settled 
through the trees and came to rest with its nose on the ground. The engine was 
test run by the FAA and found to perform satisfactorily. This was the third 
occurrence of a power loss with the operators airplanes within a 5 day period. 
Further examination of the accident airplane found a small amount of water and 
contaminants in the carburetor bowl. When the fuel caps were removed, the sound 
of air rushing into the tank was heard. Additionally, when fuel was drained 
(ambient temperature below freezing) no water was visible. When the airplane was
placed in a hangar and allowed to warm up and fuel drained, water was found in 
the fuel tank. The operator was using automobile gasoline purchased at a local 
service station. The airplanes were refueled from a tank placed on the back of a
pickup truck. The operator reported that the fuel filters were changed once a 
month. 
<p>
<A HREF="../9701.htm">Index for Jan 1997</A>
 | 
<A HREF="../months.htm">Index of Months</A>

Just to be clear on the previous noter's reference to Atlantic
Aviation, the plane was owned by Executive Flyers out of Bedford.
[I don't personally know if they are the same thing or not.]