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signmanbob

Ran Out of Gas!!

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http://whnt.com/2017/08/29/recordings-reveal-harrowing-moments-before-plane-makes-a-hard-landing-in-madison-county/

 

This link is to an interesting video of a panicky conversation with ATC around the area that I live.  The pilot came from Philadelphia, planning on landing at KHSV - Huntsville-Carl T. Jones Intl', but ran a little short on fuel, so had to settle for the outskirts, just north of Huntsville, AL.

Amazingly, the pilot successfully landed the aircraft on Harvest Rd. and came out of it unhurt...well, maybe except for his feelings and his aircraft.  Also, I'm sure he will have an in-depth conversation with the FAA.

The aircraft is N7500P (1961 PIPER PA-24-250) owned by Stephen R. Dickerson.

This is aircraft data on N7500P: https://aircraft-data.com/N7500P

 

Thank you,

Bob 

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Amazing a real world pilot would not be monitoring his fuel gauge long before any plans on landing.  Glad the pilot survived and is okay though!  Do not think he'll forget to look again in the future!


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Lucky guy, I had no idea we had those planes here in the states!  Looks like it's got a jumper door on the one side.  I believe it's an Aussie machine?

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2 hours ago, shadyowl2 said:

 There is just one problem, that aircraft is NOT a Piper Comanche!   It is a 2007 PACIFIC AEROSPACE LTD 750XL

https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N750UP

 

Sorry, but no. The registration number is N7500P, not N750UP...

Also, the photo clearly has fewer pax windows of a totally different shape, and the engine is clearly a recip, not a turbo.


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2 hours ago, n4gix said:

Sorry, but no. The registration number is N7500P, not N750UP...

Also, the photo clearly has fewer pax windows of a totally different shape, and the engine is clearly a recip, not a turbo.

That is clearly NOT a comanche.  If you look at the first 5 seconds of the video you can clearly see the registration number as N750UP. and at 11 to 14 seconds you can see the registration also. That is clearly not a 0 it is a U.  A comanche only has 2 side windows not 6. There is also only one exit on the right side. Here is a google search of a Comanche 250  https://www.google.com/search?q=piper+comanche+250&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS746US746&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjKusyuyv_VAhXH7CYKHR1cDxoQ_AUICigB&biw=1600&bih=808#imgrc=_

They aren't even close looking, I should know I own a 1959 :biggrin:

Here is also a report on the crash  here http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2017/08/pacific-aerospace-750xl-n750up-randigo.html

and here https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=199273

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6 hours ago, OneWhoKnocks53 said:

Lucky guy, I had no idea we had those planes here in the states!  Looks like it's got a jumper door on the one side.  I believe it's an Aussie machine?

Mmmm well let's get all the info right in this thread! :)

There is a connection with our Western Province - way back, but PAC is based in Hamilton NZ and makes these amazing machines there. Fully aerobatic, STOL, and tough as. Some people say they can even fly without fuel...

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Looks like N750UP to me judging from the before and after photos.

IMG_5141.png
IMG_5143.jpg
 

 

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13 hours ago, shadyowl2 said:

 There is just one problem, that aircraft is NOT a Piper Comanche!   It is a 2007 PACIFIC AEROSPACE LTD 750XL

https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N750UP

 

I believe your right Marine (and thank you for your service).

I wrongly assumed that the "U" was a "0" even though I kind of thought that the aircraft didn't look exactly right.  But I was confident that if I posted it at Avsim, a cracker-jack team of lounge-chair air crash investigators would let me know pretty quickly what the aircraft really was :biggrin: and it worked LOL. You guys are awesome.

 I hate that it is not the Comanche because I thought I would be able to try to make the flight from Phili to Huntsville in the sim, but I don't think that there is a Pacific Aerospace 750XL available for P3Dv4...rats.

I think it is amazing that he would allow himself to run out of fuel when there is soooo many small airports that he could have stopped at.  I wonder if that aircraft has a good autopilot and he just fell asleep.

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Don't know if this works in P3D, but it's a great model. Deane's Fletchers are also superb.

AVSIM Library - Search Results

Searching for:
Download ID = 156294
in Flight Simulator X - Original Aircraft and below.

Category: Flight Simulator X - Original Aircraft

Pacific Aerospace Corporation Cresco  

Images related to this file:

File Description:
The Cresco was designed as a turboprop powered aerial topdressing aircaft, for operations in New Zealand. It is based on the FU24 Fletcher. Package includes fully animated and detailed virtual cockpit,topdressing effects and paint schemes for Rangitikei Air Services, Wanganui Aero Work Central South Island Helicopters, Farmers Air, Griffin Ag Air and Taumarunui Aerial Co-op.

Filename:cresco.zip

License:Freeware, limited distribution

Added:1st February 2011, 10:17:50

Downloads:6781

Author:Deane Baunton

Size:53778kb

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Nice sharkmouth on it though! :cool:


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Assuming it wasn't a technical problem with the fuel flow or feed, and was indeed a case of running out of fuel, as it seems it was, since that is what the pilot said on the ATC recording, then that is some truly appalling airmanship. Lots of silly mistakes, including one before he even cranked the engine it would appear...

A. Not loading enough fuel on board. B. Not monitoring the fuel levels during the flight. C. Not being aware of where to go should things go wrong, which you absolutely should be doing when you've only got one rubber band powering your aeroplane, and D. Not staying calm in a situation where you lose the engine. Such an occurrence, whilst of course not welcome, is something everyone who flies a single engined aeroplane should be aware can occur, and probably will one day, so should therefore not be a complete surprise if and when it does happen.

All of the above is especially poor piloting, since it would appear that there were at least three suitable runways within about a ten mile radius of the aeroplane, including one almost directly below the aeroplane's position it would seem from what ATC were saying. Most GA aeroplanes - especially ones not weighed down by any fuel in the tanks lol - will have a glide ratio of somewhere around 10:1, and whilst that is not as good as the kind of 30-40:1 ratios sailplanes enjoy, it is certainly good enough to make a deadstick landing without any damage providing one keeps the speed on during the approach. All you need is a bit of height and some forethought, since most aeroplanes are pretty much throttled back when they land anyway. Even an airliner full of passengers and equipped with swept wings for high speed flight can make a deadstick landing without damage, as has been proven numerous times - even down onto grassy fields - and those things probably have a 5:1 glide ratio.

To be fair the guy did get the thing down in (sort of) one piece which is ultimately what matters, although the airframe is most likely going to be an unrepairable write off and the insurance company is not going to be keen to pay out if it was caused by negligent action, so that might end up being a very expensive lesson for the pilot.


Alan Bradbury

Check out my youtube flight sim videos: Here

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Reminds me of the Gimli glider, which was a good example of airmanship but a bad example of fuel management.  Still for me the most remarkable landing was that on the Hudson, amazing example of airmanship and a remarkable example of team building and flightcrew coordination as well as ground first responders actions.

John

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