REFLECTOR:Forced Landing

Dennis Martin reflector@tvbf.org
Tue, 8 Jul 2003 09:08:36 -0600


Hello Sam,

I agree that we've got a very strong ship, but it does help if the 
pilot can keep his cool in such a high stress situation.   Glad 
you're going to rebuild and be back up there soon.

Highest regards,
Dennis Martin

>To all Velocity owners and builders,
>	In case you didn’t already know this I want to attest to the 
>fact that the
>Velocity is a great plane and the people at the Velocity factory are even
>greater.
>	On July 1st I flew my Velocity to Sebastian to pick up some 
>parts. On the
>way home the engine seized at about 1,500 feet and I was forced to land in a
>rough and I do mean rough field. I thought it was going to be just a routine
>off field landing with a probable broken nose gear. When I was about 20ft
>off the ground I saw the 2ft. wide by about 2ft.deep drainage ditches
>running across the whole field at about 75ft. apart. They could not be seen
>from the air, as they were overgrown with vegetation. At that point I had no
>choice, I had to land straight ahead. Had it been a spam can we would have
>sustained a lot more serious injury. Although the nose of the aircraft looks
>pretty bad it can be repaired.
>  	I didn’t know what I was going to do to get the broken 
>aircraft out of the
>cow pasture in the middle of nowhere.  While, I was at the Emergency room
>waiting on my friend I called the Velocity factory and told Dwayne of my
>problem. He got a crew together picked up the broken aircraft placed it on a
>trailer and took it back to the factory.
>	I will be forever grateful to the Velocity crew and 
>especially to Dwayne
>Swing. The Velocity was a good strong design when Danny Maher designed it
>and it’s even better now with the continuous factory improvements and mods.
>	Velocity Standard Uni door  Flying over 800hrs. fixed gear 180HP Lyc.
> 
>			Sam DaSilva
>
>
>
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