REFLECTOR:Gear Up Landing - N6Q

Scott Derrick reflector@tvbf.org
Sat, 31 May 2003 15:01:01 -0600


Alex,

Its no different than somebody renting or buying a new to them airplane, 
homebuilt or not.

 From my reading of the NTSB reports the homebuilt record is poor to a 
large degree because of very stupid things the builders have done. 
Stands to reason as builders are flying most of the homebuilts.

Scott


Alexander Balic wrote:
> Well, see there, my old argument about why velocity has an apparent safety
> record problem is proven once again -I don't want to start that argument up
> again, but really, I think that Velocity has a higher non builder or partial
> builder pilot percentage than most of the simpler aircraft, and since they
> are not intimately familiar with what they are flying, it is causing trouble
> for us with the insurance folks.  I can guarantee you that anyone who has
> built an RG and dropped that gear a hundred times with the dump valve during
> fit up/testing like I have would have calmly done it  in the air.  When I
> first read the story I assumed that he had dropped it with the dump valve,
> and it didn't lock down because of a dead gas spring, but of course there
> are other explanations to what happened. What to do? I don't know........ as
> long at there are folks with more money than time, this will continue.
> 
> Alex
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reflector-admin@tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org]On
> Behalf Of S Baker
> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2003 4:02 PM
> To: reflector@tvbf.org
> Subject: REFLECTOR:Gear Up Landing - N6Q
> 
> 
> I believe the following to be true regarding the recent (nose) gear up
> landing of N6Q ... (If wrong, I stand ready to be corrected).
> The aircraft experienced an alternator failure during a cross country
> flight.
> The pilot did not recognize this condition until the avionics fell off line.
> Few, if any steps were taken to conserve the remaining power in the battery.
> Pilot attempted to cycle the gear down with electrical power upon reaching
> destination.
> Main gear fell into down and locked position - nose gear experienced partial
> travel.
> For some reason the pilot did not attempt a manual gear extension.
> Pilot was aware of "no green light" indication for the nose - and elected to
> land anyway.
> Nose gear collapsed upon landing.
> Pilot was new to Velocity - had gone through the transition course - and did
> not have a lot of experience with RG aircraft operations.
> Scott B.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> To change your email address, visit
> http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/listinfo/reflector
> 
> Visit the gallery!  tvbf:jamaicangoose
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> To change your email address, visit http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/listinfo/reflector
> 
> Visit the gallery!  tvbf:jamaicangoose
>