REFLECTOR: Velocity crash

[Chuck]

Scott, Steve called me to tell me the sad news. I don't really know the details other than he was helping out a guy (?) who was trying to get his plane flying again (supposedly had 5 hrs). It ran up fine on the ground, but lost power shortly after takeoff. The FAA/NTSB is doing an investigation, but nothing has been released yet that I'm aware of.

As we all know Mack, was a great pilot and very knowledgeable Velocity builder, so it had to be something that was unusual to cause this tragedy. Steve and family are pretty broken up as you might imagine. 



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Scott Baker 
  To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list 
  Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2008 2:30 PM
  Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Velocity crash


  Chuck,
  Details about the accident in the press are lacking.  I along with everyone at Velocity are holding our collective breaths, wondering and fearing who was the pilot in the accident.
  Please fill us in on what you have learned - and what information discloses Mac as the pilot.  He is a dear friend.  My heart aches.
  Best,
  Scott B.
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Chuck 
    To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list 
    Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2008 1:53 PM
    Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Velocity crash


    It was Mack Murphree flying someones plane. He lost power very shortly after takeoff and radioed that he was going down trying to miss the houses. 


      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: NMFlyer1 at aol.com 
      To: reflector at tvbf.org 
      Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2008 9:13 AM
      Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Velocity crash


      Doug, 

      I agree with your angle, but for now (as was proven in California) they can not limit experimentals per se. 

      There is always a way to tweak the rules though, and run off those considered "undesirable". For example, at the Albuquerque international Sunport (KABQ), they have kicked out many of the small piston GA aircraft. They have done this by taking back the leases where the hangars were, in favor of building larger corporate, turbine and jet facilities. They have also raised gas fees to almost 7 bucks a gallon, and charge a 20 dollar ramp fee if you shut down the engines on their ramp. 

      They can not, however (yet), tell experimental aircraft that they can not go there. It would be a violation of the Grant program that funds the airport. Yes, I suppose enough smoke can be raised that would cause those in power to try and accomplish such an act, but luckily the FAA has not put up with that yet. 

      I believe that correct and complete information (not inflammatory media coverage) should be used. For example, there are 57 accidents listed before this one at the VGT airport. Of those, 4 were experimental (none fatal). 
      using the same broad category, 31 of the accidents were Cessnas, with 4 fatal. 

      Yes I know there is a gross use imbalance here, but for purposes of illustration, it shows that you really should not single out one unfortunate accident and expect to "save the world" as the media and politicians try to do. 

      Kurt 







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