Harrison Ford Crashed

[con-pilot]

Hey learned from the best!

And I thought American's didn't do irony?

If you have a point, make it or take it JB.

[skyhighfallguy]

we don't do windows, irony is fine.

[runway16]

The Ford Ryan accident

Now we know all about the accident except for one thing ....


What was the cause of the 'engine failure' ?


R16

[skyhighfallguy]

I think it was a lubrication issue. But who really knows?

There were reports of leaking fuel, so that would indicate there was fuel onboard the plane.

I saw dripping fuel during early tv coverage, and someone had put sand or similar to contain leakage.

beautiful paint scheme popular with army air corps during pre WW2 years.

[PrivtPilotRadarTech]

Loss of power

I'm also interested in the cause of the loss of power. Fuel issues come to mind in this scenario, but this aircraft had fuel and a simple fuel system- a single tank mounted behind the firewall that gravity feeds the carburetor. So it wasn't fuel exhaustion or a pump or tank-switching issue. I found some interesting details on the Ryan posted a few years ago by the owner/restorer/pilot of a PT-22.
https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/142010793-post8.html

Some of his comments:
"Lots of engine failures and a good majority are from pilots not turning the oil shut off back on before flight." (It has a dry oil sump, and a shut-off valve to keep oil from leaking into the engine while it's sitting.)

"Very pleasant on the controls and not very challenging to fly UNLESS the engine fails. Then it is one of the most serious airplanes out there."

[PrivtPilotRadarTech]

Main metering jet unscrewed

The cause of the engine failure has been announced: "Examination of the airplane's engine revealed that the carburetor's main metering jet was unscrewed from its seat and rotated 90 degrees. The unseated jet would have allowed an increased fuel flow through the main metering orifice, producing an extremely rich fuel-to-air ratio, which would have resulted in the loss of engine power."

For the complete report search for NTSB Identification: WPR15FA121
RYAN AERONAUTICAL ST3KR, registration: N53178

[John Farley]

I am so glad that it was not the Ryan PT22 typical pilot pigs of forgetting to turn on the oil before start.

Well done that man.

[PrivtPilotRadarTech]

This is cool, his wife is OK with him flying:
"More than five months after his single-engine airplane crashed on a California golf course, Harrison Ford is well and flying again.

"He loves it, so I love it, and I support him 100 percent" Calista Flockhart said of her husband's passion.

Flockhart added that the Indiana Jones star, 73, is doing well, and she has even joined him in his plane."

Also glad it wasn't pilot error. There is more in the NTSB report, he wouldn't have been so badly injured if his shoulder belt had been properly installed. What would have been really cool: recognizing that the engine was running rich, and adjusting the mixture to restore power. Mixture rich, carb heat on was counter productive in this case. S turns to land safely on the open areas of the golf course he overflew would also have helped.

[barit1]

Link to narrative: http://ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviati...o=21&pgsize=50

Note that NTSB also makes note of inadequate installation of an aftermarket shoulder harness, probably aggravating his injuries.