Corsair Wheels Up: Hunter Valley Airshow, Maitland

[Xray Tango]

Any news about the wheels up landing at the Hunter Valley Air Show in the corsair VH III , Peter Clements is ok, walked away UN injured.

[spinex]

Reported as in flight hydraulic failure, landed wheels up as a result. Some damage visible in a photo seen on HAA page on farcebook, but pilot uninjured thank goodness. Happened at Maitland, I believe and aircraft is back on its wheels and been towed away.

Edit: Seems I may have been sold the expurgated version of the story; word has it that the lack of undercarriage was as much a surprise inside the aircraft as out.

[spinex]

Video of the unhappy event; https://web.facebook.com/jamie.hayes.77985/videos/581924648684416/

[Squawk7700]

If there's to be a humorous side to this.... listen carefully to the background music playing over the PA system.

Take these broken wings,
And learn to fly again

[Desert Flower]

OMG - that is Graham Hoskings' Corsair! And if it was him flying it then this is the second prang he's had recently.

Pilot deliberately veers into tree to avoid motorists on Melbourne freeway - 9news.com.au (http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/11/15/13/46/light-plane-makes-emergency-landing-near-peninsula-freeway-in-frankston)

He was also with Guido Zuccoli back in 1997 when Guido's newly restored T6 Harvard crashed soon after takeoff at Tindal. Guido was killed, & Graham injured.

DF.

[gerry111]

Oh well. That's only three out of nine lives.

[Desert Flower]

Oh well. That's only three out of nine lives.
Not sure if it was even him that was flying it, but if it was then yes he's leading a charmed life!

DF.

[Octane]

Corsairs don't have a hand pump to lower the gear? Guess irrelevant if no hydraulic fluid in system (leak)...

[continueapproach737]

they gave way on landing or was a set wheels up?

[megan]

Corsair I to IV, guess be the same.

Undercarriage emergency operation

(i) If the undercarriage fails to lower, see that handpump check valve is set to FLIGHT. Set undercarriage control lever to DOWN and operate handpump. About 70 strokes will be required to open the doors during which no resistance will be felt. It then requires another 100 strokes to extend the main undercarriage gear during which time pressure will be felt. This operation takes 3 to 5 minutes.

(ii) If it is clear that the undercarriage will not lower due to complete failure of the hydraulic system, it may be lowered by operation of a CO2 system, and the tailwheel by a spring system.

(a) Close throttle and reduce speed to 110 knots.
(b) Move undercarriage control to DOWN.
(c) Pull emergency undercarriage release handle (left hand side of cockpit). This relieves hydraulic pressure on the down side of the jacks and also operates the CO2 valve.

Note,-On aircraft No. JT.270 and subsequent, the emergency undercarriage release handle is deleted and the CO2 bottle valve (aft bottle) must be opened.

(d) Reduce speed to about 90 knots I,A.S, (Take great care not to stall whilst undercarriage is extending.)
(e) Check indicators to see that undercarriage and tailwheel are down.
Note.-The introduction of CO2 into the hydraulic system precludes the subsequent use of hydraulic power. lf hydraulic pressure is shown on the gauge and the undercarriage will not lower by engine pump or handpump it would indicate mechanical damage, ln this case the CO, system should not be used and a belly landing should be made as it will not be possible to raise the undercarriage again if it does not lock down.

[IFEZ]

What a shame http://cdn.pprune.org/images/smilies/boohoo.gif. Was one of my absolute favourites. Saw it getting put through its paces at Tyabb & also Temora. Hopefully they can get it back in the air sooner rather than later.


Interesting info there megan, thanks for that. Guess the actual cause will come out eventually (or not).

[theozguru]

Hosking was not flying, and the pilot forgot to lower the gear.

[gerry111]

Are you absolutely sure of that, theozguru?

So someone gets to fly someone else's irreplaceable pride and joy. That person doesn't carry out pre landing checks nor PUFF checks on short finals.

I find that rather difficult to believe.

[Capn Bloggs]

and the pilot forgot to lower the gear.
and he landed in the dirt. Having a bad day eh?

[Desert Flower]

Are you absolutely sure of that, theozguru?

So someone gets to fly someone else's irreplaceable pride and joy. That person doesn't carry out pre landing checks nor PUFF checks on short finals.

I find that rather difficult to believe.
I find it hard to believe too.

DF.

[roundsounds]

I find it hard to believe too.

DF.
True story..

[roundsounds]

Admin, maybe change the title given this incident did not occur at Temora?

[compressor stall]

I've heard similar from a source I trust.

No one is infallible.

[Lookleft]

So who was the pilot?

[compressor stall]

I'm pretty sure it was the guy in the cockpit. And his name doesn't need to be published here.

[Lookleft]

Why not, or is it only fatal accidents that the pilots name can be mentioned. At least this bloke has the opportunity to defend himself.

[Pack2]

Lookleft...
Please drop it. You don't need to know and it would make no difference to your life if you did. I can tell you that the pilot concerned is highly experienced and I would happily let him fly my aircraft any time, anywhere.

[Squawk7700]

I can tell you that the pilot concerned is highly experienced and I would happily let him fly my aircraft any time, anywhere.

As long as you don't mind the bottom being scraped off your aircraft then go for it !

[Lookleft]

Absolutely right I don't need to know but all this defensiveness has piqued my curiosity. I do know that one of the pilots who flies the Corsair is also a senior pilot in a major Australian airline. If it was a mechanical failure then he had an unlucky day, if he forgot to put the wheels down then that is a fairly elementary mistake and there could be some sort of HF issue going on.

[compressor stall]

I'm not being defensive. I've no idea of his name. Or even her name if it's a woman.

But I don't think its right naming people on here who have had a prang whether their fault or otherwise.

[Capt Fathom]

The ambulance chasers here would disagree! They smell blood! :(

[no_one]

I just hope that when I one day F#$k up, you blokes all go easy on me....

[Flying Binghi]

I can think of no other reason for the way this thread is going other then it seems some of the small minded are jealous of those who fly interesting aircraft..:hmm:

I don't fly Corsairs though I do appreciate that there are people prepared to put the time and effort into restoring and displaying said aircraft so all can enjoy watching the machine fly.
IF, the aircraft owner has allowed another pilot to fly the machine then I'd reckon it is his personal business what happens with the machine.






.

[Band a Lot]

GH is a great bloke for aviation. No one died and I am sure regardless of cause, GH will get this machine back up again soon.

While I am sure I could get all the juicy details rather fast, I don't need to any involved are all grown men and all will feel the pain.

[spinex]

I just hope that when I one day F#$k up, you blokes all go easy on me....

Yeah and bacon is an aerodynamic aid... As in politics, the attempted cover up is what gets remembered long after the original misdemeanour has been forgotten - whether or not the bloke involved was the one trying to fit the hush kit.:cool:

I saw similar when a check captain, display pilot and all round skygod did something similar in another jurisdiction - threats were uttered by the faithful hangers on to those who had dared publish photos or comment online and a cone of silence dropped over the incident, when in fact the pilot freely admitted having cocked up and moved on with his life. To this day though, the (over)reaction by others on his behalf is what tends to be remembered about the man, a real pity because aside from being a superb pilot, he is also a very decent human being. And there endeth the lesson....

[JEM60]

Forgetting gear can happen to ANYONE!!. I was told that there are two types of pilots. Those who have done it, and those who haven't done it yet!.
A very respected Display pilot managed it in a Seafire in the U.K, a few years ago, and at Oshkosh, maybe eight years ago, the Chief of the American Warbird movement in the U.S. escaped the mistake in his Skyraider by the skin of his teeth!!. I know, I was there, and have it on video. Very close shave!!! A controller noticed it, yelled Skyraider gear, Skyraider gear!!! with about 20 feet to go. It went around. To err is human, those who think it can't happen to them are naive!!!

[Capt Fathom]

Forgetting gear can happen to ANYONE!!. I was told that there are two types of pilots. Those who have done it, and those who haven't done it yet!.
Gee. I haven't heard that one for a least a couple of days!

Why do people remember the flaps, but not the gear?

[Desert Flower]

Actually there are three types of pilots. Those who haven't done it yet, those who have done it, & those who have done it several times. I knew one pilot in the latter category!

DF.

[OZBUSDRIVER]

Reckon it cannot happen?

John Deakin has a different view (http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/188536-1.html)

All it takes is a distraction, out of sequence, unusual...the holes DO line up!

[gerry111]

It never happens if you do proper PUFF checks on your short finals.

Or, if you have a mate in the right hand seat who cross checks everything and may call: "PUFF checks when ready."

The person in that seat doesn't like to be embarrassed or inconvenienced either. :)

[oicur12.again]

Dale "snort" Snodgrass accidently landed an F-86 wheels up practicing for an airshow. 10,000 hours in fighters including 5000 in F-14's. One of the most experienced fighter pilots in the world.

It happens, life goes on.

[megle2]

Gerry, with respect, you can never say never