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-   -   Miss Velma's engine failure and crash landing at Duxford from the cockpit (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/609016-miss-velmas-engine-failure-crash-landing-duxford-cockpit.html)

Flap62 20th May 2018 07:43

Indeed although not quite 90 off as he wasn’t due south when he made the decision to return. The M11 was an unwelcome complication. Not easy no matter what he chose. Glad he walked away.

Onceapilot 20th May 2018 08:36

Part of the issue with emergencies in expensive Warbirds is that there could be a temptation to try and save the aircraft till the bitter end. Consider Gliders on cross country flying. They regularly make safe off-site landings for several reasons. Their landing speed is lower but, they always make a glide approach anyway so their handling skills are practiced. They generally have well considered plans for setting-up and executing a "forced landing", so they use the plan and land safely. I have never seen a Mustang make or practice a glide approach. The usual is a powered approach with a high RPM for engine response. This is the best way to operate them but, any serious loss of power may present the pilot with a scenario he is unable to deal with on approach. Generally, loss of power sufficient to continue normal flight in Piston warbirds would lead to a wheels-up forced landing in the original flying manual and, this is can the safest way if the pilot is trained for it.

OAP

cats_five 20th May 2018 15:37


Originally Posted by Onceapilot (Post 10151908)
<snip>
Consider Gliders on cross country flying. They regularly make safe off-site landings for several reasons. Their landing speed is lower but, they always make a glide approach anyway so their handling skills are practiced.
<snip>

And very importantly gliders despite their fragile appearance are designed to land in fields.

212man 20th May 2018 16:00

Excellent video and discussion within it. Not sure why posters are discussing the circuit - they were not flying a circuit to land but were positioning for a run in and break, so clearly it would be wider than normal. That’s why he had just moved to echelon starboard.

Treble one 20th May 2018 17:05

Strangely enough, at the same show, there was a mid air between 2 other P-51's (prop strike during a formation change resulting to damage to the tailplane IIRC). This did result in an emergency downwind landed (uneventful).

Onceapilot 20th May 2018 18:14


Originally Posted by cats_five (Post 10152177)
And very importantly gliders despite their fragile appearance are designed to land in fields.

Yes. Thanks cats. I would add then: "gliders despite their fragile appearance can successfully land in fields"

OAP.

Flap62 20th May 2018 20:56

212man,

If your comment refered to me I didn’t think that the formation were trying to fly a formation circuit. They were obviously positioning for a RIAB (although very early to echelon if they were) when the first power loss occured. This left him with the option of going straight towards finals for the easterly runway with a right base to land downwind or joining (as he did) in a more conventional downwind position for left base to finals with M11 in the undershoot. Wasn’t there so not at all criticising but I think it’s perhaps helpful after videos like this are published to examine the what ifs.

212man 20th May 2018 21:13

Not aimed at you F62 - there were other comments before that seemed to be general in nature about circuit dimension, e.g.


He doesn't seem to mention but I wonder if he did a standard circuit and if so would he have preferred to do a tighter one?

dead_pan 21st May 2018 07:55


Originally Posted by NutLoose (Post 10151827)
Problem with that scenario is you would then be approaching 90 degrees to the runway with the crowdline on the other side of it.

Not necessarily. He did have more speed/height to play with at this point, which may have allowed him to position for this. Maybe we need to do a "Sully" simulation to see if it was possible....

Have to say he was a very lucky boy - must have come within an ace of digging a wingtip in.

typerated 21st May 2018 08:23

212 - I think you have the wrong end of the stick.

I was talking about the path taken after the Engine trouble started.


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