Light Aircraft Crash Near Serpentine WA

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

From the ABC News this morning,

Reporting a light aircraft crashed late yesterday arvo near Serpentine, the 71 year old pilot seriously injured and conveyed to hospital via RAC Rescue Helo......

Anyone know of aircraft type?

[Joker 10]

Jabiru, 3 miles South Serpentine, pilot a bit bashed up but OK in Royal Perth Hospital , aircraft bent.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Thanks Mr 'J', tonight's ABC news confirms it is a Jabiru, and further, that fuel - or lack thereof - may have been an issue....

Cheers

[Joker 10]

Aircraft departed Denmark yesterday after lunch, took 30 litres top up in Denmark.

WX yesterday was a very strong North Easterly 20 knots approx and temp 38 degrees.

Performance of the Jabiru even with 6 cylinder engine would have been well down in ISA + 23 temp as well as the strong cross to some head component wind so it would be concievable that there was marginal motion lotion on board.

More planning needed for longer legs in small plastic aircraft methinks.

[VH-XXX]

VH-MGT

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

"OUCH"!

I wonder why he passed Murrayfield near Mandurah if he was THAT short.

Perhaps he was hangared at Serpentine, and was trying to make it 'home'?....

Hope the man makes a speedy recovery.

[VH-XXX]

I'm not the slightest bit surprised that someone ran out of fuel in a Jabiru. Their fuel gauges are notoriously inaccurate. Even the factory lost one on a test a flight not that long ago when it ran out of fuel. There have been some changes to the fuel indicators but this one may not have these changes. Combine that with a strong headwind, high temps or last light perhaps etc, it becomes a combination of everything against you.

[Super Cecil]

I'm not the slightest bit surprised that someone ran out of fuel in a Jabiru. Their fuel gauges are notoriously inaccurate.

That's why you wear a watch

[Jabawocky]

Go back to the old gauges I say!

You could SEE your fuel. In 750 hours of Jab 430 flying we never had a bigger surprise than maybe 3-5L out of 140. never arrived with less than 20.

Its not rocket science.......Cecil has the idea!

[VH-XXX]

That's why you wear a watch

True…. a great idea, however that highlights one of the issues in an aircraft with a significant range (in terms of hours). It only takes a slightly lower altitude or slightly higher RPM setting for a prolonged period of time to use enough extra motion-lotion to sink into reserves noticeably particularly when battling a head-wind or last light. A trap for the young (or old) players out there.

[poteroo]

XXXis correct about the significantly higher fuel burn with Jabiru engines - once you push them above the recommended RPM for cruising.It's to do with the needle valve in the pressure compensating Bing carby - which allows much more fuel flow once beyond the 'factory' cruise setting. This is good for speed and cooling - but not necessarily for range!

At 75% power, the Jabiru website information for the 3300 engine quotes 26 LPH - which is one whole lot more than the 22-24 LPH that one hears being quoted 'around the traps'.

Now what are students taught to do in headwinds v tailwinds? Yes - increase power with a h/w so as to be less time against it. But, if you subscribe to this philosophy, you really do need a fuel computor to keep tabs on just what you have left in the tanks. There are no detailed fuel consumption charts about, and there are different Bing needle valves in use, and different propellors in use too.

The above isn't meant as speculation on cause - there could have been many of these. Let's ease off until the ATSB report appears.

happy days,

[VH-XXX]

Not likely to be an ATSB report as the aircraft is Experimental, particularly if motion lotion was the reason.

[onetrack]

It's interesting to see that the Jabiru composite build stands up to a dead-stick landing, with a flip for good measure, O.K. No serious cabin deformation, and no engine entry to the cabin, and the rest of the plane hasn't had anything shear off with impact. Still not a nice thing to have to endure, but at least it shows that the composite construction is crashworthy.
Detractors could say it would have been a totally different story if there had been a fuel spill and ensuing fire involved - but if a fuel spill is involved after a crash, your chances of surviving any crash are pretty low. I wonder what he landed on, to come out like that? There are plenty of paddocks and open areas around Serpentine to put something like a Jabiru down on satisfactorily, even with a dead engine.

[VH-XXX]

There is an inherit problem with this aircraft and that is the placement of the third wheel, it's at the back and not the front! Looks like it rolled over quite hard, would certainly have been an unpleasant experience, that's for sure.

[Super Cecil]

XXX said

True…. a great idea, however that highlights one of the issues in an aircraft with a significant range (in terms of hours). It only takes a slightly lower altitude or slightly higher RPM setting for a prolonged period of time to use enough extra motion-lotion to sink into reserves noticeably particularly when battling a head-wind or last light. A trap for the young (or old) players out there.

Same remark, that's why you wear a watch....AND....know your aircraft.

[VH-XXX]

Yes, of course, most definitely. You can have the trickiest aircraft fuel system in the world, however you must know it well.