Incident - Lancair IV-4P-T depressurises at FL250

[OZBUSDRIVER]

Just a heads up. The owners are pruners and are OK.

[FokkerInYour12]

Better photo here:

[havick]

Just out of curiosity, is a structural failure like that an insurable event or does the owner shell out for cost of repairs?

[Howard Hughes]

Was that you baswell?

[baswell]

Just taking the "how dangerous is this" trend to its logical conclusion.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

That WOULD get your attention!

Dr

[VH-XXX]

It's hard to tell what actually fell off. It lost the door and. It just the window, however it took a lot of airframe too. It's like the door catches pulled part of the airframe off.

[OZBUSDRIVER]

I think the IV-P has only one door.

[Arnold E]

I think the IV-P has only one door.

Yep.................

[Jabawocky]

Folks

The lancair involved had a WINDOW blow out NOT a door. They have one door, unless otherwise informed, I take it that it is very similar to the IV next to me with a LH door only.

[VH-XXX]

Yep, that makes sense, one door.

It certainly took a lot of airframe with it, that's for sure! Note the rear half of the airframe piece that is missing.

Looks like the window goes right from the bottom to all the way up top but is painted to look smaller and there is some internals where the arm rest is. The window was well and truly attached in some areas so it was seemingly a massive force that tore it off.

[nitpicker330]

Wow, that will be hard to fix and still allow the cabin to be pressurized.

[jas24zzk]

Nothing a bit of bondo and some cling wrap won't fix.

[donpizmeov]

Hundred mile an hour tape will fix it. Well done to the pilot for getting it down safely. A very rude way to be woken in the cruise.

The Don

[Shagpile]

Very sexy aircraft - I want one! Are they severely limited to bitumen strips given the landing speeds?

[jas24zzk]

some very long unsealed strips out there

[baswell]

And if the pilot got knocked out in such an incident, the passenger just hits the big red button:

Seeker

[BEACH KING]

And if the pilot got knocked out in such an incident, the passenger just hits the big red button:

Seeker

Wow, the future of GA is coming along nicely!

[Typhoon650]

Given the construction of the Lancair, that's very disturbing. I also think the airframe is a write off.

[VH-XXX]

To be honest, it would be easily repaired for a fibreglass / carbon guy. Looks like the flock let go that was holding the window on. They may not actually be screwed in but rather just glassed in so once the wind god under it, the airflow peeled her off.

If they were the builder of the aircraft they could fix it themselves or at a low cost.