Fatal RV-7 NZ
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Fatal RV-7 NZ
Wing Loss Possible In RV Crash
A Van’s RV-7 that crashed on New Year’s day in Northland New Zealand, killing both occupants, has caught the attention of the RV community because of the possibility of structural failure. If the investigation confirms the witness accounts, it will be the second suspected fatal in-flight breakup of an RV-7 this year. A similar aircraft crashed in Arizona in June and local reports suggest that plane came apart. The New Zealand builder/pilot Dean Voelkerling was an experienced and respected EMS helicopter pilot and was well known in the local aviation community.
Local media reported eyewitness of a wing “spiraling” down separate from the stricken aircraft which crashed into a field. While it is common for early eyewitness accounts to be inaccurate, video and still pictures released from the scene also appear to show the absence of the aircraft’s right wing. This tragedy will surely be watched closely by enthusiasts and authorities alike as the investigation unfolds, especially as it comes on the heels of a fatal accident of the same RV-7 model this past June in Arizona, which also presented early indications of an in-flight structural failure. More information will follow as the investigation continues.
A Van’s RV-7 that crashed on New Year’s day in Northland New Zealand, killing both occupants, has caught the attention of the RV community because of the possibility of structural failure. If the investigation confirms the witness accounts, it will be the second suspected fatal in-flight breakup of an RV-7 this year. A similar aircraft crashed in Arizona in June and local reports suggest that plane came apart. The New Zealand builder/pilot Dean Voelkerling was an experienced and respected EMS helicopter pilot and was well known in the local aviation community.
Local media reported eyewitness of a wing “spiraling” down separate from the stricken aircraft which crashed into a field. While it is common for early eyewitness accounts to be inaccurate, video and still pictures released from the scene also appear to show the absence of the aircraft’s right wing. This tragedy will surely be watched closely by enthusiasts and authorities alike as the investigation unfolds, especially as it comes on the heels of a fatal accident of the same RV-7 model this past June in Arizona, which also presented early indications of an in-flight structural failure. More information will follow as the investigation continues.
Wings falling off seems to be a common thing at the moment in NZ. A motor glider lost one last week but miraculously the occupants walked away...
Miracle escape for pair after glider crash - NZ Herald
Miracle escape for pair after glider crash - NZ Herald
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So, I guess you’re saying the connection between the aircraft that hit the Ferris wheel at Old Bar and the glider that crashed in New Zealand is the builder, G. Morgan. Only thing is, the Ferris wheel aircraft crashed due to pilot error and the pilot was not Mr Morgan. So what’s your point?
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I read that the pilot was Mr Morgan. He was born in NZ, lives in NZ and is the same age as the pilot of this crashed glider. I now have a BORG your honour :-)
Last edited by StickWithTheTruth; 7th Jan 2018 at 06:12.
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I'd suggest if you did not balance your elevators AFTER painting as Van's suggest that a good time to balance them would be today.
As for "Stickwiththe truths" wishing to know were they doing aero's, I find it hard to believe any pilot with the experience of this one would pull 6 or 7g (4.5 X 1.5 ultimate) and break a wing off. They could however exceed VNE and get flutter and destroy the tailplane.
If as has been suggested, this plane was covered after test flying, in vinyl cladding instead of paint, loose vinyl on or near a control surface could conceivably lead to flutter.
I have known of planes that were painted after test flying not to have had the elevators separated and balanced after painting. Paint on the elevators leads to considerable out of balance.
Yeah no problem with elevator balance and I think your idea that the problem may have started with the elevator could be worth thinking about. I wonder if the horizontal stab SB had been done. hope there is some info out soon.
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I guess I was more wondering if they were 10 years old or more perhaps and have been thrashed daily doing aeros. More likely to lose an ancillary item or control issue rather than breaking the wing off an RV in controlled flight, I agree with that.
If you google ZK-DVS you'll find some blog posts (yes I know) which indicate the paint (vinyl?) was added after the test flying was complete. I can't post the links here it seems.
Last edited by NZFlyingKiwi; 11th Jan 2018 at 17:44. Reason: Removed links.
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I'm surprised to hear that it may
Vinyl as it doesn't look like it.
https://goo.gl/images/w55G9H
It also looks like the test flying may have been performed in undercoat which is very common for RV's or in fact with zero paint.
https://goo.gl/images/PSy4gg
Vinyl as it doesn't look like it.
https://goo.gl/images/w55G9H
It also looks like the test flying may have been performed in undercoat which is very common for RV's or in fact with zero paint.
https://goo.gl/images/PSy4gg