Four Page accident report L-4B 43-1285

[L-4Pilot]

I received the four page accident report today. If anyone has any information on 1st Lt. Francis G. Callahan ASN 0-1176910 after he tore up my aircraft I would appreciate it. It would be interesting to see where he went after his training.

The aircraft was rebuilt in 1946 with brand new wings, tail feathers and gear bought from Piper. The fuselage had only minor damage according to the FAA 337 records.

Lt. Callahan made the classic mistake of pulling on the carb heat but failing to clear the engine often. Most likely the A-65 loaded up on him as they are prone to do in cold weather with the carb heat on which produces a very rich mixture. The engine must be cleared frequently to prevent it from loading up and stopping when power is applied.

Best Regards,
Steve

[JDK]

... If anyone has any information on 1st Lt. Francis G. Callahan ASN 0-1176910 after he tore up my aircraft I would appreciate it. ...

Wow, that's holding a grudge!

[Russ Blow]

Wow whats up with L 4's and carb ice? My L 4 was crashed on its ferry flight with only 4 hours 35 minutes on it. I have the Form 14 and luckily the accident board wanted more info so I have a written statement from the pilot as well as a 3 page interrogation by the head of the accident board.

I love this part

Maj. Dinsmore :What was your procedure?

Lt. Harris ( pilot ) : I figured it was ice and would turn on the carb heat for awhile, and it would go up to about 1900 and then I would turn it off and it would go up to normal cruising.

Maj. Dinsmore :You would put the carb heat full on and then turn it off?

Lt. Harris ( pilot ) : It didnt drop as much with the carb heat full on. It would only drop about 2 or 3 hundred

Maj. Dinsmore : Why not leave the carb heat on?

Lt. Harris ( pilot ) : When it started cutting out, or losing power, I turned it on ( carb heat ). I thought it wasn't supposed to be left full on.

Maj. Dinsmore : Son that isn't the way to use carb heat

Lt. Harris ( pilot ) : It isn't? Thats all I know of what happened. I had the same trouble once last winter.

Maj. Dinsmore : I guess there is nothing else


I guess sometimes in wartime you don't have rocket scientists doing ferry flights in L 4's. On top of that he was 10 miles off course to boot.

[RyanShort1]

Carb ice is still a J-3 / L-4 issue today. The 5C1 Cub landed on IH-10 just over a year ago as a result of that. Thankfully it didn't get hurt.

Ryan

[L-4Pilot]

A lot of time engine stoppage on the A-65 is attributed to carb ice when it is not. The A-65 is very prone to load up when flown at low rpm in cool air. The pilot must clear the engine frequently especially if the carb heat is on as it produces a very rich mixture. The pilot is gliding along fat dumb and happy at low rpms with the carb heat on an suddenly pushes the throttle full open and the engine suddenly just quits.

I always pull my carb heat on for landing while still at cruise rpm and then clear the engine with smooth slow throttle application at least three times in the pattern.

Steve

[shepsair]

Looks like it might be him?

Might still be alive.

Callahan, Frank J 90
(lived at)
Coral Gables, FL
Jacksonville, FL
Palm City, FL
Banner Elk, NC
Linville, NC

Available (Relatives)
Callahan, Gary S
Callahan, Beverly J
Callahan, Donna G


Married to Beverly

Assume Gary and Donna are siblings.

Could be the son. Gary is linked to Francis and Beverly and indicates he resides in Blairville, GA,

Gary S Callahan
750 Paul Nicholson Rd
Blairsville, GA 30512-1633
(706) 781-2668
Age: 50-54

Not sure if Francis is still alive - might be worth a phone call/letter.

regards

MS

[L-4Pilot]

Looks like it might be him?
Might still be alive.
Callahan, Frank J 90
(lived at)
Coral Gables, FL
Jacksonville, FL
Palm City, FL
Banner Elk, NC
Linville, NC
Available (Relatives)
Callahan, Gary S
Callahan, Beverly J
Callahan, Donna G
Married to Beverly
Assume Gary and Donna are siblings.
Could be the son. Gary is linked to Francis and Beverly and indicates he resides in Blairville, GA,
Gary S Callahan
750 Paul Nicholson Rd
Blairsville, GA 30512-1633
(706) 781-2668
Age: 50-54
Not sure if Francis is still alive - might be worth a phone call/letter.
regards
MS

Thank you for the response, but Francis G. Callahan was 31 at the time of the accident and that would make him 98 years old today.

Best regards,
Steve

[paul smith]

The issue is not that the A-65-8 is particularly susceptible to carb ice- it is- the issue is mishandling of the carb heat. Too many instructors tell their students to apply carb heat when you reduce the power and why, but they don't tell them what can happen if you do. I actually gave a flight review to a guy whose CFI had told him to just leave it on when it's below 70*! That was a long day.

[Dave Hadfield]

I've flown little Continentals in winter, in Canada: a 65 in a Champ, and an 85 in a Canuck.

In addition to being carb-ice prone, the cold air affects them strongly because they don't have an accelerator pump in the carb. I coach new pilots to advance the throttle very gently, but invariably they revert to previous habits, and the engine quits, usually while taxiing. Once they get out and go outside to spin the prop again (not the instructors job!) on the runway, they start remembering.

Without the accelerator pump, there is a momentary lean mixture when the throttle valve is opened, and that, combined with the cold air, plus maybe a bit of ice, causes it to quit. The faster the throttle is opened, the leaner the mixture, until the engine catches up, or quits.

The carb heat should go on in the downwind leg while the engine is still up at 2100 rpm, while the engine is still producing some heat, and tends to richen the mixture.

But to be honest, I usually fly winter approaches with the power on a bit, and slideslipping. I also lower the circuit altitude so the cooling period is reduced.

If I pull it to idle, I never depend on it to come back again -- in that case I stay high enough to comfortably glide in.

We always pre-heat before start. And we mask off some of the cooling intake. We limit the flying to not below -15C.

For in the cabin we wear a poncho each, over everything, made very simply from a cheap fleece emergency blanket, with a hole cut for your head, and a slit for the stick. This works very well and costs about $5. Keeps the drafts off you, and warms your legs. The cabin heating in these little aircraft can be very minimal.

Dave (currently in a blizzard, about to go blow out the driveway...)