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TBM accident 5-15-25

Thu May 15, 2025 1:26 pm

Just posted a few minutes ago on FB by David Cook:
David Cook wrote:We just had a aircraft incident/crash at our airport, definitely a warbird,I can't tell what type from the pictures.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10 ... 5682157551

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Thu May 15, 2025 1:36 pm

David Cook
Author
Edgar Arreola
scanner said pilot is OK and talking to authorities, ambulance crew checked him out and cleared him.

Dave Calhoun
N420GP verifies it's Tri State's TBM-3.

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Thu May 15, 2025 2:15 pm

Glad to hear the pilot is okay. Sorry to hear Tri-State's TBM is out of service. I'm sure they will be able to rebuild. Thankfully doesn't look like any sort of fire.

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Thu May 15, 2025 3:34 pm

UPDATE: Two injured in WW II-era plane crash at Terre Haute Regional Airport:

https://www.tribstar.com/news/local_new ... 4367b.html

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Thu May 15, 2025 5:03 pm

WWII aircraft crashes at Terre Haute airport; FAA to investigate
https://www.wthitv.com/news/wwii-aircraft-crashes-at-terre-haute-airport-faa-to-investigate/article_a78efe16-378f-493d-8caf-4613f125ffb6.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawKTQzhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETF0YThkelZqNTd4QktLVnBXAR4rm3m5dJ7rAL8iWrrRS43mx-pGaI3dyd1h7UfKY5tcQn8V260y5hwU322teA_aem_7EO90yEOz2paf6sfhYT2AQ

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Thu May 15, 2025 8:30 pm

https://www.wthr.com/article/news/small ... 5ae784e1eb

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Thu May 15, 2025 9:37 pm

I’ve never considered the TBM to be a small plane like the media is reporting. I guess it is smaller than a 737 though.

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Thu May 15, 2025 9:41 pm

bdk wrote:I’ve never considered the TBM to be a small plane like the media is reporting. I guess it is smaller than a 737 though.


My thoughts as well...I would hate to see how they describe a Piper Cub.

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Fri May 16, 2025 9:24 am

From what I've heard the engine cut out on final and with that sudden loss of power the glide ratio on a Turkey must be that of a falling dumpster. Hence why he clipped the fence. Amazing both occupants are okay and nothing serious. Testament to the pilot and Grumman I think.

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Fri May 16, 2025 7:37 pm

That's kinda what it looks like Chris.
Engine taking a dump on short final would put her into the fence.
You can see the fence post damage on the leading edge.
Glad everyone got out.
Testament to the Grumman iron works.

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Sat May 17, 2025 7:01 am

hurricane_yank wrote:
bdk wrote:I’ve never considered the TBM to be a small plane like the media is reporting. I guess it is smaller than a 737 though.


My thoughts as well...I would hate to see how they describe a Piper Cub.


It is a 100% accurate and useful description, in context. The general audience's first question when they hear "plane crash" is, is it a commercial airline disaster with potentially hundreds of casualties, or not. "Small plane" tells them it is not. It doesn't hurt to be charitable and think like a normal person for a moment.

August

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Sat May 17, 2025 11:58 am

Completely agree with August. To the casual observer, Any aircraft not a commercial jet with four engines and a few hundred passengers is usually considered a small plane.

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Sat May 17, 2025 12:29 pm

As a former TV journalist, K5083 hit the issue on the head.
Brevity in TV is the key. So "small plane" means "Not an airliner...so don't panic".
I'm sure somewhere in the story, probably the next sentence, someone said "exe military airplane", to put it further into context.

What do you exoect...
"Today, a vintage TBM-3...."?

About the "anything smaller than four engines..."commentt...
I just returned from a trip that took me to three major International hubs.
The only four engine airliner I saw was a single Lufthansa 747-800.
I must have missed the A380s in the region, I don't know if they are on these routes.
The days of four engine airliners are pretty much over.

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Sat May 17, 2025 6:16 pm

Yeah! my comment mean’t the obvious typical large commercial airliner. Why I stated four engines was strange as my flight back east last week wasn’t on anything with four engines. And I wasn’t flying my own “small plane” either. Glad the media didn’t correct me.

Re: TBM accident 5-15-25

Sat May 17, 2025 8:49 pm

I think the comment was more made as small is relative to the field it is flying into. A small plane at LAX (see your descriptions) and a small plane on the local airstrip are two completely different things. There aren't 4 engine planes flying into Terre Haute Regional Airport.
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