Fatal Yak-52 crash yesterday in WA

[Roger Cain]

http://www.kirotv.com/news/16145397/detail.html

Ben Runyan was a regular in the antique and SeaBee circles.

[spookythecat]

Didn't hear about that. Very sad.

[Bill Greenwood]

This didn't get much notice on WIX, and there is no description of cause, obviously a severe impact. It is the start of flying season, especially sport and warbird type flying and here is the loss of a Father and Son. We must redouble our efforts to fly safely.

[Roger Cain]

This didn't get much notice on WIX, and there is no description of cause, obviously a severe impact.

I wouldn't say that, as of this posting 671 people have viewed this topic.

And yes, a terrible shame to lose the father and son together, this has got to be exceptionally hard on the family. My condolenses.

[airnutz]

Truly sad...how awful. My condolences as well.

[Nathan]

So far this year is turning out badly. Very sad.

[fritzthefox]

This article suggests power loss after take-off, an all-too-common no-win scenario:

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_050208_news_plane_crash_clark_county.c1309437.html

[Bill Greenwood]

Roger, my post was written the day previous to yours, about 18 hours earlier. I had only seen one reply at the time I wrote mine. It seemed to me that the fatal accident of two people should have brought a little more notice than what I saw. It is a sad event either way we label it. Fritz, thanks for the article, it does sound like an engine problem might be suspect. Does the Yak have mixture control that operates like a US plane, forward for rich?

[fritzthefox]

There's no mixture control on a Yak...it has a pressure carb.

[skybolt2003]

This article suggests power loss after take-off, an all-too-common no-win scenario:

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_050208_news_plane_crash_clark_county.c1309437.html

Not jumping to conclusions or suggesting any possible reason in this case- but there are far too many accidents relating to power failure directly after take-off. Often someone tries to make a turn back to the runway which is a very critical maneuver and needs to be practiced and executed perfectly with no margin for error. I suggest that all pilots take glider training - it helps develop that judgement and also helps alleviate some of the natural fear power pilots have when the engine stops. It is a good extension to the training all pilots should receive (side benefits - gliders force you to learn to use your feet, good for future taildragger training, aerobatics and other fun stuff. You learn exactly what the wind and atmospheric conditions do to your plane, rather than just bore through them . . .)
Any wixers in the NE area want info on glider training let me know (I might even give you a free ride . . .)

-Bret

[Django]

Godspeed to them both.

[p51]

If anybody cares, I saw the remains of this plane loaded onto a trailer, heading north on I-5 through Olympia on Saturday. I have no idea where it was headed, but the only recognizable piece of the plane was the tail assembly. Maybe it for the NTSC but I can't imagine anything could be useable as it looked like it was dropped into a giant blender. I didn't notice anything larger than my forearm!

[mustangdriver]

This article suggests power loss after take-off, an all-too-common no-win scenario:

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_050208_news_plane_crash_clark_county.c1309437.html

Not jumping to conclusions or suggesting any possible reason in this case- but there are far too many accidents relating to power failure directly after take-off. Often someone tries to make a turn back to the runway which is a very critical maneuver and needs to be practiced and executed perfectly with no margin for error. I suggest that all pilots take glider training - it helps develop that judgement and also helps alleviate some of the natural fear power pilots have when the engine stops. It is a good extension to the training all pilots should receive (side benefits - gliders force you to learn to use your feet, good for future taildragger training, aerobatics and other fun stuff. You learn exactly what the wind and atmospheric conditions do to your plane, rather than just bore through them . . .)
Any wixers in the NE area want info on glider training let me know (I might even give you a free ride . . .)

-Bret

I couldn't agree with you more. My instructor made me do that. It is very educational, and helped me a good bit when a time came that I did indeed lose my only engine

[Bill Greenwood]

Fritz, Bret. I think everyone should try glider flying, it is really fun, really easy except for when on tow if its rough. I had a great time at Harris Hill last year. But I really disagree that glider flying prepares you for an engine failure on takeoff. I think it is the opposite.
For those not familiar with gliders, it is easily possible to lose your power (your tow) at as low as 200 feet above ground, and still make a 180 degree turn back to the runway for a safe downwind landing. It is not only possible, it is regularly practiced as a "rope break" training manuever. First the glider doesn't add drag like a power plane if the rope breaks, no prop in the way. Also the glider on tow is fairly level, unlike a fighter climbing nose up, you are not on the verge of a stall like a power plane as soon as power stops, you only have to slightly lower the nose, and there is no torque and pro spin effect. Then the glider is moving so slow, less than 50 mph for a common 2-33, that the rate of turn is fast, the radius is tight. Also the glider is so slow that you have some time to think and act. The first time you try one you think it may be scary, but once you bank about 40* it comes right around and you may have 150' agl left to get to the runway and have a 20 to 1 glide ratio and some tailwind in your favor.
I do not believe it is good policy in power planes, especially a big warbird to try to turn back if power is lost down low. You'd probably need 1500' agl. to make it, if you did not stall/spin it in the turn.

[bdk]

I had only seen one reply at the time I wrote mine. It seemed to me that the fatal accident of two people should have brought a little more notice than what I saw.

I don't consider myself "normal" or "average," but I'm sure a lot of viewers like me can look at the topic and think it over without feeling a need to reply. Sometimes I don't know what to say that would be useful or helpful in these situations. That does not mean that I don't care!