AOPA’s Sweepstakes plane will not be appearing at AirVenture this week and untied shoelaces are being blamed. Jordan Miller News is reporting that the refurbished Aviat Husky that AOPA is giving away for its annual contest promotion went off the runway at Carroll County Airport in Carrollton, Ohio, on Friday. The plane landed there on its way from Maryland in preparation for the show, but fire department officials told the news publication that the pilot told them his shoelaces became tangled in the rudder pedals and the plane went off the runway onto the grass. There were no injuries, but the plane’s gear and left wing were damaged. It was also leaking fuel.
AOPA confirmed the mishap in a statement to AVweb and says the plane will be brought back to showroom condition. “The next AOPA Sweepstakes aircraft, an Aviat Husky A-1C-200, was involved in a ground incident while en route to EAA AirVenture, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Nobody was injured,” AOPA said. “The Husky will undergo necessary maintenance so we can have it back in the air soon. Unfortunately, the aircraft won’t be on display at the AOPA Pavilion this week. We will provide regular updates on its return to service.”
I smell cow poop…it’s never the pilot’s fault, is it!
Pretty lame excuse.
I guess next time he will be wearing flip flops and an untucked Hawaiian shirt.
While investigating a gear up landing one day at a very small unmanned local airport, my partner and I came contact with the aircraft owner/pilot who was standing next to his damaged aircraft. The gentleman was quite senior in age and was using a cane and walking with a what appeared to be a severe limp. After listening to his explanation that he simply forgot to lower the gear, it was asked of him whether he used a landing checklist or not. He stated that he did not and that usually his wife flies with him and reminds him to lower the gear. In essence, she was his checklist. Upon inquiring into his obvious physical disability and his ability to operate the aircraft with his bad leg, he stated that he was a polio survivor and has severe flare ups from time to time. He went on to state that when it gets real bad, he just uses his cane to work the pedal. At the end of the day, he agreed that this wasn’t the first time he’d not lowered the gear for landing and that given his age and physical status, he should probably sell his aircraft and ground himself before the ‘next time’ happens with less than positive results.
I would not call this a mishap but rather an aircraft accident, “an event resulting in substantial damage to an aircraft. serious injury or death” (NTSB).
Why ground the guy? You now how some licenses read “glasses required”? Make his read “wife required”
Props for hanging in as long as he did and not dying, but seriously why not give a young CFI some much-needed business and still enjoy the plane, just not as PIC
That will buff right out.
NTSB defines substantial damage in 49 CFR 830.2:
…Engine failure or damage limited to an engine if only one engine fails or is damaged, bent fairings or cowling, dented skin, small punctured holes in the skin or fabric, ground damage to rotor or propeller blades, and damage to landing gear, wheels, tires, flaps, engine accessories, brakes, or wingtips are not considered substantial damage for the purpose of this part.
From the half picture of the airplane, there is damage to the left gear (folded under), possibly the left wingtip, and the cowling and fuselage skin. Not even a prop strike. The referenced news article shows a second picture of the aircraft which gives a bit more perspective.
I don’t think the NTSB and Part 830 agree with your definition. We should all read the entire reg before we conclude. Especially where newspapers and magazines are involved.
Shorts, T-shirt, no socks, and untied tennis shoes. I know, to each his own. At least there was no fire.