Pilot narrowly escapes

[john c]

Along with three others.  Don't have many details, yet.  One report says they clipped a cell phone tower about a mile west of the runway.  I know the pilot and should get good info later.

http://www.ky3.com/news/local/slideshow-small-plane-crashes-near-evangel-university-friday-evening/21048998_30209194

http://fox4kc.com/2014/12/12/four-people-survive-plane-crash-in-springfield-mo/

[gotyacovered]

Yikes! Can't wait to hear details

[john c]

Clipped a cell phone tower with right wing.  Very, very fortunate.  Looking at Google Earth view of crash site threaded the needle after losing part of the right wing.  Assume Bill Perkin (the pilot) lost some control ability as one witness said the plane was coasting but wobbling.

[GusMcRae]

I'm amazed there weren't fatalities from the looks of the pics. 

[john c]

Backseat passenger said he remained very calm with strong deliberate intent because he wanted to keep the female back seat passenger calm and assured.  Report was that the entire cabin remained calm.  Two backseat passengers were able to exit the plane after impact and tried but couldn't get the front seat gentlemen out but couldn't.  Love the news report that said the aircraft may not be in condition to fly.

[bvillepig]

That is unbelievable to walk away from that.  It was A Saratoga.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N3127R/history/20141212/2200Z/KLXT/3DW

2005 Turbo

[gotyacovered]

agreed, wonder if he will be able to walk away from the reaming the faa is going to give him

hope john c can give us some insight to the investigation.

you always said the toga is a tank

[john c]

More info.  I've always liked the six seat Six frame and now even more.

http://www.ky3.com/news/local/raw-video-called-the-miracle-4-copilot-describes-friday-plane-crash/21048998_30245278

[gotyacovered]

prelim out... holy cow... why didnt he stay on the ILS

367ft agl 2 miles out.

http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20141215X02302&key=1

[gotyacovered]

john c... what was his intended destination? did he cancel to hop over to a diff airport? (downtown)

[Flying Razorback]

prelim out... holy cow... why didnt he stay on the ILS

367ft agl 2 miles out.

http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20141215X02302&key=1

Yikes.  That's very drug in.  Especially if he's not on centerline.  There's no guaranteed obstacle clearance down there.

[gotyacovered]

since my last post i realized he was headed to downtown where there is not any approaches, guessing something he has done many times before, im sure... but jeez, 367'. i am guessing this is a petty common practice over there...

[Flying Razorback]

since my last post i realized he was headed to downtown where there is not any approaches, guessing something he has done many times before, im sure... but jeez, 367'. i am guessing this is a petty common practice over there...

It says the ceiling was at like 1500'.  However, maybe there were scattered clouds below that?  I don't know why you wouldn't stay at a higher altitude after breaking out and maneuver to the field instead of getting near minimums.

[john c]

Last I heard was that the plane was sold and owners were out of the airplane business (there is a good charter company in Springfield).   I looked out my office window one morning and saw a truck pulling a trailer down the street with the remains strapped on.

There is a 600' tower on the TV station property next to Downtown.  Same guy, Harry Cooper, owned the airport, a large plumbing/electrical supply company and the TV station (KOLR).  Harry sold the TV station a few years back but in his 80's, still flies his Pitts around the area when the weather is nice.  And flies his Citation and other toys as well - great pilot.  My business is next door to both so I hear/see the traffic coming and going.  When the top of the tower is covered and VFR is out the window (or, literally, not out the window), you shoot the approach at Regional and break off calling that you have Downtown in sight - at least the regulars do.  I've heard their King Air overhead in the muck and then low and behold it pops out of the clouds about two miles SE and comes in.  Oh, yeah, Tower, we have visual on Downtown, cancel IFR.  Most of the Tower guys that flew, flew out of Downtown and everyone knew everyone.  We would shoot approach and if break out at reasonable would veer east to I-44 until we got to Glenstone Ave, south down Glenstone towards the  Division St. intersection and just before the intersection turn SE over the Price Cutter supermarket (usually well lit up) and you would be on a perfect approach.  Pull the power over the Price Cutter (about 1/8th mile from Price Cutter) and it would be just perfect (in a 182 or Seneca, not so much in a Citation).  I thought that was a pretty common practice so I couldn't figure out why the Saratoga was so far to the south unless he wanted to fly a downwind on the south side of Downtown, turn base and land on the NW runway.  Problem is that would bring the 600' tower into play - it sits 900' from NW runway thresh hold but guy wires are closer.  The runway is plenty long enough for landing the Saratoga downwind and there should not have been any other traffic. The tower he hit was about 1 mile WSW of the Price Cutter.  He did a marvelous control job after hitting the tower.

Haven't talked to the pilot but hope to.  Need to run over to Downtown and ask the guys there exactly what happened.

[bvillepig]

Thanks for the update. Will look forward to the rest of the story.

[john c]

Haven't talked to the pilot yet but a friend was with him and he said that they shot the approach (not sure which approach) to Springfield Downtown twice with no luck (There is a TV tower virtually on the field so minimums are fairly high) and then headed Northwest to Springfield Regional - about 8 miles.  At Regional the weather was much better and the conversation in the plane concerned having their cars at Downtown and they would have to get a taxi to take them their, then they would have to go get the plane the next day and fly back to Downtown, etc.  This conversation led to a decision to give Downtown another shot.  Pilot was aware of one tower but clipped another one.  Inside the airplane everyone felt the bump and wondered what had caused it but everything seemed fine - for a few seconds until the engine got rough and quit.  The atmosphere in the airplane was very quiet, no one getting hysterical.  (I know these people and they are all very strong Christians, so no doubt a lot of emergency praying going on accompanied by an inner peace.)

The pilot immediately began looking for dark spots on the ground to head for (it was fairly dark by then) signifying either more clear or less populated areas (sounds like good thinking).  The pilot and right side passenger/copilot were very familiar with that part of town, knowing that Evangel University was pretty much coming up below them as well as two major streets and that the big dark spot where Downtown was located was a "bridge too far".  Again, the atmosphere in the plane remained very calm and quiet, matching the quietness of the engine.  The pilot quickly identified a reasonable dark spot and began maneuvers to get there, whatever was there would be seen in a few seconds.

The plane hit a tree with one wing which spun it around and hit the ground pretty flat, heading about 120 degrees different.  The tree impact and change of direction sucked a lot of energy out allowing for a much softer ground impact.  The rear seat passengers were able to get out - nice feature on Six series aircraft.  The pilot and right seat were trapped with moderate injuries (broken legs and ribs) and they were most concerned about fire, which didn't occur.  Fire and Rescue were very close by and got there quickly.

All four occupants got together in the pilot's hospital room the next day and discussed the events and shared their thanks to God for His deliverance.

[bvillepig]

Thanks for the update and report.  It is always good to read of the successful outcomes in these situations.

[john c]

Yes, it is, the more you know...

Sorry, I corrected my post just now.  Their cars were at "Downtown" not "Regional" as I posted.  Having the cars at Downtown was a motivation for going back and trying an approach at Downtown the third time.

This scenario (and I HAVEN'T talked to the pilot so there is obvious and admitted conjecture on my part) reminds me of the Abilene Paradox.  Further, I'm in NO way trying to disparage the pilot.  On the other hand, his cool actions prevented a bad thing from becoming a really bad thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abilene_paradox

[gotyacovered]

i often wondered if the inner peace of salvation allows for better decision making... it is obviously an intangible thing; but, if you accept the fact, 'it may just be my time' the fear of your untimely demise isnt there and you are able to focus on the task at hand.

if i steered this thread in the wrong direction i'll shut'er down quick.

[Flying Razorback]

i often wondered if the inner peace of salvation allows for better decision making... it is obviously an intangible thing; but, if you accept the fact, 'it may just be my time' the fear of your untimely demise isnt there and you are able to focus on the task at hand.

if i steered this thread in the wrong direction i'll shut'er down quick.

I've read every accident report, watched every recreation video, and listened to as much crash audio as I could find.  I never pass up an opportunity to read an accident report.

Especially listening and watching all the Air Force crash videos and cockpit audios, there are definitely many different ways that people approach the situation.  I think there is definitely something to the people who just continue to fly the airplane and don't worry about the outcome.  There are people who start worrying about it way too early and can't think.

I talked with a guy who was flying a Coast Guard C-130 out of St. John's Newfoundland on a search and rescue when they got their flaps stuck at 70% over 1,000 miles off the coast after they had already been on station for 6 or 7 hours.  They didn't have enough gas to get back by all calculations and everyone knew it immediately. 

Because it was a big SAR mission there were many aircraft in the stack and all talking to each other.  So each of the other planes took their time to wish them luck and tailwinds and share a moment with them because it was assumed by all that they were going to crash.

Well inside, the copilot completely lost it.  He was crying about how he hadn't talked to his wife that day and needed to try and get a phone patch to her through HF radio.  The pilot kept telling him to shut up and focus and help run the charts.  They had started playing the true air speed/ground speed and climbing whenever they could increase ground speed by 10 knots and descending back down whenever they went below the ground speed they had at the lower altitude.  Most of their range charts were no help because of the fact the flaps were down at 70%.

Anyway, he eventually had to make the copilot turn off his mic and sit there.  Because he was no help to the crew and was so scared he couldn't even focus or do simple tasks.

Long story, they made it.  He said he hit initial with less than 1,000 pounds of gas which is less than 250 per engine of course.  Normally we are at minimum fuel with 1,500 per engine.  With trapped fuel and errors less than 750 per engine you could lose it at any time.

He told me the whole story which was long, technical, and involved a lot more colorful language at times to emphasize the fact that clear decision making, task focus, and crew resource management are what matters in an emergency.  He said "If you're going to crash and die, who cares if you spend the last hour blubbering to yourself about 'Oh boo hoo I didn't get to call my wife...'  You need to spend your time focusing on saving the people on the plane and not worrying about yourself.  She's going to be more proud of that anyway than if you're sitting there crying in to the microphone on the cockpit voice recorder."

But I think you're right and it goes with what that old instructor told me.  If you can keep yourself peaceful and calm, no matter how you get there, you're going to make far better decisions and possibly save a situation that appears impossible at first.