Air Tractor Crash

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It's my understanding the the engine quit right after takeoff, but thankfully the pilot walked away from this (which is pretty crazy considering the images). http://www.katc.com/story/29242724/crop-duster-crash-reported-near-branch

1PW9XSze
 
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Water is VERY forgiving and absorbs ALOT of energy...
 
It's my understanding that crop dusters are built like nascar cars. Hardened cages surrounded by crumple zones. Makes crashes far more survivable than those had in our typical GA spam cans.

At least that's what a buddy who has rolled up two of them into little balls and walked away tells me.
 
timwinters said:
It's my understanding that crop dusters are built like nascar cars. Hardened cages surrounded by crumple zones. Makes crashes far more survivable than those had in our typical GA spam cans.

At least that's what a buddy who has rolled up two of them into little balls and walked away tells me.
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Yup...

Look at the pic of the Airtractor in the other thread " Pray for Tim"..

That plane was surprisingly intact and the guy got hurt real bad...

This one is demolished and the pilot is just fine..... Go figure..:rolleyes:
 
N801BH said:
Water is VERY forgiving and absorbs ALOT of energy...
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If you've fallen off water skis at speed, you know that's not the case, or seen airliners seen as they hit the water. Some fly apart quickly. This guy had a horseshoe up his azz. Quite a few ag pilots usually die each year. Dangerous work. Water does not compress well at all.
 
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Jimmy cooper said:
If you've fallen off water skis at speed, you know that's not the case.
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I have flipped a hydroplane at over 110 mph and got pitched out, several times.:redface:..... I will take that over pavement ANY day...
 
N801BH said:
I have flipped a hydroplane at over 110 mph and got pitched out, several times.:redface:..... I will take that over pavement ANY day...
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But then, motor cycle racers, dressed correctly, usually fare pretty well when they go down on asphalt. Ag pilots are usually in a t shirt and shorts which is not condusive to survive ability. ( it's very hot in those cockpits.)
 
Jimmy cooper said:
But then, motor cycle racers, dressed correctly, usually fare pretty well when they go down on asphalt. Ag pilots are usually in a t shirt and shorts which is not condusive to survive ability. ( it's very hot in those cockpits.)
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Yeah... I raced motocross and flat track bikes.. But only on dirt...;)

Leathers are a WONDERFUL thing....:yes::D
 
My friend Tim just spent 5 days in the ICU with a respirator tube shoved down his throat after crashing his Air Tractor. He's going to live but he's busted up real bad. He's going to have a long hard road to recovery though, from the busted sternum and broken ribs and punctued lungs from slamming into the 5 point harness and crushed vertibrae from the G forces from the drop which broke the seat frame. His internal injuries are no longer life-threatening but are definitely adding to his pain and suffering. The fantastic strength and crashworthiness of the Air Tractor airframe helped to save his life and I have no doubt that everyone's prayers during the first few critical days following the crash have helped him pull thru that phase of his ordeal. Many times, the initial injuries don't kill you right away, but the internal organ injuries and blood clots kill you a day or two later in such high-G sudden stops.
Thanks to everyone who helped pray for Tim. I think he's going to make it OK and will live to fly again someday.
 

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N801BH said:
Yup...

Look at the pic of the Airtractor in the other thread " Pray for Tim"..

That plane was surprisingly intact and the guy got hurt real bad...

This one is demolished and the pilot is just fine..... Go figure..:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Could be that in the one the balled-up airframe dissipated most of the energy, sparing the pilot injuries, while the other more intact airframe let the pilot absorbe that injury.

Glad that both survived.
 
could also be that one had his seat belts tight when he hit and the other had them a little loose or they were loosened by a bending mounting point when he hit. After watching a lot of indycar crashes and seeing the results it became clear that keeping the pilot from flopping around was key in preventing injury. Any slop allowed acceleration that had a sudden stop when the belts finally tightened up or were hit. I know a lot of AG pilots and worked for a few too. In hindsight I realize they mostly put the belts on a bit loose because its not comfortable to fly for hours in the heat when the belts are tight. Loose is bad.......


Frank
 
Give it 3 years and that plane will fly again. Well, the data plate.
 
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