Spencer Suderman Loses Prop

Did the crash fire rescue give him the prop-er foam washdown?
 
Sac Arrow said:
Thanks, I haven't been feeling the love lately. But I'm glad our fellow POA member is alive and well. He is truly a great airman.
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Awesome that he had such a successful outcome! You said fellow POA member - not sure I know what he goes he here.
 
This is the incident that happened several months ago, right?
 
wilkersk said:
This is the incident that happened several months ago, right?
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It just happened yesterday I think... Not sure how a prop just flies off? The crank flange is still there. He says the bolts sheared???
Maybe Chinese bolts!
 
Wow. That sucks. Handled well. Wonder how that happens??
 
pigpenracing said:
It just happened yesterday I think... Not sure how a prop just flies off? The crank flange is still there. He says the bolts sheared???
Maybe Chinese bolts!
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I could also be an assembly issue. Improper torque, either too much, or too little could lead to a bolt failure. I imagine it could be a cascading effect as well. Lose one bolt and the others will follow.
 
Good job Spencer! Glad my home ‘drome could be there for ya. I’ve flew in his 2-seater Pitts a few years back.
 
Heck of a pilot for propierly handling a screw job. Seemed like he was up a crick without a paddle for a minute there. I bet he'll thrust himself back into the air. Spinners off to Spencer, he's fanitastic!

So if the prop is found, does it count as a prop strike?
How does a pilot stay cool when the fan quits?
If a propeller lands in the woods, does it make any noise?

<jets off stage>

Seriously, great job!
 
Eric Stoltz said:
Heck of a pilot for propierly handling a screw job. Seemed like he was up a crick without a paddle for a minute there. I bet he'll thrust himself back into the air. Spinners off to Spencer, he's fanitastic!

So if the prop is found, does it count as a prop strike?
How does a pilot stay cool when the fan quits?
If a propeller lands in the woods, does it make any noise?

<jets off stage>

Seriously, great job!
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Props to you for keeping a sense of humor when the fan hit the ****.
 
Wow, he was on his way to beat his own inverted spin record! At least it didn't happen while inverted, and spinning! If ever a time for such an incident, it is certainly not while upsides down.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Awesome that he had such a successful outcome! You said fellow POA member - not sure I know what he goes he here.
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Hmm, now you got me thinking. I thought he was a POA member. I know of him from someplace. Maybe I am wrong.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Hmm, now you got me thinking. I thought he was a POA member. I know of him from someplace. Maybe I am wrong.
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He was certain to have been mentioned in the discussion of the inverted spin record attempt.
 
Dav8or said:
I could also be an assembly issue. Improper torque, either too much, or too little could lead to a bolt failure. I imagine it could be a cascading effect as well. Lose one bolt and the others will follow.
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Or metal fatigue from repeatedly pulling high g's.
 
He's my personal voice over guy. I pay him in cheap scotch.
But I am not sure if I have seen him here.
 
I sent him a link to this thread. Maybe he will come over and share the story.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I sent him a link to this thread. Maybe he will come over and share the story.
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The prop came off then I landed. The End.

Here are some facts: The engine and prop have 18.3 hours on the plane, both are new. It was a 2 blade fixed pitch ground adjustable carbon fiber prop. The prop was torqued 3 times since installation last October and the values have never changed. I was cruising at 7500' over the San Fernando valley when a vibration started. It was clearly RPM related. After reducing power it was still vibrating and getting worse. Not shaking or doing anything violent, just vibrating so I was thinking about landing at Van Nuys to check it out when the prop came off. I stuffed the nose down, pulled back the throttle and headed to a spot about 1000' off the approach end of runway 12 at Whiteman (4100'). I called ATC because I was already talking to them for flight following and declared the emergency, asked for the winds and told them to clear my path. I spiraled down off the approach end of the runway, then did some S-turns, then slipped it to reduce speed and altitude. I landed in the 3-point attitude bounced a few times, tapped the brakes and rolled off at the intersection in the middle of the runway. There is a bunch of pictures and uninformed comments about torquing prop bolts and safety wire on my FB page: https://www.facebook.com/SpencerSudermanAirshows/

The live ATC audio is here: http://archive-server.liveatc.net/kbur/KBUR3-Gnd-Twr-App-Apr-27-2019-2030Z.mp3
My part is about 8 minutes from the end...list for "Pitts 781"

Here is the flight path, the red circle is where the prop came off:
58755122_10157511972448010_7261712605637509120_o.jpg


Damage to the plane:
 
Nice save there. It will be interesting to see what the actual start to the failure was, if it is ever determined. Looking at the photo with you and the aircraft, it looks like some of the bushings were pulled out of the flange, or is that just from the angle of the photo and the lighting?
 
I had a leading edge separation once, can’t imagine loosing the entire prop.good job on the landing.
 
pigpenracing said:
Not sure how a prop just flies off?
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the front fell off.

That’s not very typical, I’d like to make that point.

We have a lot of these planes buzzing around...
Made to rigorous aviation standard: no cardboard or cardboard derivatives.

Don’t worry ,though, the prop fell outside of the environment.

Link for those who don’t get the joke:
“The front fell off”
 
Hey, you made Pilot Insurance Center's facebook picture of the day.
 
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