Tornado hit our airport (KDTO) last night

AggieMike88 said:
For the moment, I'm thinking straight line winds. Damage was very localized.
Click to expand...

Yeah looking at the pictures straight line winds look to be more of what caused the damage. Straight line winds can cause more wide spread damage and can be stupid strong! Sad to see but glad nobody is hurt!! Planes can be replaced, people can't.
 
I know of a Cherokee that flipped at BJC because the tiedown ring pulled out of the tail. The chain didn't break.
 
simtech said:
Was this a confirmed tornado or straight line winds?
Click to expand...

SixPapaCharlie said:
Unsure at this time. The controller who notified us said it was an unreported tornado. So that's all the information I have. I can't find anything about an actual tornado last night.
Click to expand...

Found a news update saying that the local NWS office is saying Microburst.

Makes sense for what I observed as it went over my house.
 
Is there a point at which the aircraft is going to be damaged anyway due to the tension on the tiedowns even if they hold? Or would the rings pull out before that kind of damage (thinking spars, struts etc)?

Obviously being tied securely is the only way to stack the odds in your favor, just curious.
 
They had a towhead on the WheelsUp Excel, I bet they saw it coming and tried to hook up to as much as possible... Ouch.
 
overdrive148 said:
They had a towhead on the WheelsUp Excel, I bet they saw it coming and tried to hook up to as much as possible... Ouch.
Click to expand...

While I was out there, I had a closer look at the Wheels Up Excel.... Didn't look as bad as the flipped over 182 that was 75 feet away. The nose was into the chain link so the pilot side pitot might be affected. Minor repairs and inspection for that one.

But having winds that strong to push that heavy and parked/brakes set aircraft around.... wow.... Parking spot was at least 30 to 40 feet back from the fence the nose is touching.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
No one was hurt. Well nothing being reported yet.

I think it was about 3:30 this morning when I woke up and it sounded like all hell was breaking loose my wife and kids were all sleeping like Angels. I'm running around the house freaking out LOL
Click to expand...
That's horrible....Did any of the plasic planes burn up on impact? :eek:
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Fortunately yes. They called me to let me know this morning that while the plane is safe and undamaged it is trapped inside a hanger. They cannot get the doors open but our Hangar was one that was spared for the most part I think there were four or five planes in there that managed to be "seemingly" undamaged
Click to expand...
So if you had been in the plane while on the ground, do you go ahead and pull the handle? :D
 
Wow!!! This is precisely why I like to have my plane in a hanger. If it is bad enough for the hangar to be destroyed the plane would not have had a chance anyway.

Glad nobody was hurt!
 
You know it was a bad wind when this happened as a result:

Midfield Wind Sock.jpg
 
Figured that was probably a microburst or a hard straight wind from a squall line. Damage didn't look gnarly enough for a twister. Even small naders usually destroy stuff much more thoroughly that what the pics show. Still sucks majorly.
 
Wow glad nobody was hurt. Is that hangar door laying on the nose of that Piaggio???
 
Use to live in Aubry about 20 miles away . Don't miss the Texas spring weather! Glad you survived without injuries or damage. Hangar can always be repaired or rebuilt.
 
Wow! Thirty miles away and this is the first I've heard of this. Glad no one is hurt. Sad for those airplanes.
 
When these airplanes flipped over, which direction? Nose down then tail over tea kettle?

What's the physics of it?
 
If things had gone the way I wanted schedule-wise, my plane would've been at CFDI Aero getting its annual, right down taxiway Hotel. It probably would've been spared since it would've been inside the hangar, but still... :eek:

Sucks to see all those ruined planes.
 
That's where my plane was. Safe and sound as luck would have it.
 
AggieMike88 said:
When these airplanes flipped over, which direction? Nose down then tail over tea kettle?

What's the physics of it?
Click to expand...
It probably just depends on which tiedown breaks first. Wind direction is going to have a major influence. A 95 kt wind on the nose of a 172 is going to generate over a couple thousand pounds of lift. Lift minus weight will leave maybe a thousand pounds on the wing tiedowns. If the tiedown ropes are angled there will a multiplier to account for the added load. I could see the load on each rope approaching a thousand pounds.
 
Sad to see all of that damage. Hope no one was hurt.
 
Is this in Denton? Please put location in title or in first post, rather than just airport identifier.

Hard to look at all the mangled planes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top