University of Dubuque Plane Crash

[Fearless Tower]

Sad.

The top hinged doors on my LSA lift up against the bottom of the wing (wham!) if they come unlatched in flight - I would assume that gull wing doors on a low wing aircraft might do something similar - open all the way. I would also assume that on a "real" airplane, the drag / air flow disturbance over the tail from that type of door being open would be a lot worse.

Worst are gull wing doors with pusher props - we just had a guy crash a homebuilt with his whole family aboard at MYF - door came open in flight and separated from the a/c. Door then went through the prop. Bad stuff.

 

[Steve]

There's a SAIB out on the IAR 823 regarding the gull wing door opening in flight. It happened to a FSDO guy so it made the (FAA) papers. I know of at least 3 incidents of it occuring, primarily during aerobatics. The door doesn't depart, but the plexiglas shatters, the door frame cracks (fiberglass) and the door side hinge plates curl into a U . (Door swings well past the full open position). The big assist spring attachment helps keep the door frame from coming completely off. The door latch pins need to be periodically checked for wear and the door latch itself needs to be in the full closed position and locked (there's a panel idiot light to verify locked). Doesn't affect the controllability of the airplane when it opens in flight, just creates a lot of aggravation to repair. I have 5 used/spare pilot side doors in my collection of parts and 4 of them have curled hinges and cracks in the same location.

 

[gismo]

I have 5 used/spare pilot side doors in my collection of parts and 4 of them have curled hinges and cracks in the same location.

That's telling! Now I know why you were so anal about checking the canopy latches.

 

[n20junkie]

Nome flight suits wont burn, but they offer you no protection that cotton won't. Most race car suits are. Not nomex but rather probain which is a treated cotton product.

I have 12 years of military aviation experience flying with a flight suit. Thee is a reason fire fighters and race car drivers wear an inch of insulation. A paper thin nomex sheet won't help you as much as you think it would for thermal a thermal burn, you just won't catch on fire or have the synthetic fibers shrink and stick to you.

 

[alaskaflyer]

Layered duck cotton or wool will provide many times the protection of one layer of fire resistant clothing. Problem with cotton duck is the other problem if you are caught out - cold and soaked.

Winter is easy It is what to do in summer that is the problem. One layer of long sleeve micro wool or cotton is better than nothing.

I love synthetic fleece but you will never catch me flying or fueling the plane in it. It is the absolute worst thing to be wearing in a flash fire. I've purchased light wool clothing to replace it. In the winter my outer layer is spun nomex or leather.

Most people will never have to worry about this. But I guess I've treated too many burn patients over the years :shrug:

 

[dmccormack]

Layered duck cotton or wool will provide many times the protection of one layer of fire resistant clothing. Problem with cotton duck is the other problem if you are caught out - cold and soaked.

Winter is easy It is what to do in summer that is the problem. One layer of long sleeve micro wool or cotton is better than nothing.

I love synthetic fleece but you will never catch me flying or fueling the plane in it. It is the absolute worst thing to be wearing in a flash fire. I've purchased light wool clothing to replace it. In the winter my outer layer is spun nomex or leather.

Most people will never have to worry about this. But I guess I've treated too many burn patients over the years :shrug:

Armored Vehicle crewman gear consisted of wool, NOMEX, leather, or cotton -- NO synthetic fleece, microfiber, polypropylene, etc.

The Infantry didn't have such restrictions so I dug out all my polypro and didn't freeze as much.

But the lesson stuck and so I'm careful what I wear flying. Normal flying means cotton trousers, sleeved, button up shirt (yep, even in summer). once in a while I will fly in shorts, but rarely.

In the Chief I prefer a flight suit for several reasons -- keeps everything handy (lots of pockets), has nothing that will catch when propping, is comfortable across a wide temperature range, and provides some protection against flame while handling fuel or -- God forbid -- in flight.