VPZ Crash Today

TheTraveler

TheTraveler

Line Up and Wait
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Feb 9, 2012
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TheTraveler
Backstory first. I'm on our local fire department. We have two stations. Station 1 is our main, and in the center of the township. Station 2 is on VPZ, because it's inside our township, and we are an ARFF department because of that.

I'm in my office this morning and got paged out for an aircraft crash. Head quickly to station 2, we get the engine crewed up, and head out. Runway 18/26, old 40-something Stinson upside down. The guy will be fine, just a little shaky. Airplane is banged up, but doesn't look unrepairable. We were there on standby for quite a while until the wrecker came out from the flight service and flipped it. A lot of fuel on the ground. I don't know if it ruptured, or just all poured out the vents, but there was definitely a lot of it. We followed their convoy towing the plane back down to the hangar also.

He spoke of a strong gust, but it was calm here today. 140 at 6 knots.

Press Release...

Today at 9:51am, officers with the Porter County Sheriff’s Office, Washington Township Fire Department and Porter EMS responded to a single engine plane crash at the Porter County Regional Airport. The 1947 Stinson model 108-2 had just landed on runway 1836, with all wheels down, when a strong west wind pushed the single engine plane off the roadway causing it to rollover. The pilot who possesses a valid pilot’s license, 54 year old Carl Lane of Union Township, was uninjured. The FAA will be handling the investigation.

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Glad he's ok. Hopefully there's minimal damage to the plane. She's a beaut.

Can't let your attention wander when landing with conventional landing gear. There's a brief period as the plane is slowing that the rudder loses effectiveness. Unfortunately the tailwheel is less effective at that speed as well. My feet dance in the Luscombe during that part of the roll out.
 
N659HB said:
Glad he's ok. Hopefully there's minimal damage to the plane. She's a beaut.

Can't let your attention wander when landing with conventional landing gear. There's a brief period as the plane is slowing that the rudder loses effectiveness. Unfortunately the tailwheel is less effective at that speed as well. My feet dance in the Luscombe during that part of the roll out.
Click to expand...

She's quite wrinkled, I can say that much. Not as bad of course as an actual crash, but bad enough. Struts on one side caved in and the wing bent. Couldn't see tell if the struts on the other side were caved in, but the wing was also bent. Tail was wrinkled, prop was bent on both sides, and on top of the wings was ugly once they rolled it over. Once they got it on the runway with the tail wheel on the wrecker, I do not know why, but those guys were trying to turn the engine over. Wasn't moving. I don't know why they'd try that at that point in time.
 
Pilot walked away. That's what airplanes are for. To take us to the skies, and, when all hell happens in the air, crumple under us and save us to fly another day.

That being said, I've loved both of the airplanes I've owned, and would hate to damage either one of them in an accident. But, in the end, they are designed to save our butt when we haven't been good enough pilots to save it ourselves.
 
Not many loo just as good upside down. Look at that belly.
 
Shame. Looks totaled, but I guess anything can be repaired with enough time and money. Hope I'm wrong.
 
Last edited:
TheTraveler said:
Backstory first. I'm on our local fire department. We have two stations. Station 1 is our main, and in the center of the township. Station 2 is on VPZ, because it's inside our township, and we are an ARFF department because of that.

I'm in my office this morning and got paged out for an aircraft crash. Head quickly to station 2, we get the engine crewed up, and head out. Runway 18/26, old 40-something Stinson upside down. The guy will be fine, just a little shaky. Airplane is banged up, but doesn't look unrepairable. We were there on standby for quite a while until the wrecker came out from the flight service and flipped it. A lot of fuel on the ground. I don't know if it ruptured, or just all poured out the vents, but there was definitely a lot of it. We followed their convoy towing the plane back down to the hangar also.

He spoke of a strong gust, but it was calm here today. 140 at 6 knots.

Press Release...

Today at 9:51am, officers with the Porter County Sheriff’s Office, Washington Township Fire Department and Porter EMS responded to a single engine plane crash at the Porter County Regional Airport. The 1947 Stinson model 108-2 had just landed on runway 1836, with all wheels down, when a strong west wind pushed the single engine plane off the roadway causing it to rollover. The pilot who possesses a valid pilot’s license, 54 year old Carl Lane of Union Township, was uninjured. The FAA will be handling the investigation.

View attachment 51615

View attachment 51616
Click to expand...
Different location, but I was out today and wasn't expecting much action from the wind @ 7-10kts, kinda variable direction, they weren't reporting any gusts but I've been out on 20kt days that were less challenging for me. I had the bottom fall out on me out of nowhere about 10 ft. up and had to pull pretty hard to avoid smacking the runway, so I guess you can't let your guard down. I was talking to a CFI later and he said I probably should've added a blast of power, but it was so quick. I have to work on the throttle trigger finger a bit. It was a smooth touchdown but it sure got my attention.

(oh yea, and I was in a land-o-matic 172)
 
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