Who has had their Plane Damaged by Outside Sources?

AKBill

AKBill

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AKBill
Just wondering who has had their plane damaged by means outside your control. Personally I have had my plane damaged 2 times in 20+ years by means outside my control.

The first time a porta potty came loose during a wind storm and hit the right wing tip. Damaged the wing tip. I replaced the wing tip and the company providing the porta Potty service reimbursed me.

The second time my plane was damaged an airport snow plow caught the rear tie down rope with the blade. It buckled a rear fuselage skin. The skin was replaced. Repairs paid for by the airport. Plane was down 6 months..:( I did 90% of the work and charged $40/hr for labor. Cost of repairs were almost 1/2 the value of the plane $13,500. 74 Beech B-19 Sport valued around $28,000. I most likely could have had the plane totaled but I could not see the Sport being scrapped..

Who has had damage from out side sources and how were the repairs reconciled?
 
I about got killed by Indiana Beachcraft back in the mid '80's. They had moved our Gulfstream and didn't know how to operate the door from outside the aircraft. They heave-hoed the door closed by hand and broke the actuator attach arm. When you open the door you are pretty vulnerable, I was lucky and only got launched to the ground under the fuselage.
 
AKBill said:
Who has had damage from out side sources and how were the repairs reconciled?
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Back in the late 80s, when Jim’s Air was the FBO at SAN, they backed my dad’s Turbo Lance into something. Put a huge crease halfway through the trim tab.

Worst part is the FBO didn’t tell him about it. Dad found it on the preflight. Fortunately the FBO paid for the repairs.
 
Few years ago at HII the FBO's guy parking us clipped my wingtip with his golf cart. They said they'd fix it. The damage was so minor I didn't take them up on it. Would have taken up to much of my time
 
Not an airplane I owned but a Cherokee 180 I rented frequently. There was a helicopter operation on the far side of the shared ramp. One winter night the ramp was icy, the wind was fierce, got under the cockpit cover of one of the helicopters and sailed it clear across the ramp into the side of the tied-down Piper. I expect the chopper was the more expensive fix.
 
Nothing so dramatic, but we have had repair shop damage (and then replace) a wing tip. Paint mostly matches.
 
Shop A scratched the paint on my cowl during an annual inspection. Probably by resting it paint-side-down on the cement floor.

This doesn’t rise to the level of “damage”. Just wear and tear. but it was disheartening anyway.

Shop B fixed the scratches, with Meguiar’s Diamond Cut polishing compound. Good stuff.
 
Skyrys62 said:
Do said outside sources include ex wives?
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ex wives would be an outside source. Hope the fellows in blue uniforms were not involved..:rolleyes:

GlennAB1 said:
I about got killed by Indiana Beachcraft back in the mid '80's. They had moved our Gulfstream and didn't know how to operate the door from outside the aircraft. They heave-hoed the door closed by hand and broke the actuator attach arm. When you open the door you are pretty vulnerable, I was lucky and only got launched to the ground under the fuselage.
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Nice to hear you were no hurt. Lazy mechanic sleeping under the plane..:)

Fearless Tower said:
Back in the late 80s, when Jim’s Air was the FBO at SAN, they backed my dad’s Turbo Lance into something. Put a huge crease halfway through the trim tab.

Worst part is the FBO didn’t tell him about it. Dad found it on the preflight. Fortunately the FBO paid for the repairs.
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Bet your dad was surprised and p*ssed of at the same time. Good deal he caught it on the preflight two thumbs up for him..:thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
I had someone back over my Schweizer 1-26 (glider) wingtip while tied down. I mostly ripped the plane from its moorings. Then they just drove away...
 
Had three different FBOs exceed the tow limits on the nose gear and crack it. A few grand to fix, 2 of 3 paid for it. After 3 we spent the $1000 for the STC to disconnect the linkage and remove the limit by pulling a pin.
 
GlennAB1 said:
They had moved our Gulfstream and didn't know how to operate the door from outside the aircraft. They heave-hoed the door closed by hand and broke the actuator attach arm. When you open the door you are pretty vulnerable, I was lucky and only got launched to the ground under the fuselage.
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:eek:

Which Gulfstream? And you can seriously damage some private jets by yanking on the door and handle the wrong way. Mostly on the falcons, something to do with the door coming down outside the track and jamming into the side of the fuselage...

ZeroPapaGolf said:
Had three different FBOs exceed the tow limits on the nose gear and crack it. A few grand to fix, 2 of 3 paid for it. After 3 we spent the $1000 for the STC to disconnect the linkage and remove the limit by pulling a pin.
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Ouch. What aircraft type? Mooney/TBM were very sensitive to tow angle. Looks like a Navajo in your profile pic. Never got to tow one of those, didn't see very many. The torque links are on a good deal of business jets probably for that reason.
 
overdrive148 said:
Ouch. What aircraft type? Mooney/TBM were very sensitive to tow angle. Looks like a Navajo in your profile pic. Never got to tow one of those, didn't see very many. The torque links are on a good deal of business jets probably for that reason.
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Yep, a Navajo.
 
Ramper dragged fuel hose along side of my brand new windshield, leaving a 5" deep scratch in it. Or something similar. I wasn't there to watch it, but came back to the plane with a fresh scratch. Boy was I ****ed.

Different ramper destroyed leading edge paint by dragging hose across it.

This was when I first started flying XC's. Now, I self-serve fuel or if they must do it, I stand next to them and watch.
 
Not long ago I found somebody hit my spinner with a wingtip. Minor damage, but very disappointing that a pilot hits another plane and doesn’t take responsibility.
 
In Bethel I watched a cargo guy drive a forklift towards a C-207. He did not take into account the ice on the ramp, and drove into the rear doors.

He was fired, then hired at the company next door at a higher hourly wage. Soon after we started losing cargo guys to that company.
 
GlennAB1 said:
I about got killed by Indiana Beachcraft back in the mid '80's. They had moved our Gulfstream and didn't know how to operate the door from outside the aircraft. They heave-hoed the door closed by hand and broke the actuator attach arm. When you open the door you are pretty vulnerable, I was lucky and only got launched to the ground under the fuselage.
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Reason why I would always stand off to the side after opening those types of doors. We had 'em on the E120, and CRJs. ATR 72 wasn't too bad, not as high off the ground. You're right though, that would definitely hurt if it hit you in the head.
 
Have had hangar rash including a scratched canopy from a fbo trying to shoehorn a high wing over the top of the lancair.
 
Before I bought my 182 it had an unfortunate incident where a runaway fueling truck drove into it and completely destroyed it's right wing.
 
neilw2 said:
Before I bought my 182 it had an unfortunate incident where a runaway fueling truck drove into it and completely destroyed it's right wing.
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Heard a Lear next door was pushed back into place without the tow pin installed between the head and the bar. When the tug stopped, the plane didn't. Rolled right back into a fuel truck, mangled the trailing edge/flap on one side.

Also personally saw a Harrier roll back into the grass over an active taxilane after that...
 
I had the airport manager one day towing my lance. Somehow he managed to rub my right wing up against the fence. It ripped off the nav light/strobe and cracked the fiberglass tip. He paid for the parts and I repaired the damage. But accidents will always happen. I try not to get angry. I make mistakes and assume everyone else does too. Even simple ones.
 
FBO has dropped the tow bar on my nose wheel pant several times. Sending them the bill when I get it painted next annual.
F6E01B3B-CB8B-4AD6-A4F1-B535E47499F7.jpeg
 
Had a tug driver chip a blade on my Lance. Priced a new blade, and for some reason it was actually cheaper to buy a new 3 bladed prop than one blade of a 2 bladed prop. Big improvement, and it was free!!

Hurricane Charley indirectly took a wing off my Citabria. It was in a group hangar; the wind pushed a Cirrus into it. Got a new wing off the factory assembly line. There's something to be said for owning a plane that's still in current production.
 
I had my nose gear bent by some lineman with no clue at IAD.
When my plane was on the rental line, a renter taxied it into a Commanche, leaving a gash in the wing tip.
Of course, I did a little damage on the engine failures.
 
ktup-flyer said:
FBO has dropped the tow bar on my nose wheel pant several times. Sending them the bill when I get it painted next annual.
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Ouch!

One of our tenants had a new paintjob and had one of these that we used every time ee moved his airplane.

http://m.aircraftspruce.com/pages/cs/aircraftcovers_wheelpant/wheelpantcoverblack.php

wheelPantsCover.gif
 
All these FBOs dinging airplanes always makes me question WTF they tow airplanes anyway. I think here you'll get your bird towed pretty much anywhere just for the privilege of selling a few gallons of fuel each year, seems like a great outlet to lose money to me.

If owners were paying directly for towing operations then maybe I can see them providing it.
 
A@P/IA pushed the empenage of a larger aircraft into my windshield. His heart was in the right place as he was trying to get customer aircraft into the hanger before a thunderstorm arrived. Didn't crack it but dented it believe it or not. When looking in the area of the dent was an annoying distortion. Had him replace it.
 
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