Wisdom of buying a plane that was in a flood

[brien23]

Flood water. Focus.

See post 27 Tom is right on.

 

[Henning]

If boats were built like aircraft they wouldn't float.

Someone should have told Grumman that...

 

[Henning]

Flood water. Focus.

Flood water can be either salt or fresh, depends on where and why. Flood just indicates water covering ground that is normally dry, be it from a storm surge off the ocean or runoff on a swollen river.

 

[Stewartb]

I hope the OP gets some guidance and looks into what may be a good airplane. No harm in looking.

y'all have a nice day.

 

[brien23]

Flood water can be either salt or fresh, depends on where and why. Flood just indicates water covering ground that is normally dry, be it from a storm surge off the ocean or runoff on a swollen river.

 

[Tom-D]

I've seen seaplanes sink in their tied owns and ski planes sink in soft ice. Repairs aren't that difficult. You guys have vivid imaginations.

I don't believe that is what our OP is looking at.

There have been plenty of aircraft dried out after being submerged in fresh water.
But when they have been submerged like the ones at Centraila Washington a few years ago the aircraft in question must better be worth it.

 

[Tom-D]

No doubt and just think of the cost of one if they were as regulated.

Simply compare the cost of a Cessna 310, to the Grumman Widgon.

 

[Tom-D]

Someone should have told Grumman that...

They did, do you see any being built?

 

[Henning]

They did, do you see any being built?

I used to have one of their riveted up aluminum house boats, built exactly like a plane. They quit building them because the government started ordering airplanes from them again thanks to the Cold War.

 

[bcool]

Well, to bring more focus to the discussion (although it's probably too late for that ), this particular plane was up to at least the bottom of the wing in flood waters after a hurricane (I should have been more specific - sorry!). I say "at least" because the photo I've seen of it which shows the water up to the bottom of the wing (it's a low-wing) was taken about 5 days after the storm, so the water could have receded by then.

The seller claims (and has documentation to show it) that it had a thorough going-over afterwards and he's been flying it for 2 years since.

The water must not have been up to the avionics, though, because they're still the ones that were there pre-flood. It did, however, cover the retractable gear.

As much as I'd like to believe it was cleaned up, I wonder about areas where the skins meet (edges of the ailerons and flaps, for example). It seems like salt buildup would be likely in those areas and would have been hard to clean out without taking the skins off.

I think I'll pass...maybe it would be OK, but I can't risk having to reskin it when (if) corrosion started rearing its ugly head a few years down the road.

 

[Sleepingsquirrel]

Don't tell me someone reassembled the crashed submarine Mooney. Oh, wait--no, it couldn't be that plane, 'cause they'd never have mentioned the previous water damage.

I think it was finally crashed by an intoxicated pilot, Otherwise an airworthy plane.

 

[Henning]

Well, to bring more focus to the discussion (although it's probably too late for that ), this particular plane was up to at least the bottom of the wing in flood waters after a hurricane (I should have been more specific - sorry!). I say "at least" because the photo I've seen of it which shows the water up to the bottom of the wing (it's a low-wing) was taken about 5 days after the storm, so the water could have receded by then.

The seller claims (and has documentation to show it) that it had a thorough going-over afterwards and he's been flying it for 2 years since.

The water must not have been up to the avionics, though, because they're still the ones that were there pre-flood. It did, however, cover the retractable gear.

As much as I'd like to believe it was cleaned up, I wonder about areas where the skins meet (edges of the ailerons and flaps, for example). It seems like salt buildup would be likely in those areas and would have been hard to clean out without taking the skins off.

I think I'll pass...maybe it would be OK, but I can't risk having to reskin it when (if) corrosion started rearing its ugly head a few years down the road.

I would avoid a Hurricane Sandy (I'm assuming) plane. Getting the salt out of everything is nearly impossible.

 

[Anticept]

I would avoid a Hurricane Sandy (I'm assuming) plane. Getting the salt out of everything is nearly impossible.

Oh posh. Just dunk it in the Mississippi a few times.