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| BG destroyed now stored in hangar-front smashed |
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| BG destroyed in the field |
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| BG at the start of the day |
Keep in mind that dates assigned by Google for posts have been manipulated in order to make blog more like a book than a blog. Actual date is November 9, 2022.
Wednesday, November 9. Beautiful day-a little cool but clear blue skies with a high pressure area in our region. Temps started in the low 40’s F in AM but rising into the 50’s later.
I decided it was time to take blue green Aerolite 103 Bravo Golf “BG” up for a “serious” test flight to see what it’s rate of climb was.
I did have a small feeling of “dred” which I dismissed as silly. So I departed for the airport and prepared the plane. First I set up my “heating” apparatus for about an hour, blowing hot air at the cylinders for about an hour, raising CHT from 46.F to 85F on the front cylinder and about 105 F on the rear one closest to the heaters.
Checked density altitude—first reading was 150 feet—very dense air (850 feet lower than actual altitude) not from low temp but from very high 30.67 Hg pressure. I decided to adjust carb to my “dense air” setting vs “light air” that I had tested extensively. As I ran two trial takeoff runs the engine four stroked terribly so I returned to hangar and adjusted carb back to a leaner setting half way between “dense air =+7” and “light air =+6”. Density altitude had changed to 400 feet and barometric pressure was falling.
(The data and experience gained from this final flight leads me to conclude that changes to Air Fuel ratio with the MZ201 engine should be based on a “modified air density” that gives additional weight to ambient temp and less to changes to barometric pressure. A pretty large change in altitude probably would not need readjustment of the high speed jet. A change from 80F to 40F definitely would. (The whole process would be considerably safer with a cockpit adjustable high speed jet. I shared this recommendation with the Aerolite 103 factory owner—a flexible drive shaft fitted to jet, with a lever within pilot’s reach, precision controlled by a threaded knob to move the lever. )
As an aside, the MZ201 is a “detuned” version of the MZ202. Primary changes are the MZ201 has one carb, the MZ202 has two carbs. The MZ201 is free air cooled. The MZ202 has fan with shroud cooling. The MZ201 produces 45 hp; the MZ202 has 65 hp. Of note is the fact that the MZ201’s free air cooled crankcase is dramatically more affected by ambient temp than a fan with shroud engine. Also, the ratio of crankcase volume to air flow is significantly higher for the MZ201. With “excess” crankcase volume, there can be a tendency to accumulate excess oil and fuel in the crankcase, especially at part throttle. The issues in part explain the extreme sensitivity of the MZ201 to air fuel ratio in regards to ambient temp and the tendency to present an over/rich condition when moving from part to full throttle after any more than a slight amount of time at part throttle.
My next trial takeoff run showed a little four stroke “rich miss” during 70-80% throttle but it had recovered at full throttle 5200 RPM. So I decided to take off. Plane climbed normally, but engine started running rough when I dropped RPM from full throttle 5200 to 75% throttle at 4700 RPM as I reached 500 foot AGL “pattern altitude”. Cylinder temps were in low 300 range so I considered that full throttle climb at 5200 RPM to 1000 ft AGL might “clear” the miss by raising CHT to 350F. But I experienced the same rough “sputtering” four stroking effect as I moved throttle from 4700 to 5200 RPM. I decided for whatever reason, the air fuel setting was too rich and it was time to end the flight. Fear of an engine out was in my mind, so I was anxious to get back to the runway asap. I turned from base to final and was “surprised” that I had not provided enough horizontal distance for my descent. I had turned at my “normal” point where I “normally” turned downwind to base at 500 feet pattern altitude—this time I turned at a much higher altitude. I arrived at the base to final turn with almost 325 ft too much altitude (575 vs 250 ft).
Rather than do a go around and land “normally” I decided to undertake an “extreme” high rate of descent approach. I put the nose down to a speed of 50-55 mph with a forward slip holding about 2500 RPM as I recall. I was 250 feet AGL when I crossed the runway threshold so I had achieved a descent rate about 30% higher than normal, but far from enough. With 1000 feet of runway ahead it was unlikely that I could land and roll out in the available space. This decision to dive to the runway is the pilot error that setup the scenario for the crash. I probably should have undertaken a go around when I turned base to final. (I still could have experienced an engine out there but I would have had more altitude-sufficient to land safely. This is a really big mistake given I was still “test” flying the plane-my 7th flight but I was still not 100% familiar and comfortable with the plane’s unique characteristics. During test flights, the pilot should be extremely diligent to avoid flying at any time without enough to land safely with an engine out. In this case, as I was not sure I could descend to the runway safely, I should have definitely done a go around.)
Really, the mistake is not modifying the turn to base to compensate for the higher altitude in downwind.
(I did consider the possibility of a very steep descent with nose down at Vne of 70mph or even higher but I was concerned that pulling out of that high a descent rate could overstress the wings or cause a stall. Plus with that much energy, I figured I would not really be shortening the horizontal distance to touchdown.)
I pushed the throttle forward (at a rate similar that used for takeoff ) to climb from 200 ft AGL to 500 feet and do a go around—and the engine quit running. (Running a bit too rich and running at lowered throttle and RPM during descent had resulted in a cold engine and a rapid opening of throttle resulted in the engine combustion to stop.) I could not land going forward-I would have hit trees and perhaps power lines. I had to turn. I fully recognized this was very dangerous and I would need to keep speed up by pointing nose down while turning to avoid a stall. I also realized that I needed a high enough Angle of Attack to gain maximum wing lift. I knew I would need to fly with my highest skill level. But, probably because of fear, I did not use my highest skill level. You can see in my video I recorded, I entered the turn at 45 mph air speed (39 mph ground speed) with my nose down. I had accepted 46 mph as DMMS (Designated Minimum Manuevering Speed) for the Aerolite 103. But, with too much rudder and in mid turn I pulled the nose up with only 36 mph ground speed, probably about 39 mph air speed. I had violated my very critical DMMS of 46 mph. Very soon thereafter I stalled. My airspeed had dropped below stall speed—moving the nose down with stick forward did not produce enough speed soon enough—once I realized I would impact the ground with no hope of recovery from the stall, I did pull the stick back in hopes of keeping the plane from turning on its back.
Some have asked whether I could have restarted the engine. At 200 feet altitude I probably had 10 seconds in of flying—but actually controlling angle of attack and attitude would require extreme high attention level—any distraction like trying to restart would probably have guaranteed loss of control and a crash.
Some have stated the obvious that if I had “kept my speed up” I would not have stalled. Yes. True. I crashed because I allowed my speed to fall below stall speed. I probably would have landed safely if I pushed nose down to maintain a 46 mph (DMMS) steep 30-45 degree turn. There are unknowables—like wind to name one. A change in wind speed or direction would have changed my relative airspeed without me being able to react or even notice.
Does not require much investigation—cause of crash = Pilot Error. Entered base turn at too high an altitude for pattern dimension-arriving at final approach at too high an altitude. Attempt to recover was hampered by engine failure, but crash was ultimately caused by poor execution (probably due to fear) of a low altitude steep turn resulting in a stall. The result would have been the same in any other Part 103 vehicle or any certificated aircraft.
The crash was violent. My first “reaction” was anger at myself for allowing this to happen and shock at how much damage had been done to my legs. The nose of the plane and my legs were crushed and the plane was more or less sitting with the tail up. I realized my injuries were serious/my right femur was broken so badly , it pointed in two directions. The left ankle was pointing the wrong direction. And I was trapped with the seat belts and other parts of plane entangled with my legs and body.
I was able to free myself from the seat belts so my body fell, with my left side and shoulder resting on the ground—legs pointing up.
Despite fuel leaking onto me from the vented fuel tank cap above me, I made a decision not to pull myself out for fear that I would do further damage to my legs.
I fly with my cell phone in my chest pocket so I was able to call 911. About 15 minutes later, an army of men an women arrived in a fleet of trucks and ambulances to rescue me. They cut everything in the plane that was hampering my escape as well as cutting off most of my clothing. Put a backboard under me and out I came—-screaming with pain- a pain level I did not think existed. (pic above is the team of rescuers with the plane as ambulance is about to depart with mr to the hospital.)
I arrived at York Hospital after about a 15 minute ride and an army of trauma workers started the process of evaluating and stabilizing my condition. I was screaming with pain and they were administering fentynal for pain.
I was then wheeled into X-ray and about 50 pictures were taken- I was also sent thru the CT Scan machine. I reached my maximum level of fentynal with blood pressure falling and my color changing to a grayish white.
I returned to the trauma unit and with info from the X-rays the orthopedic doc ( Dr. Michael Dillenkoffer) proceeded to “set” my bones—kinda aligning them and installed a hard cast that allowed some swelling. Still screaming with pain and now crying like a baby.
Admitted to a hospital room, pain prevented sleep—I just “rested” until meeting my Orthopedic Surgeon visited. He said he had seen many serious injuries but mine was among the worst and was “complicated” because my bones had broken to so many pieces. Still he was optimistic that I would recover.
Thursday afternoon they put my left leg back together with titanium rods and screws in my femur, tubular and fibula. Friday they put my right leg back together with a titanium rod, a large screw into the ball of my hip joint and several screws above my knee in my femur.
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| Left femur |
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| Right femur |
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| Left tubular and fibula |
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| Right upper femur |
Pain management no longer with fentynal—now ibuprofen and oxycodone. No longer screaming, but pain very intense. I required four 330ml units of blood. My blood pressure was dangerously low.
God had rescued me as promised in Psalm 91 and I was praying unceasingly. Trusting in God and my Lord Jesus but still shaking and crying like a baby.
My son Donald had flown in from Texas to be with me. He brought my 94 year old Mom who lives in Cross Keys Pa with him- they with my wife Carol comforted me all day Saturday.. Also visit from my Pastor John Dorr. Sunday I my other three sons and their families visit with me most of the day.
I has been visited by the “rehab” team who insisted that I sit up in bed with feet on the floor. I was scared and skeptical, but without excessive pain I actually did it!
Sunday night was bad. Concerns about bleeding caused a cessation of ibuprofen. Concerns about low blood pressure caused a cessation of oxycodone. My pain management program had morphed into a combination of muscle relaxers and other meds I never heard of and like Tynenol, were ineffective. I “fell into despair” from the pain and a feeling hopelessness. The infant level crying came back.
Monday morning, the pain meds returned! I felt ok—legs hurt a lot, but I could tolerate. My Nurse Assistant suggested that I sit in the recliner chair. Again skeptical but eager to try, three nurses using a crane and sling lifted me out of bed into the recliner. Very cool!
In addition, I was approved for a “pain ball” to be installed Tuesday/-a non opiate pain reliever and released to be transferred to the WellSpan Rehab Hospital. Sure enough, Dr. Patrick Filip, installed two “pain balls” to neutralize or block the pain signals from the massively damaged femurs. Pain subsided immediately—pretty amazing. The actual process requires such a high level of expertise and precision that Dr. Filip was the only MD installing them.
While the “Trauma” dept was responsible for my care, the “Orthopedic” dept was taking care of putting me back together, Dr. Paul Muccino has performed both of my surgeries. Dr. Michael Dillenkofer had set my bones. But I was touched by more than 20 members of this fantastic team—always enthusiastic, communicative, skilled and pleasant.
God has fulfilled his promise of psalm 91. Because I loved Him, he will rescue me. My Lord sent an army of firemen, EMT’s, nurses and doctors to rescue me. Amazing.
The plane is almost 100% destroyed. (Engine and prop seem undamaged.) Neither it or me will ever fly again. Flight requires precise athletic foot movements of the rudder. And while I hope to be able to walk normally after a year of therapy (it will be 12 weeks before I can put weight on my legs) I doubt that I will again have the ability to move my feet at the high level of precise control necessary for precision flight. In addition, with two 20” long titanium rods in my legs pointing at my torso, another collision would certainly be fatal. And, I am sure I would subject my wife to high anxiety if I ever flew again.
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