A crazy night in Titusville FL

bLizZuE

bLizZuE

Calling for engine starts en français
Was there last night doing some touch and goes in one of our lovely Cherokees. After one of the touch and goes somewhere at or below 200 feet, the engine shuddered and lost power. SWEET.

I took controls and landed on a crossing runway without incident. Fouled spark plugs were the culprit and usually are in this scenario. Got to spend the night and slept in a WONDERFUL hotel.

Somebody else had an exciting day in Titusville too. Apparently, you shouldn't try to hand prop your Cessna with the throttle full open and only one tie down and chock. This aircraft traveled completely across the field, over several taxiways and over a runway before colliding with an FBO and exploding.

Here is a crappy cell phone picture, my student took some better pictures with a digital camera.
 

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haha, I've been to that FBO. Ya know I hate to laugh at the guy but... wow. Are people too dumb/lazy/cheap to call the FBO for a jump start? :confused:
 
bLizZuE said:
Somebody else had an exciting day in Titusville too. Apparently, you shouldn't try to hand prop your Cessna with the throttle full open and only one tie down and chock. This aircraft traveled completely across the field, over several taxiways and over a runway before colliding with an FBO and exploding.
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Happy to hear your incident came off without a hitch. The picture of the other aircraft is also welcome. Ouch!
 
You wouldn't think the FAA would need to ban hand propping (on newer aircraft anyways) but man people do some stupid stuff.
 
I bet the FAA will not be happy with him... I clearly remember the reg talking about hand propping. It was on my Pvt written about 5 times. A qualified pilot inside the aircraft giving the proper commands?
 
rd757 said:
I bet the FAA will not be happy with him... I clearly remember the reg talking about hand propping. It was on my Pvt written about 5 times. A qualified pilot inside the aircraft giving the proper commands?
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Uhh, what? I'd be interested to see where the regulation on hand propping is. I've never heard/seen of one.
 
You can hand prop with no one in the cockpit as long as you take care to make sure the airplane wont take off without you. In the Vegabond that I fly occasionally you have to handprop it because there is no electrical system. The guy who owns it has chocks with long ropes that go into the cockpit. So I prop it from behind walk back and get in than pull the chocks out via the ropes and I am ready to go. Now given if I do that with full throttle its either going to hop the chocks or its going to nose over so you must be careful to make sure you have the proper settings before hand. The vegabond will start at idle so its not a concern of mine.
 
Two words (okay, maybe three) that don't go well together: Hand-prop and accident. FAA Hand-Prop Accident video

I've handpropped my Cub and other aircraft. It can be done safely, but there is little room for error, carelessness or neglect.

There is no regulation of which I am aware against hand-propping, but the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook (page 16 of the .pdf) gives guidance on the procedure. It appears Mr. Poppino was either unaware of these procedures or ignored them.
 
Jake Wheeler said:
Two words (okay, maybe three) that don't go well together: Hand-prop and accident. FAA Hand-Prop Accident video

I've handpropped my Cub and other aircraft. It can be done safely, but there is little room for error, carelessness or neglect.

There is no regulation of which I am aware against hand-propping, but the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook (page 16 of the .pdf) gives guidance on the procedure. It appears Mr. Poppino was either unaware of these procedures or ignored them.
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That video is insane. Poor guy holding onto the strut while it circles. Don't blame him with the speed at which it was spinning around.
 
rd757 said:
Well then the Written is wrong?

Maybe it's not a reg, but it's in that link post above.
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The written is wrong on a lot of things. Like all those TAF questions, that don't reflect the new TAF format. Plus, there is very little on GPS, but yet questions on LORAN.
 
Every FSDO across the US just got a little busier.

And it's always the MOST correct answer so doesn't have to be a regulation but what the best suggested practice. Like thunderstorm avoidance, ect.
 
kiloalpha said:
Every FSDO across the US just got a little busier.

And it's always the MOST correct answer so doesn't have to be a regulation but what the best suggested practice. Like thunderstorm avoidance, ect.
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Correct. Thanks for clarification.

Thats what I meant first anyway. The word reg slipped out instead. BIG difference.
 
Oddly enough, when I was living in FL years back, I saw a guy do the same thing at Larkin airport. His cessna looked like a complete beater and didn't even have a spinner.

He also had just one wheel chocked when he hand propped it. Then, while the aircraft began to taxi in a circle, he ran around, jumped in it and took off. I just shook my head and waited for him to be long gone before taking to the air myself.

:dunno:

btw: glad to hear you landed safely from your engine out!
 
Pilot Stig said:
Oddly enough, when I was living in FL years back, I saw a guy do the same thing at Larkin airport. His cessna looked like a complete beater and didn't even have a spinner.

He also had just wheel chocked when he hand propped it. Then, while the aircraft began to taxi in a circle, he ran around, jumped in it and took off. I just shook my head and waited for him to be long gone before taking to the air myself.

:dunno:
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In the flew times I've been to that airport, I've seen lots of odd things. Doesn't really surprise me. The one time that I was invovled with hand-propping as a pilot, I was the guy in the plane. Seems like it makes sense to do it with 2 people, but if all you've got is 1, do it safely. Seen it done quite a bit as a line guy, but the FBO's insurance policy didn't allow non-maintenance personnel to hand prop.
 
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