Student Pilot Crashed On First Solo . . .

[jrh]

1. Airplane may not have had shoulder harness. If you own an airplane with only lap belts it is well worth the money in being able to survive an accident with minimal injuries to install a shoulder harness.

Very good point. I've thought about this with my 140, since it only has a lap belt. I jokingly tell my pilot friends that the belt isn't there for protection, it's there in order to make recovering my body easier.

I've thought of installing shoulder harnesses, but I'm torn between keeping the authentic, vintage feel of the aircraft versus the improved safety of harnesses.

 

[shdw]

This accident brings up two thoughts-

One for me: If you crash under control at MCA in any light GA aircraft you have a very good chance of walking away from it.

Look at this crash, he was pulling to get over the building but couldn't because he was to slow. He basically slammed into a brick wall at MCA and is alive.

 

[Baronpilot244]

Scary stuff for the CFI...I can't imagine.

On the other hand, my neighbor here at SIU was really good friends with the family that lost the B60 and its pilot...he even rode along with him in it...

Over here at MDQ with a student taking his PPL checkride. They heard the pilot of the B60 report loss of the right engine. Memphis Center advised Fayetteville at 10mi and 3 O'clock but he wanted to come back into HSV as the runways are longer.
Folks on the ground here were listening to the transmissions and said the pilot sounded calm - said he had the airplane under control, but he apparently couldn't hold altitude. (Just what I was told here).

Obviously could have been something else at play here too so I'm not saying it was necessarily the engine out that caused the accident - just passing on what I was told here today....

Real shame it ended badly.


Bp244

 

[Kingairer]

Dang

 

[granlistillo]

I would think training in a tail dragger would be more difficult than the tri, but I guess for decades that the way it was done. It just seems less forgiving. Hope he alright.

 

[Maurus]

Well it seems the fact that the aircraft is a tail dragger doesn't make a difference since he really didn't get to us his landing gear to its fullest potential. As far as training, if it is the only type of aircraft the student has flown, I wouldn't see it being and harder or easier. I would have to say the primacy of a tricycle gear aircraft is what makes a tail dragger seem a bit harder the use.