V-Tail Bonanza crash at UZA

[TaterSalad]

Sadly, a Bonanza crashed about 3-4 miles SW of UZA today, reportedly killing 2 of 3 aboard.

I just came from the site..........I can only guess he panicked. It was pretty clear what field he was aiming for, overshot it by a bunch (like still not even touched down, 50 yds past the field), then I guess he was trying to avoid a bldg 100 yds ahead and started pulling up, looks like he stalled it from 20' up (maybe more, punched the gear right through the top of the wing on both sides).........slid/spun close to 80 yds through a parking lot and 2 small trees, and came to rest, about 10' from said bldg.

No definitive details yet (media reports out of gas, but that's always their first answer), but no post-crash fire, and no smell of gas from 10' away from the wreckage........one of the tip tanks was ripped open, no evidence of gas where it contacted the ground. I truly hope it isn't so, but so far it sure looks like it.........ran out of gas just shy of the airport. Plane was coming from Columbus, OH.

I report this in the hopes it will remind people not to panic, and revert to your training if ever in an emergency. Maintain that best glide, set yourself up correctly for the field, and don't just dive at the first piece of open land you see below you! While I may not know the details for certain about this accident yet, seeing the scene leads me to believe it occurred as I wrote above. It's sad, but there's just little room for error in what we do.

God Bless to the affected families.

 

[Malko]

Sad indeed, thoughts go out to those infected.

[ QUOTE ]
Maintain that best glide, set yourself up correctly for the field, and don't just dive at the first piece of open land you see below you!

[/ QUOTE ]

Insight as to what you said above, if he indeed run out of gas, he may have been better taking the open land. I have read many reports about running out of gas and from what I have heard from others, it is better to takae the open land instead of trying to stretch it out to the field.

 

[TaterSalad]

No, you're right about that. I just mean, pick a good field..........Seeing the area from the air, I'm not sure he picked the best field in the 1st place, really seems like it may have been a panicked, knee-jerk reaction to the engine quitting. Even if he'd made it down on the open field, it basically consisted of multiple plateaus and valleys, ie: not even close to a flat field.

 

[JHines]

Tater,

That crash was about 5 doors down from my house. I would guess the curb where he made first contact was more like 40 yards from the final resting place. I don't see how it could have stopped in that short a distance unless he stalled it in like you suggested.

It's a strange sight, because the basic structure of the plane is pretty intact and yet, 2 of 3 fatal.