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rcrosley(at)adelphia.net
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 Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:30 am Post subject: Aerobatics, CG |
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One of the more important considerations in doing aerobatics is CG. Below is the short version of what happened to The Christen Eagle I built many years ago after I sold it. The Eagle does great aerobatics, but in can still be crashed. The pilot weighed 268 lbs (rear seat) passenger weighed 225 lbs (front seat). Plus he went light on fuel because he knew he was heavy. The fuel is forward of the panel, moving the CG further aft. Below is the link to the long version. Having an airplane you built crash and kill two guys is terrible, being in it is far worse. Take a little duel.
Rich Crosley, RV-8, N948RC
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20041215X01994&ntsbno=DFW05LA037&akey=1 NTSB Identification: DFW05LA037.
The docket is stored in the Docket Management System (DMS). Please contact Records Management Division
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, December 12, 2004 in Morris, OK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 6/8/2005
Aircraft: Crosley Christen Eagle II, registration: N222CE
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
According to a witness, who was in a field approximately 1 mile north of the accident site, the airplane was performing aerobatic maneuvers in the area when the airplane flew straight up into the air, and then "fell over into a flat spin." At this point, the witness estimated that the airplane at an approximate altitude of 5,000 feet above the ground. The witness heard the engine "revving up" as the airplane descended behind a tree line. He then heard the airplane impact the ground and the engine stop running. The 1,040-hour pilot, who was occupying the rear seat of the tandem seating experimental bi-plane, purchased the airplane during the first week of July 2004. Post-accident calculations revealed that the airplane was over maximum gross weight and the center of gravity (CG) was aft of the rearward limit. According to page 3-8 of the Christen Eagle II Airplane Flight Manual, "Any particular Christen Eagle II aircraft will recover from any spin type using standard recovery techniques ONLY IF THE AIRCRAFT IS PROPERLY BALANCED. The CG of the aircraft must be within design limits to ensure safe spin recovery. Any aircraft can be dangerously loaded (CG beyond design limits) making spin recovery extremely difficult or impossible. Weight and balance considerations must be taken seriously and pilots must be absolutely certain that the flight CG of their aircraft is within design limits."
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The pilot's intentional spin, which was unrecoverable due to exceeded aircraft weight and balance limitations as a result of improper preflight planning/preparation.
[quote][b]
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Hopperdhh(at)aol.com
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| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:43 am Post subject: Aerobatics, CG |
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In a message dated 1/21/2007 11:32:05 AM Eastern Standard Time,
rcrosley(at)adelphia.net writes:
One of the more important considerations in doing aerobatics is CG. Below is
the short version of what happened to The Christen Eagle I built many years
ago after I sold it. The Eagle does great aerobatics, but in can still be
crashed. The pilot weighed 268 lbs (rear seat) passenger weighed 225 lbs (front
seat). Plus he went light on fuel because he knew he was heavy. The fuel is
forward of the panel, moving the CG further aft. Below is the link to the
long version. Having an airplane you built crash and kill two guys is terrible,
being in it is far worse. Take a little duel.
Rich Crosley, RV-8, N948RC
A very sad story indeed, Rich, but in no way your fault. We all do dumb
things from time to time, but this is a lesson we should all take very seriously.
Thanks for sharing it.
Dan Hopper
RV-7A -- about 200 hours in 2 years
do not archive
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sportav8r(at)gmail.com
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| Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:07 am Post subject: Aerobatics, CG |
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Having an airplane you built crash and kill two guys is terrible,
| Quote: | being in it is far worse. Take a little duel.
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Good point - in a duel, usually only one person dies.
But dual instruction might save even more lives.
 just being a smarty... too snowy and bleak to aviate today.
-Stormy
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