Seaplane hits kayaker
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Seaplane hits kayaker
The CBC is reporting that a seaplane hit a kayaker at a reservoir in Quebec, 200 Km north of Ottawa. The report is that the 12 year old kayaker has severe head injuries. It is the radio news, so no link to post. What a sad event. I can imagine it happening, as the view over the nose can be poor, but still very sad.
Re: Seaplane hits kayaker
C-GNWN, a Wagaero Sportsman 2 + 2 amateur construction aircraft (equipped with floats),
was flying under visual flight rules from Lac-des-îles, QC to the reservoir
Baskatong, QC with only the pilot on board. On approach to Baskatong Reservoir the aircraft suffered
a loss of engine power (Avco Lycoming O-360-C2E). During the landing, a float has
hit a kayaker who was on the Baskatong Reservoir. There was no damage to
the aircraft, but the kayaker was seriously injured.
An examination of the engine carried out shortly after the accident revealed that the spark plug mounting protrusion
rear right cylinder was fractured and the spark plug was hanging off the end of its wire.
was flying under visual flight rules from Lac-des-îles, QC to the reservoir
Baskatong, QC with only the pilot on board. On approach to Baskatong Reservoir the aircraft suffered
a loss of engine power (Avco Lycoming O-360-C2E). During the landing, a float has
hit a kayaker who was on the Baskatong Reservoir. There was no damage to
the aircraft, but the kayaker was seriously injured.
An examination of the engine carried out shortly after the accident revealed that the spark plug mounting protrusion
rear right cylinder was fractured and the spark plug was hanging off the end of its wire.
Re: Seaplane hits kayaker
Unfortunately, that wording from the report does not give me a clear understanding of what failed. I do read that during the approach to land, one spark plug [out of eight] failed - that should be barely noticeable during approach. I'm not sure there'd even be a startle factor resulting from that. In isolation, this does not sound like a reason for a forced, or even changed approach. There must be something else, or the situation is back to the pilot failing to avoid the kayaker....that the spark plug mounting protrusion rear right cylinder was fractured and the spark plug was hanging off the end of its wire.
Re: Seaplane hits kayaker
Doesn't this mean that the sparkplug was physically removed from the engine, leaving a hole in the cylinder? Wouldn't that be different from a failed sparkplug? When I blew a sparkplug on my old truck (as in, it literally blew out), you bet it made a big noise, and there was a big startle factor. Engine kept running though. In a single engine airplane I'd be looking for a place to land as soon as I heard that noise.PilotDAR wrote: ↑Sat Aug 22, 2020 7:38 pmUnfortunately, that wording from the report does not give me a clear understanding of what failed. I do read that during the approach to land, one spark plug [out of eight] failed - that should be barely noticeable during approach. I'm not sure there'd even be a startle factor resulting from that. In isolation, this does not sound like a reason for a forced, or even changed approach. There must be something else, or the situation is back to the pilot failing to avoid the kayaker....that the spark plug mounting protrusion rear right cylinder was fractured and the spark plug was hanging off the end of its wire.
As an AvCanada discussion grows longer:
-the probability of 'entitlement' being mentioned, approaches 1
-one will be accused of using bad airmanship
-the probability of 'entitlement' being mentioned, approaches 1
-one will be accused of using bad airmanship
Re: Seaplane hits kayaker
I agree that if the whole spark plug came out of the cylinder (rare, but has been known to happen), there would be much more effect on how the engine ran, but 75% power would still be available, and hopefully, that much power is not being used on approach to land. If the power is well back, and you loose a little, it should not make the flight itself unsafe, if the approach was well planned.
If the pilot saw the kayaker, and planned to power over to land beyond, that's still pretty poor, there are many ways an engine can fail to produce power. Depending upon power during a landing to prevent a collision with someone on the surface leaves some airmanship to be desired. If you can't position your landing to the left or right of the person, either wait for them to move, or pick a bigger body of water!
If the pilot saw the kayaker, and planned to power over to land beyond, that's still pretty poor, there are many ways an engine can fail to produce power. Depending upon power during a landing to prevent a collision with someone on the surface leaves some airmanship to be desired. If you can't position your landing to the left or right of the person, either wait for them to move, or pick a bigger body of water!
Re: Seaplane hits kayaker
Just yesterday was coming in to our base lake, saw a boat near a point quite a ways back on final. As I neared the lake the boat turned towards the center of the lake and then my eye caught some splashing way out in the middle of the lake. It was two kids swimming. No life jackets for vis. Turned and avoided but just not what you expect way out there. I found them later and explained that someday someone else or might not notice.
