Bang! That sucks!

[Genetk44]

It really is important to understand (a) what you’re putting in your airplane,

where and (b) to handle it prudently if it has the potential to “go bang.”


The Great Lakes CG Auxiliary was to transport a large inflatable raft and it

accidentally inflated while being loaded.

[GyvAir]

Ouch.. that would've sucked in flight, for sure.
I've always been a little nervous around those things. If someone was fully inside a small plane like that, hunched over the raft tying things down when it went off, they could find themselves in a world of hurt in a hurry.

[fish4life]

After seeing the damage is caused peeling back the aluminum I wouldn't want one of those in my plane.

[TeePeeCreeper]

How does an insurance company view writing this bird off (seriously!)

And holy crap! Who would have known a self inflatable raft could do such damage? Yikes!

All the best,
TPC

[Pop n Fresh]

I am left wondering.

• would that result in a failure of the airframe in flight?
• would the partially inflated raft and plane float if that happened in the water while trying to get a raft out?
• if it floated the plane would it still be buoyant enough to support the crew?

I think the answer to all three of my questions is "Maybe but I would not want to be part of any testing. Let's stick with life vests and dry suits in light singles."

[Nark]

I'm 99% certain that dangerous goods shipping says to remove the canister from shipment.
For this exact reason.

I doubt the insurance company will be paying out anytime soon

[AirFrame]

I always have a leatherman on my belt... I wonder, if I were faced with that situation, if I could have pulled the blade out and slashed a hole in the raft before it caused any damage to the airplane?

[sidestick stirrer]

This brings to mind a funny tale about two pilots in a T-bag flying at altitude at night.
The GIB went to adjust his seat vertically but grabbed the wrong handle and inflated his life raft instead. It inflated rapidly, filling the rear pit and squeezing him against his harness so hard that he couldn't breath so he grabbed his survival knife and stabbed the thing. This caused a loud bang and filled the cockpit with white smoke which was actually the talcum powder used to pack the raft.
The front seater was unaware of any of this activity and just heard a loud bang and saw the smoke,
He figured the engine had exploded so-and I'm not sure about this-so he brought the throttle back around the horn, shutting it down. Now the guy in the back thought the engine had quit.
I believe that it continued downhill from there, with both guys ejecting out of a perfectly-serviceable T-Bird due to miscommunication...

[GyvAir]

I'm 99% certain that dangerous goods shipping says to remove the canister from shipment.

I'm 100% sure that they get shipped all over the world all the time fully assembled and armed, so to speak. They are shipped as dangerous goods of course. Taking the cylinder out and reinstalling it is a service facility job for sure. I think it must take some magic or some sort of hydraulic press to get those things folded up and stuffed into the bag like they do. I've tried re-stuffing a few that had been partially opened for customs inspection.. it's not easy at all.

I remember hearing a story 10-20 years ago of a single engine (Bonanza maybe) doing the Atlantic crossing whose last communications indicated that the raft had inflated in the cabin. They were never found. Googled a bit, but couldn't find reference to the story.