Aztec down at CYFD

[mark_]

I thought that it might be another case of media types getting it wrong...but the clip clearly show an investigator (who I assume knows what he's talking about) stating the plane departed with one engine inop...I thought that maybe he lost one on T/O or climbout. Truth IS stranger than fiction.

Mark

[. ._]

I've taken off on one engine in a simulator, so I should work in real life.

[Giveitago]

All you guys are missing the obvious.....

I'M SURE that the pilot was simply not multi-rated.....and in a valiant attempt not to contavene any regulations of operating a multi engined aircraft with only a single engine rating decided that the most prudent course of action was simply leaving one engine turned off..........it's gotta be that, right?

Give

[Hedley]

Good point. As everyone knows, compliance with the
regulations is the most important thing in aviation - it
doesn't matter if you crash.

AFAIK there is no regulation that says you cannot take
off a twin with one engine shut down. So, this guy was
obeying all regulations, therefore he must have been
conducting a safe flight, and it was merely "bad luck"
that he crashed.

[C-FABH]

A09O0179: The privately owned Piper PA23-250, registration C-FGAZ, arriving from the United States stopped in Brantford to clear customs before continuing to his private strip. When the pilot was preparing to depart Brantford, he was unable to get to the right engine to start. The pilot elected to attempt a single engine takeoff from runway 23. During the take off roll the pilot was unable to maintain direction control and the aircraft departed the right side of the runway just prior to the intersection of taxiway echo and runway 23. The aircraft struck a taxiway light and continued across the taxiway becoming airborne. The aircraft began a slow climb, but was unable to clear trees at the edge of the airport property. The aircraft's right wing struck a tree approximately 20 feet from the ground severing the outboard portion of the right wing. The aircraft crashed into a cornfield approximately 300 feet beyond the tree and was substantially damaged. The pilot was the only occupant on board and received minor injuries.

Popcorn, anyone?

[iflyforpie]

I wonder how long until there is an AD to install placards in the cockpit prohibiting single engine takeoffs in twins...



Common sense... it ain't so common.

[Flying Low]

I say forget the placards...let Darwin continue his work!

[C-FABH]

As the saying goes, the remaining engine took him right to the scene of the crash...

[HS-748 2A]

At least it wasn't the critical engine - And, he probably feathered the R/H one. Now that's due dilligence, or prudence maybe I should say; but - speculative on my part however.

I guess really this is a failure on the part of the Aztec.

It failed to live up to the pilot's expectations.

I still can't belive it.

[Hedley]

it's not his first accident

What I find bizarre is that in Canada, it's ok to crash

A local pilot I know, took off overloaded one day from a
short strip. Literally crashed and burned. Put a passenger
in the hospital with a broken back. Took him years to
recover from that. Fused vertebrae, repeated operations.

And, absolutely no punishment. If I had done something
one tenth as bad, I would have been strung up from my
thumbs and I am certain a permanent lifetime licence
revocation.

Why is crashing not important?

Likely this guy will crash again. Transport won't inflict
on this guy one percent of the damage they have inflicted
upon me and my family, and I've never even dented a
frikken aircraft.

[Randleman]

Good point. As everyone knows, compliance with the
regulations is the most important thing in aviation - it
doesn't matter if you crash.

Is this a serious or sarcastic statement?

[Giveitago]

Literally "dripping" with sarcasm.

Perhaps with just a smidge of underlying ummm........ historical context

[Finn47]

I think I finally understand what they meant in the article I quoted earlier..

insanity took over

[Navajo-dude]

Occurrence No. : A09O0179 Occurrence Type: ACCIDENT
Class : CLASS 5 Reportable Type:
Date : 24-08-2009 Time : 21:00 UTC
Region of Responsibility : ONTARIO
Location : CYFD BRANTFORD, ONTARIO


Aircraft Information:

Registration : C-FGAZ Operator :
Manufacturer : PIPER Operator Type: PRIVATE
Model : PA-23-250 CARs Info:
Injuries: Fatal : 0 Serious : 0 Minor : 1 None : 0 Unknown : 0


Occurrence Summary :

A09O0179: The privately owned Piper PA23-250, registration C-FGAZ, arriving from the United States stopped in Brantford to clear customs before continuing to his private strip. When the pilot was preparing to depart Brantford, he was unable to get to the right engine to start. The pilot elected to attempt a single engine takeoff from runway 23. During the take off roll the pilot was unable to maintain direction control and the aircraft departed the right side of the runway just prior to the intersection of taxiway echo and runway 23. The aircraft struck a taxiway light and continued across the taxiway becoming airborne. The aircraft began a slow climb, but was unable to clear trees at the edge of the airport property. The aircraft's right wing struck a tree approximately 20 feet from the ground severing the outboard portion of the right wing. The aircraft crashed into a cornfield approximately 300 feet beyond the tree and was substantially damaged. The pilot was the only occupant on board and received minor injuries.

[Hedley]

Too bad Rod Ridley couldn't have made that report ...

[Blakey]

Does anyone have any better pictures of the crash site? I would like to use this in PDM lectures.

[albertdesalvo]

Not the site, but...

[SeptRepair]

I wonder if he will get at least a honorable mention for the next darwin awards.

[Hedley]

I probably shouldn't mention this, but the Aztec actually
flies pretty darned well on one engine - at least compared
to a lot of other little piston twins - though I admit it is a
pain to manually pump up the gear when the left engine fails.

I suspect that it would be theoretically possible to take
off an Aztec (or Baron) with one engine stopped, if you
had a very long runway, and a light enough load, few
enough brain cells, and sufficiently large testicles.

Get it airborne in ground effect after accelerating past
Vmc redline (control), get the gear up, accelerate above
Vyse blue line (performance) still in ground effect, and
off you go.

[joco]

[...]
I suspect that it would be theoretically possible to take
off an Aztec (or Baron) with one engine stopped, if you
had a very long runway, and a light enough load, few
enough brain cells, and sufficiently large testicles.

Get it airborne in ground effect after accelerating past
Vmc redline (control), get the gear up, accelerate above
Vyse blue line (performance) still in ground effect, and
off you go.

You forgot that the rwy should be curved in the direction of the dead engine ... because if you touch the rudder to keep going straight you will never attain Vyse (blue line). Banking in ground effect is not a good idea. Too close to the ground.

I never flew an Aztec, but the Seneca will penalize you (getting very fast down to Vmc) if you keep the rudder in. Banking into the good engine is the only solution to stay at Vyse.
My 2 cents.

[iflyforpie]

That is why he said Aztec or Baron. Senecas, Seminoles, Dutchesses, and the like definitely wouldn't have the power required.

The fat Aztec wing will forgive more sins than the thin wing on the Baron.

Out on Roger's Dry lake with somebody else's aircraft, this might be a fun experiment. But I think I will pass...

[torquey401]

Isn't an Aztec a certified twin? Therefore, attempting a single engine take-off in an aircraft that was certified as a twin = no C of A? I think the CARS talk about that somewhere.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Isn't an Aztec a certified twin? Therefore, attempting a single engine take-off in an aircraft that was certified as a twin = no C of A?

The C of A would be the last thing I would be concerned with.

[Big Pistons Forever]

Back in the early 1950's Ted Smith flew his prototype Aero Commander 520 (twin 260 hp Lycoming) to Washington with the right prop in the baggage compartment . This was designed to demonstrate the single engine performance of his aircraft to Federal Government reps who were looking to buy some light aircraft. I don't think that sales tactic would work today......

[HS-748 2A]

I know of a certain Twin Otter operator who has done single-engine ferry flights to avoid leaving an airplane broken down and frozen up in a very remote location.

It's kept well under wraps when it has to happen though, and - if anything could do that, its an empty T.O.