On 9/18/2011 11:58 AM, Jon Anderson wrote:
On 9/18/2011 3:30 AM, Richard wrote:

From Cy of the Navion group...

Trim tab came off causing plane pitch violently blacking pilot out
instantly. He didn't know what hit him. If you see the picture before
impact you will see tail wheel it. That means unlock broke at or above
8 g s.

Have to respect the input of an actual racer. But I wonder about him
blacking out. As the plane rolls up on edge, you can see the wings
waggle a bit. That would be aileron input, suggesting to me in the scant
moments he had left, he was trying to work out how to regain control. I
personally think he was conscious to the last, and realizing he was
likely done for, did what little he could to avoid as many people as
possible.

I doubt we will ever really know much more about it.
Not much left.

I've taken 9 Gs before - in a G suit and with a smooth onset so I had
time to get stable and grunt. At that load factor I weigh nearly 2000
pounds! It hurts! During and after.

Without the garters and no warning, and as suddenly as that seems to
come on, my guess is the guy got jammed down in the cockpit and couldn't
get back up. No head showing in several of those pics.
If he got slammed down hard against the stick that might be why the
pitch over and nose dive.



I noticed the tail wheel extended and that nobody has mentioned it
outside of your post. I've not seen that mechanism up close, but wonder
if 8g would be sufficient to cause failure of the lock?

That's what I've been told. I can't swear either way.
But the FAA / NTSB will know.

One of my customers was there, fortunately this year he wasn't in the
box seats, but in past races has sat right in the general area impacted.
I would have been there, but too busy with work right now to get away.

It's a very sad day for the aviation community, but I hope this does not
bring an end to the races.


Jon

Yes, it was a sad day.
But it could have been a whole lot worse.

If he was trying to avoid the crowd, he did the right thing -
all the way to the end.
It may have been the best flying he ever did...