Wauchula accident

[gyroplanes]

Who crashed at Wauchula, FL. in a gyro?


IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: UNREG Make/Model: GYRO Description: GYROCOPTER
Date: 08/02/2011 Time: 2320

Event Type: Incident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
City: WAUCHULA State: FL Country: US

DESCRIPTION
UNREGISTERED GYROCOPTER CRASHED IN A FIELD, NEAR WAUCHULA, FL

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:


OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER


FAA FSDO: ORLANDO, FL (SO15) Entry date: 08/03/2011

[Earthboundmisft]

Waiting on a call back from Dave Seace, he is checking his contacs.

[RICK MARTIN]

Nobody got hurt. It was one of our ultralights piloted by Joe N.
His 447 seized and he put it down in a field just west of the airport. He hit a little hard and broke the machine enough to turn it over. Lost the blades, and mast at least. The FAA was called by the farmer or local police, but did not come out because it was not numbered. Another right of passage.

[Earthboundmisft]

Thanks Rick, glad he was ok. I've got some 1x2 sticks if you guys need some.

[Fl90]

nooo. glad he's o.k. That was a good little motor. Let me know what he finds out.

Good little machine, too.

....

Phil

[Gyroforme]

Sure glad Joe's ok, that's my hanger mate!

[Timchick]

Glad he's OK.

[Trez]

nooo. glad he's o.k. That was a good little motor. Let me know what he finds out.

Good little machine, too.

....

Phil

Phil,
He was doin' great. Took his time. Made sure everything was right. Looks like it was just one of those things. Thankfully, he's fine.

[Chuck Roberg]

Really glad he's OK. I hope he's planning to rebuild. Please tell him I wish him the best.

[barnstorm2]

Really glad he's OK. I hope he's planning to rebuild. Please tell him I wish him the best.

Dido.

.

[pilotescort]

nooo. glad he's o.k. That was a good little motor. Let me know what he finds out. Good little machine, too.....Phil

Joe torn his engine down and found a seized rod bearing. May have set for awhile without being fogged or turned over before active flying again. He was very lucky he didn't get hurt, and I too am sure glad he's okay. Practicing simulated engine out and staying sharp on that note is a must.....I think the damage level could have been avoided with a higher skill level of landing, but that's just my opinion. Once again, it's not a matter of "if", but "when" your engine fails:puke:.....stay prepared!!!

[Earthboundmisft]

Hey Brooke, that was a 503 right? What gas, what oil, and hours please.
Big end, or wrist pin side? Pre-mix, or injected. Mag, or pto cylinder. Thanks, Mike.

[Fl90]

Mike, It was a 447. I think 100 hours....come to think of it, it was from an amphib pusher....don't remember the model. But, I saw no signs of sitting, on the rings or the cylinders, from the exhaust ports.

[Gyroforme]

Hey Brooke, that was a 503 right? What gas, what oil, and hours please.
Big end, or wrist pin side? Pre-mix, or injected. Mag, or pto cylinder. Thanks, Mike.

It is a 447, I saw the crank in the hanger , it's the big end side . I wouldn't move at all like it was welded together! Don't know the other details.

[Redbaron]

glad he's ok, the 447 is a fine little motor if treated right thats easy on gas.

[RICK MARTIN]

Joe's attitude is real good. He's already making plans to rebuild. He's a smart guy and a capable mechanic. He told me today that he's pretty sure he's going to rebuild the 447. He'll do it right.

The cases, pistons and rings looked alright. I also saw the crank/connecting rod. It appears that the one journal area had sustained some corrosion and then heated up until it seized. Just a guess.

Mike, Joe was using the right penzoil oil, not sure which cylinder, pre-mix, not sure which gas.

[GyroRon]

Two failures of the big end rod bearings with pennsoil. We had one fail here at my airport 2 or 3 months ago......

[Doug Riley]

These failing engines are being run plugs-up, right?

Running 'em plugs-down puts the big-end bearings at risk.

[RICK MARTIN]

This one was plugs up. If it was to blame on Penzoil, why didn't the other bearings also show signs of damage? In this case, you could actually see the rust, corrosion etc. on and near the area in question.

[Doug Riley]

Conventional wisdom says that the oils that are most likely to contribute to internal corrosion are the all-synthetics. Mineral oils are better at excluding moisture.

I've used AV-2 (an old mineral-synthetic blend from California Power) throughout my 2-stroke flying career and haven't encountered corrosion, even in engines stored for years. The rings are practically welded in place by carbon after less than 150 hours, but that's a different issue.

I don't live near the ocean, though. Salt air eats cars alive. I suspect that salt or other corrosive minerals suspended in the air make the engine corrosion problem much, much worse as well. Might that phosphate rock that's mined in such vast amounts near Wauchula contribute to corrosion?

[Redbaron]

with what engine ron?

Two failures of the big end rod bearings with pennsoil. We had one fail here at my airport 2 or 3 months ago......