Russell Group ME 109 Take Off Incident (no injuries)

[Dave Cheeseman]

Spend the day out at the Russell show saturday and most of the conversation was about the 109 accident. From what I heard their has been legal action in place about the poles from last year to have them removed. The poles were put up 1 week before the 2008 show which did cause some of the acts to cancel. Not sure what will become of this but I am sure the lawyers will be busy.

The main thing about the whole incident is that John Romain made it back to the strip un-injured and got the 109 back to the strip.







With all your work on AC Gary what is your opinion on the damages? Is this a easy fix or a major fix?

Cheers Dave C

[retroaviation]

I hate to sound so vague, but it's really difficult to say for sure by just seeing pictures of the outside. However, it appears that it's not as catastrophic as it certainly could've been. I'm glad John was at the controls, as he's a good stick and clearly showed it by his safe return. It was mentioned in an earlier post that the slat was spared in this incident, so that clearly is good news. I suspect at least one nose rib has been crushed, but they're not that difficult to build. The big thing is to insure no further damage was done...not only to that specific area where the pole hit, but to the wing attach points and such, as there may have been some "torquing" done during the hit. That's a heck of a stout wing though, so I suspect it's probably fine......it would just be something I would check if it were me. There appears to be minor damage to the flap, but that looks like it could be repaired rather easily.

I'm just glad, along with everyone else, that it wasn't any worse.

Gary

[Stratofreighter]

http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showpost.p ... stcount=19 explains a lot. These are comments from 2008.

Above taken from
http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=61305

Flag poles, a scissor lift, a fourwheel drive vehicle.... No wonder the police was called...

[JDK]

Is this a easy fix or a major fix?

Hi Dave,
I second the thanks that it was no worse.

Obviously I'm no engineer, but the $64 million question will be if the front of the spar structure was damaged or displaced. Looking at your pics, I think I can see the spar front may have been pushed back and a resulting bulge appear on the wing underside. If that's the case, presumably the spar structure needs to be repaired, which would entail significant wing disassembly. If not, then it's 'just' repairs to the wing structure forward of the spar - not cheap either, but a lot less work, I'd guess.

If course the lack of qualification means the above is not worth the electrons transmitting it!

[cozmo]

Did you see the poles, how they were situated or why the neighbor might see aircraft as a hazard? I realize some neighbors are just jerks, but I am trying to see his reasoning.

[lmritger]

Is this a easy fix or a major fix?

Hi Dave,
I second the thanks that it was no worse.

Obviously I'm no engineer, but the $64 million question will be if the front of the spar structure was damaged or displaced. Looking at your pics, I think I can see the spar front may have been pushed back and a resulting bulge appear on the wing underside. If that's the case, presumably the spar structure needs to be repaired, which would entail significant wing disassembly. If not, then it's 'just' repairs to the wing structure forward of the spar - not cheap either, but a lot less work, I'd guess.

If course the lack of qualification means the above is not worth the electrons transmitting it!

James, the spar on the 109 is mounted midwing, behind the gear wells... there is longitudinal structure in the forward portion, of course, but not the main load-bearing member. After seeing this new batch of photos from Dave (THANKS DAVE!!!), I'm hopeful this might be less involved (mechanically speaking) than originally thought. I don't know if John could have picked a better part of the wing to smack that pole with- missed the slat, missed the cannon, missed the gear well area, this was lucky on a number of levels.

And to paraphrase a Canadian friend from another board... "It's not the first 109 to be brought down by a Pole..." (Before anyone flames me, "White 14" is my single all-time favorite aircraft, bar none, and even I thought that was hilarious)

Cheers,

Lynn

[JDK]

Thanks for the clarification Lynn. Good that is (seems) less bad than it was at first sight, and agreed that it was 'the best' location to take the hit, perhaps.

Glad I'm not going to have to tidy it up or pay for it though!

Has it been stated whether the slat was jammed by the wing deformation?

[Simcoe Warrior]

Did you see the poles, how they were situated or why the neighbor might see aircraft as a hazard? I realize some neighbors are just jerks, but I am trying to see his reasoning.

I'm not privy to the reasons that the neighbour put the poles up, but I think Mr. Romain was very lucky in hitting the pole in which he did, which appears to be a flag pole, the other is a wood telephone pole.

Among the scuttlebutt I heard at the show was that the idiot in question recently mounted another 15 feet of pipe to the top of the obstructions and
unbelievably, that he is pilot himself!

[gregv]

Very happy that this incident ended without any injuries (or worse), and that the aircraft was recovered safely. I hope that there is the legal equivalent to "get a rope" going on as we speak.....

At the risk of being slightly morbid, I must say I am impressed to see what looks like RLM 02 as a primer under the camouflage, as (I believe) would have been done by the factory. Talk about authentic....

Hope there's no extensive damage, but I bet they'll want to jig that wing and maybe take some x-rays or do some other n.d.t.

Hope to see it back in the air soon.

cheers

greg v.

[JägerMarty]

Some pics of the poles would clarify this a bit, the guy's done himself NO favours and the more attention he gets from authorites the better.
The stupidity of some people in this world is amazing to say the least.

[Robbie Roberts]

Spend the day out at the Russell show saturday and most of the conversation was about the 109 accident. From what I heard their has been legal action in place about the poles from last year to have them removed. The poles were put up 1 week before the 2008 show which did cause some of the acts to cancel. Not sure what will become of this but I am sure the lawyers will be busy.

The main thing about the whole incident is that John Romain made it back to the strip un-injured and got the 109 back to the strip.







With all your work on AC Gary what is your opinion on the damages? Is this a easy fix or a major fix?

Cheers Dave C

From the pics, it appears there are inspection holes right behind, and to the side of the damage, which will help immensely with inspecting for further damage. It appears only a few small panels would have to be fabricated and installed... I am not familiar with the construction of the ME-109 wing: do I understand that is a slat to the outboard side? If so, it appears miraculously spared- most likely the tracks are fine as well.

Whatever the actual damage, I recommend the bas-tard who created the hazard not only be prosecuted to the fullest extent, but also be given a firm, full understanding of the danger to life and property he created. I then recommend he be given a ride in a warbird, and invited to the next show- also allowing him free rides each day. Should he erect another obstacle, then make sure he is given a close demonstration of its danger... But the reason to invite him is like an apartment party- when you have one, invite the neighbors, and nobody complains!

Say- Remember when Bob Hoover discovered newly installed wires near Reading during an airshow many years back? I don't think there was malicious intent on that one...

Robbie- disgusted by such idiocy!

[rcaf_100]

Some pics of the poles would clarify this a bit, the guy's done himself NO favours and the more attention he gets from authorites the better.
The stupidity of some people in this world is amazing to say the least.

Here's some shots of the pole I took yesterday.

The first one shows the end of the runway with the telephone pole on the left and the steel pole in question (bent over) on the right.


Here's a close up of the pole. Sorry for the poor quality. Can't afford a DSLR with a huge telephoto...yet


Hope these help.

[cozmo]

Thanks for the pictures of the poles, they help to explain a lot. Its one thing to read it, quite another to see it.

Looks like they are right at the end of the runway. I know it was said earlier, but "right at the end" could be subjective. Not saying it was, but...thousand words, and all.

I guess the guy will have a tough time giving a reason, other than to obstruct airspace, for those poles to be there.

[marine air]

I am obviously not a lawyer, just posted earlier comments as food for thought.
Seeing thiose photos I believe the person flying his arplane was transitioning to either a takeoff or landing. The pilot, like all of us has a right to pass through airspace or "sky" above . He was transitioning through, not "occupying" the landowners space above his land.
This is covered in the PArt 77 and Part 150 of the FAR's and CFR 49 in the U.S. To me it looks like he deliberately set a trap with the larger pole on the left and the smaller less obviuos iron pole in the line of the runway environment. This was intended , IMO, to distract a pilot so that while they are watching and avoiding the larger more obvious pole on the left, they misjudge or even fail to notice the smaller, equally deadly steel pole that may be in their blind spot on the nose during a climb.
If the landowner is a pilot then that just adds to his intent and premeditation. The land looks like it is being overgrown with trees and bushes, ie, an idle piece of property. The poles don't appear necessary for agricultural, communications, normal use of the property, or any other purpose other than to try to kill pilots and airplanes.

[mustanglover]

Thanks for the clarification Lynn. Good that is (seems) less bad than it was at first sight, and agreed that it was 'the best' location to take the hit, perhaps.

Glad I'm not going to have to tidy it up or pay for it though!

Has it been stated whether the slat was jammed by the wing deformation?

If you look at the photo that is looking up at the bottom of the wing, you will see a double row of rivets just aft of the gear well. This is the "main spar".

I think this should be a fairly easy repair depending on how far outboard that panel behind the slat goes.