Warbird Information Exchange

Need a little help here. So one of producers from Inside Edition just called, kind of a friend of a friend of a friend sort of thing, and asked if we would be willing to fly our PT-22 for a segment of the show. My father's PT-22 is highly modified and has a Ranger 200 HP engine so it's not a very good representation of the authentic PT-22 that Mr. Ford was flying. The show is produced in the LA area so surely, there's a much closer PT-22 that they can use as an example for filming, right? Do any of you WIXers know of a PT-22 owner in California who would be willing to talk to this person? If you are one of those open minded types or know of one, please email me at astixjr@earthlink.net or call me at 314-324-1066 and I'll get the right people in touch for the story.

Now before everyone jumps on me about helping the TV show folks, it sounds like they are really trying to do an accurate piece here and not just "make it up as they go" and I applaud that kind of journalism. We really need somebody who can be ready to defend the type and the engine in particular. It would be nice to explain that the PT-22 is not some scary dangerous old airplane that is always looking to crash on the nearest elementary school, right?

I'll be hiding over here in the Midwest while you all talk it over.

When people ask me about Mr. Ford's crash I sum it up this way. I have a farm, and would love to buy a Honda dirt bike and make some trails and even a jump or two to enjoy riding like when I was young. The problem is not that I'm too old to ride the bike, maybe even with some skill. The problem is I'm too old to take the spills. Harrison Ford will probably evaluate his ways to have fun after this.

A problem with a carburetor part led to engine failure and the crash of a vintage airplane piloted by actor Harrison Ford in California earlier this year, federal investigators said Thursday.

The part known as a main metering jet likely came loose over the years since the World War II-era craft was restored, the National Transportation Safety Board said. The problem allowed too much fuel to flow, resulting in a loss of engine power.

Ford had just taken off from Santa Monica Airport on March 5 when he reported engine failure at an altitude of 1,100 feet and requested an immediate return.

In an interview with the lead NTSB investigator, Ford "stated that he did not attempt an engine restart but maintained an airspeed of 85 mph and initiated a left turn back toward the airport; however, during the approach, he realized that the airplane was unable to reach the runway. The pilot did not recall anything further about the accident sequence."

The single-engine Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR struck a tree and crashed on a golf course about 800 feet from the runway, injuring the 73-year-old actor. No one on the ground was hurt.

The NTSB found that an improperly installed shoulder harness likely contributed to the severity of Ford's injuries, which were never detailed.

Ford, who received his pilot's license in the 1990s, was conscious and able to talk to rescue crews who transported him to a hospital. The actor's son Ben tweeted just after the crash that his father was "battered" but OK.

The metering jet system is intended to maintain the proper mixture of fuel and air over the engine's operating speeds, the NTSB said.

A review of maintenance records indicated that the carburetor was rebuilt during the airplane's restoration about 17 years ago. Contributing to the accident was the lack of adequate instructions on how to maintain the carburetor, the NTSB said.

"Had the carburetor maintenance instruction manual identified a means to ensure the security of the main metering jet, it is unlikely that the jet would have become unseated," the report said. "There was no record of maintenance personnel inspecting the carburetor jets during the previous 17 years nor was there a requirement to do so."

The two-seat plane, which was called the PT-22 Recruit when it was used as a U.S. Army training aircraft, was intentionally designed to mimic the flight characteristics of larger warplanes.

A message seeking comment from a representative for Ford was not immediately returned Thursday.

The actor will reprise his role as Han Solo in the upcoming film "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."