Stricken aircraft belly flops at Blenheim

[kave]

I remember something similar happening in New Zealand (plane sliding on its belly). It happened to a plane being used for skydiving, but it was on takeoff, the front wheel had fallen through a manhole cover while taxiing (if my memory serves me correctly). The level of damage done to the plane was quite dramatic considering it was travelling at a relatively slow speed.

[Swoop]

I remember something similar happening in New Zealand (plane sliding on its belly). It happened to a plane being used for skydiving, but it was on takeoff, the front wheel had fallen through a manhole cover while taxiing (if my memory serves me correctly). The level of damage done to the plane was quite dramatic considering it was travelling at a relatively slow speed.

There was a GAF Nomad that did a wheels-up at Parakai on the lime strip up there.
Also another at Whenuapai during the late '80s (same type of a/c IIRC).

[Jantar]

not to a beech it didn't. 2 other wheels up landings by eagle - a bandit at palmy in about 1989, and a metro in hlz in 1996-ish

And a Jantar at Taupo in 1992.

[Firefight]

not to a beech it didn't. 2 other wheels up landings by eagle - a bandit at palmy in about 1989, and a metro in hlz in 1996-ish

what about ZK- KIP a EMB 110, at AIAL a few years ago think maybe 92 ?

only flight crew on board as I recall


F/F

[Krusti]

Flew back from Christchurch to Hamilton and looked out the window thinking, " imagine if one of those came through the side."

[Delerium]

Iv seen photos of various aircraft that it has happened too. Ie an orion and a herc. My immediate thoughts were, bugger sitting in the prop arc next time...

[Big Dan]

I would have loved to been on that flight sounded like a great ride

[sAsLEX]

Yeah!
It's pretty scary the bits flying around though - those prop blades would've made a mess if they'd decided to see what the inside of the plane looked like...

Talking about it at work today.

Do they armour the hull in this zone at all? Marty? Or do the props spin the right direction so a ground strike sends them away from passengers?

[Firefight]

my bad, old age effected memory


date of incident 28th sept 94


F/F

and here's a link of a picy of one, great little aircraft which provided feeder service from the small provincal airports to the main hubs for many years in NZ, un pressuirised (sp?) ride was sometimes a bit rough, but always fun to fly in, I spent two years commuting from wei to akl in them never had a problem in that time.

http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=195

[Delphinus]

And a video if anyone is interested

http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/NationalNe...ult.aspx#video

[terbang]

what about ZK- KIP a EMB 110, at AIAL a few years ago think maybe 92 ?

only flight crew on board as I recall

F/F

Eagle Air have now had 4 wheels up landings that I can remember.

EMB 110 (ZK-ERU?) in Palmy 1987. The aircraft was on a right base for RWY 25 at PMR and when the wheels were selected down the left main wheel parted company and bounced all over the farmland, leafing just an undercarriage strut that showed no abnormal cockpit indications. ATC alerted the crew when they were on short final and a successful go around and wheels up landing was eventually made. Lots of speculation about sculduggery and all that but the aurcraft had just come off maintenance the night before and it was put down to a simple case of not being secured correctly.

ZK-KIP also did a wheels up at auckland in the 90's as a result of an engineers torch being left in the undercarriage bay.

They had a Metro do a wheels up in Hamilton in the 90's, not sure of the cause though.

And this one which is yet to be investigated.

Speaking of ZK-KIP. My logbook shows that I first flew that aircraft online on the 7th july 1987. It was ex 'Masling airlines" of Australia. I flew the "Bandierante" from 1986 to 1989 where I was a captain, instructor and examiner on the type. Eagle air were (and probably still are) a great company to fly for and the "Bandit' was a fabulous aircraft to operate.

[deanohit]

And a video if anyone is interested

http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/NationalNe...ult.aspx#video

thanks for posting the link mate.missed the news,so was cool to see it.all looked very smooth and controlled.
And for the pilots =
'That man deserves a DB.'

[sAsLEX]

Talking about it at work today.

Do they armour the hull in this zone at all? Marty? Or do the props spin the right direction so a ground strike sends them away from passengers?

Well from the vid it looked like the engines were stopped? Terbang whats the standard way to belly land?

[terbang]

Well from the vid it looked like the engines were stopped? Terbang whats the standard way to belly land?

A wheels up landing is type specific and the aircraft manual details procedures for such an event. But there are general techniques that most pilots keep in the back of their minds. It is normal to shut the engines down once the airfield is assured and as a general rule it is better to feather the props on a free turbine engine (such as the PT6 powered bandierante reccomended) and to leave them windmilling on the piston types. Feathering the prop reduces its rotation minimising blades flailing all over the place when they hit the runway. Prop blades can go through an aircraft hull like a hot knife through butter and they are not aromoured for that purpose. Either way the engines are generally shut down. It is commmon practise to plan a wheels up landing on the Tarmac rather than the grass as it gives the aircraft slower deceleration which can mean less damage. Its not a thing we practise much and most go through a flying career without having to do one.
My own experience is when I landed an old twin Comanche in Brisbane with the right main jambed up. An actuating rod had frozen and preferred to snap rather than push the wheel out of its bay. In that case I couldn't raise the left main or the nosewheel so has to commit to a partial gear landing. The comanche didn't glide that well so I elected to shutdown and feather ony the right engine and make a more controlled, single engine power on landing. I managed to rotate the right engine with the starter so that the 2 bladed prop was horizontal and not going to dig into the tarmac. The landing, at night on a foamed runway, was exciting to say the least.

[deanohit]

there are general techniques that most pilots keep in the back of their minds. .

Good description thanks.A partial gear landing at night aye? sounds dodgier than having a clean bottom to land on.Respect Did the Comanche have much damage?