Power loss, then mistakes, caused T-6 crash

[CommunityEditor]

Engine problems and emergency landing mistakes by an instructor pilot caused a T-6 Texan trainer to crash onto a taxiway June 4 at Vance Air Force Base, Okla., an accident investigation board concluded.

The instructor pilot, Capt. Timothy J. Dodd, was not hurt. Second Lt. James P. Balcom, the student pilot, suffered minor injuries. Both were assigned to Vance’s 71st Flying Training Wing.

The board’s report, issued Sept. 29 by Air Education and Training Command, said that 85 seconds after the propeller-driven T-6 took off from Vance, the engine had a power loss. Dodd decided to return to Vance. While he maneuvered for the emergency landing, the engine suffered a second power loss and began vibrating and making “grinding sounds.”

Once Dodd believed the plane could glide back to Vance, he turned off the engine. However, the board said, Dodd did not reset the angle of the propeller blades so that they wouldn’t slow the plane down, a process known as “feathering” the blades.

The additional drag from the blades caused the T-6 to lose speed and altitude more quickly than Dodd expected. When he banked the plane left at 45 degrees to try to land on a taxiway instead of the runway, its left wing struck the ground, leading the plane to roll and skid almost 600 feet before stopping in a grassy infield. Damage to the plane was set at $832,000.


Article: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/09/airforce_t6_crashreport_093008w/

[ramprat]

make that stupid ip a maint officer!

[schwag_guest]

Well...if he was a FAIP (first assignment IP) I really hope that they re-evaluate his potential to take control of a REAL airplane!

[The_Marley_Roger]

Interesting how you could bash the guy and not understand the liberal buffoonery of the author. It is NEARLY impossible to shut the T-6 engine down without the props going to auto feather. I argue it had little to do with pilot error that the prop didn't feather. And for you guys out there that don't understand what it means to not have a prop feather, its means your plane just turned into a winnebago midair.

But you know what FAIP means and this grants you license to bash this guy? Maybe you should be the maint. officer or E?

[The_Marley_Roger]

Oh and one more thing...the pilot CANNOT adjust the angle of the prop. A computer called the PMU does it for the pilots. it's an auto function. And what kind of clown says you 'turn off' an airplane? you 'turn off' your wife, not an airplane. Buffoonery, friends.

[10Man]

make that stupid ip a maint officer!
Why a maintenance officer?

[The_Marley_Roger]

make that stupid ip a maint officer!

i love maintainers.

[proud2bblue]

Lets see, he had a major power loss and in-flight emergency,not fooling around, still landed the plane and no-one died.
Hmmmm, sounds like he did a pretty good job. There would have been a bigger mess in the pilot seat if I had been flying it. :D

[ramprat]

strange! i ,,,i remember the check list has a "check feather" line.

[The_Marley_Roger]

he couldn't check feather because the boldface had him pull the Prop Sys Circuit breaker and even pratt and whitney didn't realize the prop would fail to feather when the boldface was executed.

The checklists and emergency procedures are being changed because of this discovery.

[ramprat]

looks like we are getting a nickels worth of info at a time ,instead the whole dollars worth.

[ramprat]

he couldn't check feather because the boldface had him pull the Prop Sys Circuit breaker and even pratt and whitney didn't realize the prop would fail to feather when the boldface was executed.

The checklists and emergency procedures are being changed because of this discovery.

now lets see,IF you pull the prop sys circut breaker ,the system wont work. (no shit!!! circut breakers
have had that effect since rickenbacker)
a real brilliant organization you got there and i know the crew chief does NOT do engine functional
checks in your organization apparently. talk to the prop shop you may learn something.

[FAIPhater]

Well...if he was a FAIP (first assignment IP) I really hope that they re-evaluate his potential to take control of a REAL airplane!

Sweet...another inappropriate stab at the FAIP. Being a FAIP has nothing to do with the IP's re-evaluation for follow on aircraft (FAIP or MWS) after this incident. The days of the dreaded FAIP slot are long gone. The lack of fighter seats has lead to an increase in desire for FAIP seats to re-assign at a later date. The end result is getting some top notch graduates in the instructor seat.

Yeah the T-6 is a real TOY too. It actually flaps its wings and runs on the FAIP's hot air. As far as "REAL airplanes" are concerned, it has a fully glass cockpit that some MWS aircraft have yet to upgrade too. Oh yeah, the controls are still actually hooked up to control surfaces (vs digital flight controls with a Pilot "vote") unlike EVERYTHING being built now for MWS aircraft. The T-6 is also going to start being armed and employed as a FAC platform starting with some Reserve units. But you're right, its a completely incapable aircraft unworthy of being called a "REAL airplane."

I'm curious, what is a "REAL airplane?" Just some food for thought.

[Venus]

The T-6 is a good airplane but will not get even close in the amount of flight time as its predessor the T-37 or take the abuse that a tweet took. Alot of pilots I have talked too about the Texan is that they are very leary about the engine .

[Laxman]

Well...if he was a FAIP (first assignment IP) I really hope that they re-evaluate his potential to take control of a REAL airplane!

I love when REMFs like to voice their opinion about operational matters...then they cant get mad at me when I tell them to go back to clerking shoes! (they still get mad though)