Near disaster!
- crbnunit
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Near disaster!
Well, I had an interesting experience today! Landed at a mountain strip this morning. It is at about 3800' and has a relatively steep, upsloping runway. The landing was uneventful, I taxied to the upper end and spun the plane around in preparation for departure. I am now looking at a fairly steep downslope to an even steeper drop-off at the end. The right side of the strip is uphill but the left is a steepening slope into a stream bed.
The plane is relatively stable but I chock the wheels just to be safe. I give it a tentative push and everything remained where I parked it.
I go off on a short hike, enjoying the above the tree line views and topography with 6000' peaks rising on three sides.
Starting back upslope toward the plane I watch in horror as a tail wind, which has picked up as I walked, supplied enough thrust against the wings to push the plane over the chock rocks! Note to self, Bushwheels require larger rocks...
The plane rolls forward a little, gaining speed, before turning a hard left to an even steeper slope and the stream bed about 50 yards down hill! There was no way it was going to make that trip without significant damage at the worst and a big stuck at best. I'm still about 1/4 mile away and there was squat I could do but watch at this point.
Fortunately, the area on either side of this strip is made up of tussocks (excellent wheel chocks). The plane rolled about 6' and stopped. Still freaked me out! Damn near had a heart attack running that last 200 yards!!
The plane is relatively stable but I chock the wheels just to be safe. I give it a tentative push and everything remained where I parked it.
I go off on a short hike, enjoying the above the tree line views and topography with 6000' peaks rising on three sides.
Starting back upslope toward the plane I watch in horror as a tail wind, which has picked up as I walked, supplied enough thrust against the wings to push the plane over the chock rocks! Note to self, Bushwheels require larger rocks...
The plane rolls forward a little, gaining speed, before turning a hard left to an even steeper slope and the stream bed about 50 yards down hill! There was no way it was going to make that trip without significant damage at the worst and a big stuck at best. I'm still about 1/4 mile away and there was squat I could do but watch at this point.
Fortunately, the area on either side of this strip is made up of tussocks (excellent wheel chocks). The plane rolled about 6' and stopped. Still freaked me out! Damn near had a heart attack running that last 200 yards!!
Last edited by crbnunit on Sun Aug 03, 2014 11:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Andy Young
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- wtxdragger
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Makes my stomach hurt thinking about it!
Mercifully Free from the Ravages of Intelligence
1989 M7-235 N90KD
1975 T210L N1675X
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1989 M7-235 N90KD
1975 T210L N1675X
2022 CCK-1865 N922UM
https://www.instagram.com/wtxdragger/
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- crbnunit
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crbnunit Thanks for sharing, when I first started flying I would always set one wheel brake with the thought that the plane would just weather vane in any wind if not able to tie down. I have wheel skis in the winter & since have become complacent in setting a brake at all in the summer. Thanks again for the eye opener.
- aero101
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I would suggest do not depend upon the parking brake as well... They can fail, bypass, small leak will bleed down, and otherwise become totally ineffective... Nothing like a good solid tiedown!!!
Jim
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