X-Mozilla-Keys:                                                                                 
Ernesto Sanchez wrote:

On Sun, 07 Nov 1999 05:42:31 GMT, dglauser@earthlink.net (David
Glauser) wrote:

The guy who put the KIS into the field gave a talk about the
experience to our EAA chapter. IIRC, he was a Navy pilot and had just
asked his girlfriend to marry him, then borrowed the Cruiser to fly to
Sacramento and tell her family. He was taking her father for his
first-ever small plane ride and lost the engine. The only available
place to put it down was a plowed field. This was during the El Nino
winter, and the field was DEEP mud. He did OK until he finally had to
put the nose wheel down, at which point the plane promptly flipped
over on its back. He kicked out a window and they climbed out. He
showed video of the recovery operation - everyone was walking funny
because they had enormous 20-pound "snowshoes" of mud clinging to
their feet. They had to remove the wings, then hire a helicopter to
lift the fuselage from the mud. A little repair, and the plane was as
good as new.

Incidentally, the engine was a Lycoming with only 200TT. The
crankshaft broke and threw a couple of pistons through the block.
Lycoming declined to provide any compensation, saying the engine was
out of warranty. The government folks investigating the accident, on
the other hand, were very interested, and asked to have the engine to
look at in their lab. Something about substandard manufacture, but
then, Lycoming would never let a substandard part go out, would they?

David

Well it is nice to know the roll over struture is strong on my KIS
Cruiser. Thanks Vance.

Paul Lamar
 
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