CT. Plane Crash

[RedRider]

Just found out after returning from Killington Last night, that I not only knew the couple on board the Cessna 182 that crashed North of Danbury, I worked with him (the pilot) for several years. He was only about a hundred feet short of making it into that soccer field, when he clipped the outlying trees!
I have flown with him, and he was an outstanding pilot, I guess he just ran out of luck and altitude.

http://www.news12.com/LI/topstories/article?id=139460

[KnuckleDragger]

Sad news.

here is the article for those that dont subscribe to news12:
http://www.recordonline.com/archive/200 ... bcrash.htm

[2knees]

sorry to hear that. I live right under some sort of flight path for brainard airport. I'm amazed some of those planes dont crash more frequently. Some of em sound like old lawn mower engines, sputtering and coughing their way to a landing. and they fly so low, i think i could throw rocks at them and knock em down.

[RedRider]

Thanks for posting the other link.

[TacklingSnowmenSteve]

those little planes can give you an uneasy feeling if you don't know what is going on...

[Mister Moose]

Just found out after returning from Killington Last night, that I not only knew the couple on board the Cessna 182 that crashed North of Danbury, I worked with him (the pilot) for several years. He was only about a hundred feet short of making it into that soccer field, when he clipped the outlying trees!
I have flown with him, and he was an outstanding pilot, I guess he just ran out of luck and altitude.

Sorry that had to happen. I had wondered if you had known him, I had read he was a Long Island tower controller. We all hate to lose one of the fold.

Although true engine failures are rare, it remains a bugaboo of single engine flying. I helped salvage a 152 deep in the woods near the Quabbin Resevoir that had run out of gas. After being stupid to run out of gas, he was brilliant on the crash. Came into the trees in controlled flight, flared and mushed into the tree tops just above stall speed. Came down snapping off branches, some as big as 4-5". Curled up the last 2 feet of each wingtip, busted out the windshield, collapsed the nose gear, and put a good dent in a wing as he slid down the last tree he came up against. Opened the door and walked out. No injuries. I think of that all the time when I contemplate engine failure. Virtually all singles have a decent chance if you impact something forgiving into the wind just above the stall speed, are belted in and there is no fire.

sorry to hear that. I live right under some sort of flight path for brainard airport. I'm amazed some of those planes dont crash more frequently. Some of em sound like old lawn mower engines, sputtering and coughing their way to a landing. and they fly so low, i think i could throw rocks at them and knock em down.

Old Wethersfield?

I know Brainard extremely well, and the approach over the MVD building area and Wethersfield pond is low... because the runway is only a quarter mile away. The'sputtering' you hear is likely constant power adjustments on the approach. Aircraft engines have prescribed overhaul times and specifications. All maintenance must be done and signed off by a licensed mechanic. Every airplane must have a detailed inspection of all systems every year (or more) or it is not legally airworthy. True mechanical failure is rare. Water in the gas, or no gas, happens much more often. (D'oh!)

Every couple of years residents of that area try to enforce curfews and restrictions. They usually moved there in the last few years, the airport has been there since airplanes had wheels. Lindberg landed there. I know of no accident into a residential area there, and the actual flight path for most flights is over the river, for both noise abatement and safety. All instrument approaches into Brainard come in over the river from Glastonbury. On visual approach, on what is called left traffic for Runway 4, flying in a 'close approach', small planes will fly over residential areas at 4-600 feet. If you can hit them with a rock, go try out for the Red Sox instead. There was the time Corporate Air put a Navajo into the MDC sludge pond, but that's another story.

[2knees]

.

sorry to hear that. I live right under some sort of flight path for brainard airport. I'm amazed some of those planes dont crash more frequently. Some of em sound like old lawn mower engines, sputtering and coughing their way to a landing. and they fly so low, i think i could throw rocks at them and knock em down.

Old Wethersfield?

I know Brainard extremely well, and the approach over the MVD building area and Wethersfield pond is low... because the runway is only a quarter mile away. The'sputtering' you hear is likely constant power adjustments on the approach. Aircraft engines have prescribed overhaul times and specifications. All maintenance must be done and signed off by a licensed mechanic. Every airplane must have a detailed inspection of all systems every year (or more) or it is not legally airworthy. True mechanical failure is rare. Water in the gas, or no gas, happens much more often. (D'oh!)

Every couple of years residents of that area try to enforce curfews and restrictions. They usually moved there in the last few years, the airport has been there since airplanes had wheels. Lindberg landed there. I know of no accident into a residential area there, and the actual flight path for most flights is over the river, for both noise abatement and safety. All instrument approaches into Brainard come in over the river from Glastonbury. On visual approach, on what is called left traffic for Runway 4, flying in a 'close approach', small planes will fly over residential areas at 4-600 feet. If you can hit them with a rock, go try out for the Red Sox instead. There was the time Corporate Air put a Navajo into the MDC sludge pond, but that's another story.

First i just wanted to say that i hope my post didnt come across as insensitive to the loss of a friend/colleague. Not what i was going for. I do live in old wethersfield very near the "pond" or wethersfield cove you refer to. I have no issues with the planes myself. I dont notice them half the time. My daughter is fascinated by them which is why i have started paying more attention lately. I grew up in old wethersfield and my parents have owned a business on Main street for 30 years so i am not a new resident by any stretch. There was an old crochety resident who knew the exact flight path these planes were supposed to take and every time one strayed off course he would call the airport and complain. He's no longer with us and to be honest most of us dont really seem to mind the planes. The only time i get pissed is when a real loud one takes off at 11:00 at night or so and basically pulls a u-turn over my house and wakes my kid up. You wouldnt love that either but it is extremely rare. In my opinion, i think it just adds a little to the neighborhood.

ps my fastball was clocked at 75 mph last summer and i dont think that's gonna get me signed by the sox. got a nasty slider i can still break off though.

edit: Thanks Dork. i was thinking it seemed WAY off.

[SkiDork]

really doubt these planes are always at 4000 to 6000 feet though.

he said hundred, not thousand

[Mister Moose]

First i just wanted to say that i hope my post didnt come across as insensitive to the loss of a friend/colleague. Not what i was going for. I do live in old wethersfield very near the "pond" or wethersfield cove you refer to. I have no issues with the planes myself. I dont notice them half the time. My daughter is fascinated by them which is why i have started paying more attention lately. I grew up in old wethersfield and my parents have owned a business on Main street for 30 years so i am not a new resident by any stretch. There was an old crochety resident who knew the exact flight path these planes were supposed to take and every time one strayed off course he would call the airport and complain. He's no longer with us and to be honest most of us dont really seem to mind the planes. The only time i get pissed is when a real loud one takes off at 11:00 at night or so and basically pulls a u-turn over my house and wakes my kid up. You wouldnt love that either but it is extremely rare. In my opinion, i think it just adds a little to the neighborhood.

I didn't think your comment was in the least insensitive.

Since you do live there, and have had a few noise incidents, here's a few ideas.

I haven't been to Brainard in a while so I'm not sure of the current noise procedures in effect, or the tower's hours.

If the tower is still open until midnight, get to know the controllers. The phone number is in the blue pages under US Dept of Transportation. Ask the Supervisor if noise abatement instructions are given prior to take off on 22, especially at night. Ask what signs are in place giving noise abatement routing. Ask about signs at the departure end and the first couple intersections (Smaller planes sometimes don't take off using the full runway length)

If you hear a loud takeoff overhead, likely the pilot turned on course too soon. Call the tower and ask the controller to ask the pilot not to do that again. If you live REAL close, a large airplane on takeoff at full power might seem pretty loud even if they fly out straight with no turns. In that case, it's the price of living there. This is very unusual anyway, as the length of the runway (4400 feet) plus the dike keeps most large aircraft out. Small executive jets and medium piston twins do come and go.

I come up with a maximum altitude of 87.9 feet for an upward release velocity of 75mph. You'll have to work on that arm to hit any planes.