170 News Article on Slips/Skids

[gfeher]

Jughead, great article in The 170 News on slips and skids. I think it has the best explanation I've read on the inherent characteristics/tendencies of slips and skids. With all of the current interest in loss of control avoidance, you should consider making it available to wider distribution. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.

BTW, I tried to send you an email, but it bounced back. Has your address changed?

[counsellj]

Thank You for the feedback. I am thankful that others find my articles informative. JugheadF15@yahoo.com is the valid e-mail.

Jughead

[Pdogace]

Jughead, I just wanted to say thanks for all your articles that you have put out. As a professional aviator myself I still enjoy reading and learning all I can. If you you ever have a long overnight in south Flordia, look me up and we will go buzz around some. I am 30 mins north of PBI, and hour 15 north of FLL driving time. Not sure where you guys fly into. Anyway merry Christmas and thanks for your articles.

Preston

[counsellj]

Preston,

We do fly into FLL, however I have never flown that trip. I prefer SE Alaska flying. Sitting in Anchorage right now with Freezing Fog and 5 degrees. However, if I do get a FLL layover I will definitely call.

Merry Christmas

Jughead

[GAHorn]

Jugheads article touches on "skids" in the traffic pattern as being especially dangerous, and of course, he's absolutely correct.
A few years ago we lost one of our long-time Members to what was likely just that...a skid at low altitude turning base-to-final. The Member, Earl Eastabrooks, was an experienced instructor, survivor of a shoot-down in a B-57 in Viet Nam and NASA Space Shuttle simulator instructor-pilot to the astronauts, yet he was likely unable to prevent such a low-level stall in time when a new owner of the Kit Fox they were flying was being checked-out in the airplane.

The weather was VFR but Easterly gusting winds, and the new owner was not current in any airplane. The seller was also the builder of the homebuilt (KitFox type) and Earl was asked to provide a "check out" so the new owner could fly it home to La. While I am only speculating on what occurred within the cockpit, as a CFI myself I can recall many instances where I took control of the aircraft (sometimes to the anger of the client) to prevent an excursion into dangerous territory.
I can imagine Earl allowing the owner of the aircraft maximum leeway, perhaps to the point of reluctance to "take over" from the new owner.
Witnesses said they watched the aircraft take off to the SE and disappear for about 30 minutes. I imagine Earl was getting the new owner familiar with handling characteristics, slow-flight and steep turns and perhaps a few stalls, before returning to the airport for pattern-work.
Witnesses said the aircraft entered downwind for the rwy, which placed the aircraft with a quartering tailwind. Turning base leg which placed the aircraft with a gusting tailwind, and turning final at less than a mile would have presented the aircraft with a cross-wind/over-shoot condition, leading to a possible left-skid. Witnesses said the aircraft quickly spun, crashed and burned. I can only speculate Earl's viewpoint, likely coaching the new owner to avoid the skid ...perhaps reluctant to take-over from the owner....only too late.
While I believe NTSB reports generally, I have discovered a few with what I believe are serious errors, including this one regarding the aircraft altitude and duration of the flight. Also, although Earl is listed in the report as the pilot-flying, I believe that statement was for insurance purposes by the seller. The clear purpose of the flight was to allow the buyer to become familiar with the airplane prior to his taking it home by himself. My opinions on this accident was formed after hearing witness comments which do not appear in the report. Anyway, here it is (with a link to the full report):
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Repor ... y&IType=LA
It's a type of accident I've witnessed twice first-hand. The first was a record-setting legal case at Hobby Airport in the 1970's in a Grumman Trainer during a commercial-rated pilot's check-out by the school CFI.... again, turning final from a tailwind-turn-left-crosswind... an accident blamed on "cross-control-stall"... a skid onto final with left rudder applied against right aileron in an attempt to "skid" onto final. No chance of recovery from the resultant spin at 500' altitude.
The second accident with virtually identical conditions in a C-150.

Thanks for the article Jughead. I wish we had the ability to create illustrations depicting airflow during these discussions.

[counsellj]

I wish we had the ability to create illustrations depicting airflow during these discussions.

I'm working on that George.

Jughead