----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, March 22, 2010 10:16
AM
Subject: [LML] Re: More on Ed Smith's
accident
I did some calculations- don't forget that
the prop FELL OFF. That and the loss of oil changed the W&B immediately
and dramatically.
I don't know how the plane was loaded so I
used W&B figures for a IV-P that Lancair had sent me and added guesses of
my own for fuel and baggage:
Weight
Arm
Mom Station
Empty-
2377
214876 90.40
Pilot-
170
98 16660
Co-pilot- 170 98
16660
50 gal
fuel
300
94.8 28440
25# backseat
25 129
3225
_________________________________________________________
Total
3042
279,861
91.99
So far so good. Now lose the prop.
Prop-
78
9
(est)
702
Spinner
2
9
18
Flange & bolts
2 12
(est)
24
8 qt
oil
14 30
(est) 420
_____________________________________________
96
1,164
____
______
Result:
2946
278,697
94.6
I estimated the weight of the spinner and
flange, the prop weight is Hartzell's value for a PHC-H3YF. I also made
my best guess of the arms from Hartzell and TCM info. Oil is a guesstimate
based on what I use in an IO-550. The CG limits for a IV-P are 86.5-
94.5.
If the Smiths weighed more than 340#
combined or if they had baggage in the rear the results would've been
worse.
Now imagine you're trying to fly a plane
that's out of the envelope, has known stall issues, and keeps trying to raise
its nose. All you could do would be to keep speed up to maintain elevator
authority. In addition, the engine oil would have immediately pumped out
of the crankshaft onto the windshield until the engine seized
up.
I hope I never have to try to match Ed's
accomplishment. I don't know what the situation was on the beach but I think
there was a combination of circumstances that led to the tragedy through
nobody's fault. -Bill
Wade