X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from [162.39.147.111] (HELO pacmmta52-srv.windstream.net) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.3.8) with ESMTP id 4400625 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:10:57 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=162.39.147.111; envelope-from=montyr2157@windstream.net Return-Path: X-WS-COS: WSOB804 X-Cloudmark-Category: Undefined:Undefined X-Cloudmark-Analysis: v=1.1 cv=ryV/A0AJVPfCXNKdhazlC2AochHxYMGhwiH7T4PBZbc= c=1 sm=0 a=icvD4VJAi3wA:10 a=N8B9JuSIAAAA:8 a=pedpZTtsAAAA:8 a=Ia-xEzejAAAA:8 a=Ext4WU1QAAAA:8 a=HKv_PQMLIacp0Ggge3wA:9 a=H7c5jhxf6HfwzGS3oKYA:7 a=omyWMZp8QOZfZvr0HkAC3Xawm-wA:4 a=pILNOxqGKmIA:10 a=d9KQlpdIGKIA:10 a=eJojReuL3h0A:10 a=EzXvWhQp4_cA:10 a=pGLkceISAAAA:8 a=DdlBysKKZJhyEQV9nRUA:9 a=xwtO7cc5ERh5E6MLCbwA:7 a=nCQFzNJnLeKE380KC6t9DeYmXtYA:4 a=MSl-tDqOz04A:10 a=wrNGQDKrK0kdIWYBW81Q1g==:117 X-Cloudmark-Score: 0 Authentication-Results: pacmmta52 smtp.user=montyr2157; auth=pass (LOGIN) Received: from [98.20.237.52] ([98.20.237.52:60428] helo=newbox) by pacmmta52 (envelope-from ) (ecelerity 2.2.2.45 r()) with ESMTPA id F3/8A-25562-DEA364C4; Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:10:21 -0400 Message-ID: <9653425B141445E69E53FA2EA3697B60@newbox> From: "MONTY ROBERTS" To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" References: Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: Mike Wills Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:10:19 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0092_01CB283F.31B29930" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.5931 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5931 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0092_01CB283F.31B29930 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Mike seemed like a very thorough craftsman and technically very savvy as = well so I'm sure he maintained the aircraft. The aircraft was a Schreder = hp18. A homebuilt sailplane with a few things known to cause trouble. = If I remember right, he didn't build the airplane. One of the known = problems was with the tail retention pins. It also has a bonded aluminum = skin with foam ribs that has been known to cause trouble. My first = thoughts were structural failure in a serious gust while racing for the = gap in the ridge. Big wings lead to big gust loads. I've banged my shins = on the instrument panel a few times. Its all speculation, but it sounds = like structural failure or clipping a wing on the side of a cliff after = the tail came loose. There is always that golden bb out there, but I'd = give Mike the benefit of the doubt as well. landing out in a glider is = fairly common and can be exciting, but they land slow and picking a spot = is a lot easier than with a powered aircraft. Monty ----- Original Message -----=20 From: David Leonard=20 To: Rotary motors in aircraft=20 Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 6:48 PM Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Mike Wills I would take that thought to the next level and submit that the likely = cause of the crash is structural failure in flight. Mike was definitely = a good enough pilot to make any crash landing near stall speed, which = has to be what, less than 30mph? While certainly fast enough to be be = fatal it is unlikely to be fast enough to "spread debris over a wide = area", separate the tail enough that it is no where near the crash site, = and make the victim "unrecognizable". Loss of the tail in flight = explains all that, and also why he was not able to at least get to a = more suitable landing area. Also possibly provides an explanation for = why he did not follow his friends over the ridge, but tried to find a = closer place to put it down. RIP Mike, we miss you. --=20 David Leonard Turbo Rotary RV-6 N4VY http://N4VY.RotaryRoster.net http://RotaryRoster.net On Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 2:29 PM, Bill Bradburry = wrote: I didn=92t know Mike, but have been saddened by his loss. I was = very impressed by his rotary install. The picture of the glider helps to understand a report that I read = that the tail had broken off the glider. I was thinking that it would = take more than a tree to do that, but the tail boom in the picture looks = like it could be broken fairly easily if the plane wing hit and the = plane was snapped to the side. I am confused though, by the report that = it is a motorized glider. I don=92t see any propeller and if it was = truly motorized, why would he not have been able to extend a glide to = the airport? Bill B -------------------------------------------------------------------------= --- From: Rotary motors in aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] = On Behalf Of David Leonard Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 12:55 PM=20 To: Rotary motors in aircraft Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Mike Wills I just heard the news this morning and am very shocked and saddened. = Mike was one of my closer friends in the rotary community and a big = inspiration for me to get started. His workmanship on his RV-4 was = constant source of higher goal-setting for me. We previously owned a = C-140 together to get our tailwheel experience for flying our RV's. He = was always a very careful and conscientious pilot.=20 His house is in Spring Valley (East County San Diego) and he leaves = behind his wife and children. =20 Here is another article I found: = http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700049229/California-pilot-believed-de= ad-from-crash-in-Tushar-Mountains-in-Southern-Utah.html Attached is a picture of mike with his sail plane and his RV-4 in = the background. I will miss him very much and my thoughts are with his family. --=20 David Leonard Turbo Rotary RV-6 N4VY http://N4VY.RotaryRoster.net http://RotaryRoster.net ------=_NextPart_000_0092_01CB283F.31B29930 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Mike seemed like a very thorough = craftsman and=20 technically very savvy as well so I'm sure he maintained the aircraft. = The=20 aircraft was a Schreder hp18.   A homebuilt sailplane = with a few=20 things known to cause trouble. If I remember right, he didn't build the=20 airplane. One of the known problems was with the tail retention = pins. It=20 also has a bonded aluminum skin with foam ribs that has = been known to=20 cause trouble. My first thoughts were structural failure in a serious = gust while=20 racing for the gap in the ridge. Big wings lead to big gust loads. I've = banged=20 my shins on the instrument panel a few times. Its all speculation, but = it sounds=20 like structural failure or clipping a wing on the side of a cliff after = the tail=20 came loose. There is always that golden bb out there, but I'd give Mike = the=20 benefit of the doubt as well. landing out in a glider is fairly common = and can=20 be exciting, but they land slow and picking a spot is a lot easier than = with a=20 powered aircraft.
 
Monty
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 David=20 Leonard
Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 = 6:48=20 PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Mike = Wills

I would take that thought to the next level and submit that the = likely=20 cause of the crash is structural failure in flight. Mike was = definitely a=20 good enough pilot to make any crash landing near stall speed, which = has to be=20 what, less than 30mph?  While certainly fast enough to be be = fatal it is=20 unlikely to be fast enough to "spread debris over a wide area", = separate the=20 tail enough that it is no where near the crash site, and make the = victim=20 "unrecognizable".  Loss of the tail in flight explains all that, = and also=20 why he was not able to at least get to a more suitable landing = area. =20 Also possibly provides an explanation for why he did not follow his = friends=20 over the ridge, but tried to find a closer place to put it down.
 
RIP Mike, we miss you.
--
David Leonard

Turbo Rotary RV-6 N4VY
http://N4VY.RotaryRoster.nethttp://RotaryRoster.net


<= /DIV>
On Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 2:29 PM, Bill = Bradburry <bbradburry@bellsouth.net>= =20 wrote:

I = didn=92t know Mike,=20 but have been saddened by his loss.  I was very impressed by = his rotary=20 install.

 

The = picture of the=20 glider helps to understand a report that I read that the tail had = broken off=20 the glider.  I was thinking that it would take more than a tree = to do=20 that, but the tail boom in the picture looks like it could be broken = fairly=20 easily if the plane wing hit and the plane was snapped to the = side.  I=20 am confused though, by the report that it is a motorized = glider.  I=20 don=92t see any propeller and if it was truly motorized, why would = he not have=20 been able to extend a glide to the airport?

 

Bill=20 B

 

From:=20 Rotary motors in aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of David = Leonard
Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 = 12:55 PM=20


To: Rotary=20 motors in aircraft
Subject:=20 [FlyRotary] Re: Mike Wills

 

I just heard the news this morning and am = very=20 shocked and saddened.  Mike was one of my closer friends in the = rotary = community and a=20 big inspiration for me to get started.  His workmanship on his = RV-4 was=20 constant source of higher goal-setting for me.  We previously = owned a=20 C-140 together to get our tailwheel experience for = flying our=20 RV's.  = He was=20 always a very careful and conscientious pilot.

His house is in Spring Valley (East = County San=20 Diego) and he leaves behind his wife and children. =20

 

Here is another article I=20 found:

 

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700049229/California-pilot-= believed-dead-from-crash-in-Tushar-Mountains-in-Southern-Utah.html

Attached is a picture of mike with his = sail plane=20 and his RV-4 in the background.

 

I will miss him very much and my thoughts = are with=20 his family.

--
David Leonard

Turbo Rotary = RV-6=20 N4VY
http://N4VY.RotaryRoster.net
http://RotaryRoster.net



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