SWC Harrison's Plane Crash

http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/...ed-Ford?WT.mc_id=150814epilot&WT.mc_sect=news

National Transportation Safety Board has concluded that a fuel metering jet in the carburetor came loose and caused his engine to lose power. And it sounds like his shoulder harness was not up to par and tore out with the impact, which made his injuries worse. That plane was built in an era when only lap belts were required, so the shoulder harness was a kind of jury rig installation. That's pretty common on old planes.

(Mods, I'm sure there's at least one thread about his crash-landing, but I searched and didn't find it. Feel free to move/merge this wherever.)

 

I wonder how long it will be before he starts flying those kind of vintage planes again (or maybe he already has)?!

 

Doesn't surprise me He's amazing! (Though I'm sure if I were Calista, I'd feel the same way...)

 

He's been one of the big faces of general aviation for years. By all accounts I've read, he's a serious, safe, conscientious, and skilled pilot, and gladly donates time and energy to keep flying widely available to the little people in aviation, even testifying to Congress on the safety aspects of private flying. No way is he going to let one forced landing keep him grounded.

 

I still say the crash was Jabba's spirit getting revenge

 

Does anyone know if he will be (or already is) flying vintage planes again?

Edit: just saw this concluding line in the article:

Ford’s wife, actress Calista Flockhart, said during an Aug. 10 public appearance that she continues to support her husband’s passion for flying “100 percent,” though the accident “was a really hard, scary time.”

That's great that he does have her support! It would be hard for me at times, too but I wouldn't want to keep my spouse from something he was that passionate about, either.

 

One of his favorite planes is his own DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver, the same kind of old bush plane he flew in the movie 6 Days & 7 Nights. IIRC, that's a design that goes back to the 50's.

 

MJ

 

The latest issue of Plane & Pilot magazine has an article about Ford's plane crash. It includes Ford's own description of the accident:

According to witnesses he struck a treetop about 65 feet high, but maintained control and managed a well-controlled crash-landing next to the 8th tee of the Penmar golf course.

Since this was a high-profile event, the FAA investigated more thoroughly than they usually do for a small plane crash. The cause of the engine failure was not obvious, but eventually they disassembled the carburetor and discovered that the main metering jet was unscrewed from its seat and turned 90 degrees, which leads to an extremely rich fuel-air ratio and floods the engine. There were no maintenance records of carburetor inspections since 1998 on this plane, which was built in 1942 and restored in 1998.

The plane was built with lap belts only; shoulder harnesses were not required safety equipment in 1942. At some point, shoulder harnesses were installed, but they were only attached to the thin aluminum of the lower seat back. During the crash, the harnesses tore loose, contributing to the severity of Ford's injuries: cuts and gashes on his head, and broken bones.

Ford has a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and sea, multi-engine land, helicopter, and instrument airplane. He is type-rated in Cessna 525 and 680 jets. He had logged 5000 total flight hours, including 75 hours in the 1942 Ryan ST3KR Sport Trainer (military designation PT-22 Recruit). He also owns a Cessna Citation business jet, a 1929 WACO biplane, a Bell 407 helicopter, and DHC-2 Beaver.

Plane & Pilot writer Peter Katz:

 

I'm going to merge this with the existing thread on the topic, but yeah from all accounts he handled a bad situation wonderfully.

 

Thanks, Bardan, I forgot to look for the other thread.