Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

Hello All,


On tuesday it was a perfect day, I was on my 3rd flight of the day and doing great with my trainer (buddy box). Then in the blink of an eye my plane and another plane collided Mid-air. The plane I hit had minor damage, lost wheel, chunk taken out of the wing, Aluminum spinner broke, etc. My plane looked like Times Square at the stroke of midnight on new years eve when it collided (confetti). I contacted Hobbico since there the ones who produce the Tower Hobbies .46 Trainer and they have asked me to send all the recovered pieces back, with a proof of purchase, unfortunately thats all they said so im not sure what that ment. I shipped it out yesterday, and there getting it today, Im really hoping they will help me out and replace it, which i understand they dont have to. I guess ill have to wait and see. Heres some pics of the aftermath.

ed

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

erusso,
Sorry to hear about your mishap. Unfortunately that is one of the bad parts of the hobby. Sometimes two planes try to occupy the same airspace at the same time, with results similar to yours. And it's never pretty, as you well know.

I'm not promising you that Tower will replace your plane. But I wouldn't be suprised if they did. They've got a long history of taking care of customers with little "suprises" like this. So hang in there.

Ken

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

Erusso,

How did the exchange between the other pilot and yourself go after the crash?

I was involved in a midair while still on the buddy box. I had no damage and the other guys plane was totaled.

I'm nervous now when there is a crowd in the sky. I'll start flying after work instead of sat. mornings due to the crowd..


Pop

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

Well, The guys plane I collided with was actually my Trainer. He was letting his nephew fly his with another trainer. I think I was more frustrated then he was. I didnt really know what to think but it never got negative. Ill probably have the same issue now, my club has offered to find me a trainer to use until i get another plane but now im shell shocked. Ill try to stay far away from other planes for a little bit.


ed

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

The odd thing about mid airs, if you guys were trying to hit each other, you wouldn't be able to do it.

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

Maybe this will help you feel better. I just got back from covering Florida Jets. There was a mid-air collision there between a F-86 Sabre and an Airmacchi MB-339. I missed the actually collision, but as you can see in these pictures that I did capture it wasn't pretty. Now I don't know the exact figure, but I would guess that this mid-air cost $10,000-$15,000 in damage between the two planes!!!!! [X(] [:@]

Feel any better????? :D:D:D

Ken

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

MUCH Better, Ken. Thank you haha. I think it's the confetti effect that really hits you hard. Why cant it come down in 2-3 pieces, not 100!



To W8ye, Quite a few people told me the same thing after the crash. And I believe it.

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

In the fall of 1969 my wife asked me about something exciting to do in the nature of a field trip for her 5th grade school kids. I suggested flying a RC model airplane on the large playground. There wouldn't have to be any school bus transportation arrangements.

So I contacted a guy who worked the night shift and he said he could be there on the suggested pretty day and time.

Everything was going well for a couple minutes until something happened within the plane and it did a full speed dive down through the big tree at the far southwest corner of the field. The little shreds of MonoKote glistened in the sun as they drifted away from the scene.

The kids all cheered and thought that was the best field trip venture they could have possibly done. One even asked the guy if he had another plane so he could crash like that again? They were all running around the tree picking up all the pieces for the pilot.

My wife felt really bad for the guy. That week end I met up with him at the hobby shop and expressed how sorry I was for the miss fortune. The bad part was that he had borrowed the plane from another guy. He was at the store to buy another plane to build for the owner of the crashed plane. There were no ARF's or RTF's in those days.

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

I hit a foamie with my 74" gas powered Yak.

The foamie disappeared in a cloud of dust like it got hit with an A/A missle.

Busted tthe prop on my gasser and the motor shook the front of the plane to pieces before the airframe did a flat spin into the ground.

It happens. Big sky, little airplane.

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

Well Ed, any crash is a bad one but just to make you feel better. I was the safety officer for the club the held the IMAA event in Calif. and often went out in the crash truck. To get an idea of the size of the planes flying at this event I will post a couple of shots at the inspection area then the crashs, the first crash is after a mid air. The pilot was very upset with the other pilot. Problem with that is they both have spotters that are supposed to be calling the other planes locations and not watching how well his pilot is flying. You also aren't supposed to do any stunts without calling it first. The second shot is of a 110 or 120 inch Bipe that lost the radio signal, did about 500 loops before it hit mother earth. That crash was a hard one to take, something like that taking out a couple of years of work. All the mid airs I have seen and only five planes up at one time with a spotter for each plane with miles of open sky. Don't feel too bad about your mid air, it happens to the best pilots in the world!!;)

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

Sorry to hear about your loss. Been there, done that, hope it doesn't happen again any time soon!

My son had a mid-air the day he would have solo'd. Once we built a new plane, he was flying like a grandmother, until we had the "It's just a plane" talk. He was afraid I would get angry if he crashed another, even though I told him all along it wasn't his fault, or anybody's fault, at least in this or most cases. It's kind of like riding a bike. Eventually you are going to fall and damage the bike. Mid-air's are tough, your baby is destroyed, but as it's pretty hard to avoid them because you don't have a good perspective view from the ground.

I hope that Horizon will help out.

What I learned from our mid-air was that we needed a few planes in the hanger. I also started building SPADs. It's hard to break them and easy and inexpensive to fix them when you do.

Jack

EDIT: Your wreck looks a lot like ours, except that ours also looked like someone blew up an M-80 (fireworks) in one side of the wing. It was totally toothpicked.

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

I landed once as another guy deadsticked, and he nearly killed my trainer. I had pulled of the edge of the runway since it died, but did get it off the runway. If he had hit me and tore up my plane, who would have been at fault if any?

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

At most fields a deadstick plane has the absolute right of way to the runway. If he was deadstick and you landed anyway it would have been your fault had he hit you.

Ken

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

I was already down when he called out deadstick, I couldn't get to the other end of the runway where my plane was before he came in.

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

Ed,

I could see how upset you were Tuesday, and I'm glad to hear that you're planning on coming back out next Tuesday. Hopefully there will be someone there with a trainer that you will be able to get some stick time on. My guess is that hearing of other mid-airs, some with very expensive planes involved does help put perspective on things but certainly doesn't bring your's back. Hopefully Hobbico will give you a pleasant surprise. Your's was the first unintentional mid-air that I've witnessed, but I've only been flying about a year. I have seen 3-5 guys with Strykers doing their best to take each other out for 10 minutes or so, and not being able to do so. It's doggone hard to do, even if you want to. I'm glad that you were able to get the engine cleaned out and running again. That leaves you the engine, transmitter, receiver, and 3 of 4 servos for either your Escapade or another trainer airframe assuming Hobbico doesn't come through for you. Let me know and I'll be glad to assist in helping you get your next one ready to fly.

My Alpha 60 lost it's engine at the firewall on it's maiden, but Horizon replaced it. Then after I'd solo'd and had 5 or 6 flights under my belt I managed to fall on it after it ran a few feet off the end of the runway after a deadstick. Turned my ankle and came down on it in a heap. It's on it's third fuse and I've never "crashed" it. You're welcome to it for a while if needed, but it's missing a nose wheel, and I've been concentrating getting the Cessna ready to maiden. Other than the nose wheel it's ready to go, and would need only you're Rx. My guess is we could have it ready to go in a couple of hours. I've got the parts, but have to replace the blind nuts in the firewall as someone who won't be named :eek:used the wrong loctite on them and they've twisted loose in the wood.

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

If already down and with a dead engine you just do the best you can. Clear the runway if possible. If in middle of runway remove it IF safe to do so, otherwise hope he misses you. If your plane is dead and stationary I would blame him as he should be able to miss one fixed object but you mostly have to pray.

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

Brett, ahh. I didn't realize you were already on the ground. Then I would say what bruce said.

Ken

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

If your plane is down, and not running, you cannot clear the runway.

If the other plane is dead it is absolutely coming in, and the pilot will not always be able to pick a great spot to touch down.

If a collision happened in a case like that I think it would "no fault" and each person would be on his own.

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

Thanks for the input folks. I received an email from Hobby Services in IL, I only have a work order up to this point, but ill be sure to check it out tomorrow for updates. *Fingers Corssed*


Bob,


I may take you up on that offer, hopefully i should know something by this weekend.

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

Its not much fun at all when mid air crashes occur I lost my T28 that way. The other guy came from underneath me and cut me in half. A brand new TT 91 FS was destroyed and every wire and servo also was destroyed. The guy didn't have the decency to talk to me just picked up his plane and left. I have flown since but am looking for a new club, I don't like the way they do things out there and in my opinion pilots get away with lots of things that are just plain dangerous.

I have a new T28, its still in the box and will eventually build it and fly it. At the moment am happy with my Tiger 60 and visitation rights to other clubs. Its a bit like riding a bike, if you fall off you just have to pick it up and get going again.

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

if you have a work order ill bet $100 you have a new plane.

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

Now that you mention it, They do have a work order set up that they sent me via email. It currently says Estimate/ Repair in Progess. Ill keep checking on it and see what happens.



edit* So far the service has been very good. I shipped it out on tuesday, they got it yesterday and immediantly sent me a notice that they received it and set up a work order.

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

Especially if you didn't provde them a credit card number to charge...;)

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

Nope, they didnt even ask for one. Heres the email they sent me after I explained the situation.


"Edward,
Thank you for your recent e-mail. I am sorry to hear about the issueyou have had.
All you would need to do is send in what is left with a copy of your sales receipt and a brief description of the issue.
You would send it to.

Hobby Services3002
N. Apollo DrSuite #1
Champaign, Il 61822 "


so thats what I did. Maybe the credit card number request is coming ;) (doubt it)

RE: Mid-Air Collision Aftermath
 

I have had a lot of mid-airs. All but one of them has been with earth. So far the good earth has shown no ill effects. Thankfully.

Bedford