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Rv8 down in tehachapi

agent4573

Well Known Member
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.te...ba34c348-cdeb-11ea-8718-574aca2d3cea.amp.html


"A single-engine Vans RV-8 aircraft with one person aboard crashed onto the rooftop of a business near Tehachapi Municipal Airport in Tehachapi shortly before noon Friday.

The plane landed inside the heavily damaged business, and the Kern County Fire Department confirmed the pilot died.

A small fuel leak was quickly mitigated by the Kern County Fire Department. No explosion or fire was reported.

The crash occurred inside the Industrial Park located in the 400 block of North Greet Street located just outside the perimeter of the airport.

First responders included the Kern County Fire Department, with engines from Tehachapi, Golden Hills, Bear Valley Springs and surrounding community, Tehachapi Police Department, Hall Ambulance and Edison and Kern County Fire, Search and Rescue.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the accident. A cause was not known Friday afternoon.

No other injuries were reported by anyone of the ground."

<SNIP> Speculation removed per the Rules

This was the plane in question:
https://www.vansaircraft.com/first-flights/michael-phillipss-rv-8/

N138PM, out of whiteman.
 
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Flight Aware track is interesting. Flew straight from WHP to TSP in essentially a direct course - crashes on straight in to 29. Speed and altitude profile look reasonable for a straight in... I have two thoughts, but will wait for the final report.
 
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I was on short final and Mike looked to be having directional control issues on the runway. He was off to the right edge and he transmitted "Going around". I saw a puff of dirt which I assume was prop blast at the edge of the runway. As I rolled to a stop, I saw him about 30* off runway heading, nose up. It didn't look like he was accelerating. He disappeared behind the buildings, still nose up and wings wobbling.

I, stupidly, took off to see if I could spot him, which I didn't. Not very clear thinking, there. The guy who landed before Mike radioed and said I could use his truck. I returned for landing and had to chant "Make this landing" over and over to block out my panic for Mike. I went to the scene and there was nothing I could do for him other than tell the police and fire who he was and what I knew.

I don't know why he wasn't accelerating and climbing. I don't know why he didn't get his nose down. It was in the low 80s and 4000ft elevation. Angle valve and constant speed. Even if he didn't retract flaps, he should have been able to climb.

Having already made one bad decision, I felt it was prudent to leave my airplane in a hangar there and catch a ride home.

Sadly,

Ed Holyoke
 
I’m very sorry about your friend Ed.

Our newspaper (Bakersfield Californian)had an article and photo in today’s paper and my wife showed it to me.

Succinct and to the point without hyperbole.

My hangar neighbor reported that it was extremely bumpy later in the afternoon.
 
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Having already made one bad decision, I felt it was prudent to leave my airplane in a hangar there and catch a ride home.

Excellent decision! External stress (the S in IMSAFE) can do funny things to your flying that you may not be aware of. You stacked the deck in your favor.

By the way, one of the military flying teams cancels shows when there are external stressors. I don't recall the details, but there was a death at the airport and they canceled that day's show -- they wanted to fly with their full safety margins.

Again, excellent decision, great example for the rest of us.

Ed
 
ED,

Thank you for sharing your story. Sorry for the loss of your friend and for Mike’s family. A good decision to catch a ride home. Hopefully you will get back in the air soon, when you are ready of course.
 
Ed, I am very sorry to hear of the loss of your friend and for the great loss to his family.

I think many of us would have taken off in the same situation to look for our friend or a fellow pilot. Stepping away and catching a ride home was definitely the right thing to do.

If you wouldn't mind sharing if anyone sets something up for the family (go fund me, flowers, etc., I am sure many of us would like to do whatever we can).

Dan
 
Too soon to say about memorial or whatnot. Mike is survived by two brothers and two adult sons. I am currently taking point with dealing with the FAA to try and lighten the load on his local brother.

My intent is to retrieve my airplane tomorrow, final launch decision to be based on clear eyed assessment of my physical condition and ability to focus. I've got a ride lined up with a friend in his 7 and a wingman for the return flight.

Thanks for all the condolences. Mike was a great guy and you couldn't ask for a better friend. He was there during my build and for my first flight (and vice versa). I was the one who talked him out of building a Zenair Zodaic and into an RV. We helped each other build our engines. He was my A&P instructor and later on we taught A&P mechanic students together. He was my partner in inspections and maintenance on RVs. There's all of a sudden a huge hole in my life that I probably won't know the full extent of for some time to come. I am proud to have been his friend.

Love 'em while you got 'em, Fly 'em while you can.

Ed Holyoke
 
What a bummer. I learned to fly in Tehachapi. I've spent a lot of time thinking about what I would do if I lost the engine taking off of 29... there's not any good options if you've already turned crosswind.

Blue skies and tailwinds Mike.
 
Mike was a great guy and you couldn't ask for a better friend. He was there during my build and for my first flight (and vice versa). I was the one who talked him out of building a Zenair Zodaic and into an RV. We helped each other build our engines.

Ed Holyoke

A terrible tragedy for sure.

These photos of N138PM submitted to Vans Aircraft show that the plane was painted with a final paint scheme but that the engine cowl and gear fairings are only primed. Was there a reason for that.

https://www.vansaircraft.com/first-flights/michael-phillipss-rv-8/
 
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A terrible tragedy for sure.

These photos of N138PM submitted to Vans Aircraft show that the plane was painted with a final paint scheme but that the engine cowl and gear fairings are only primed. Was there a reason for that.

https://www.vansaircraft.com/first-flights/michael-phillipss-rv-8/

We had access to a paint booth and we both painted our tails, wings, and fuselages before moving them to the airport for assembly. I took my 6 to Oshkosh in O17 with primer on the cowl and wingtips and unpainted wheelpants and gearleg fairings. I've still got a couple of unpainted items and some touch up to do. Chipping away at it. I don't know why they call them homebuilt - they really are homebuildings.

Ed Holyoke
 
Thanks for the info clarifying the error in the NTSB report since you were the witness that they quoted incorrectly.

Sorry for the loss of your friend and prayers for his family.
 
TSP is in my back yard and I am very familiar. I've talked to several very knowlegable friends who watched this accident happen in real time and I can say that I still have more questions than answers. Not much chance this one has any possibility of being worked out on the forum. VERY interested in the final report.

I only hope the feds give this some real attention instead of issuing the typical "pilot failed to maintain control..." cop out.
 
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The prelim report is out.

https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/index.aspx

Scroll down and enter the following accident #WPR20LA237

They got one thing wrong. I said "very loose formation". >>>Mod deletion: Speculation. Please don't speculate, per VAF posting rules.<<<

Ed Holyoke

I see >>> Mod deletion: Speculation. Please don't speculate, per VAF posting rules.<<<

The post was made by the person in the other airplane that made the comment to the FAA/NTSB. He is pointing out the incorrect recording of his comments made to the FAA/NTSB.
 
I see >>> Mod deletion: Speculation. Please don't speculate, per VAF posting rules.<<<

The post was made by the person in the other airplane that made the comment to the FAA/NTSB. He is pointing out the incorrect recording of his comments made to the FAA/NTSB.

I suspect that the Mod deleted the sentence that was speculative in nature. He was not saying the whole post was speculation.
 
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