[ARC5] B-17 Crash Near Hartford CT

Fri Oct 4 06:50:54 EDT 2019

>From an email that AOPA  sent out to its members:

The pilot, Ernest "Mac" McCauley, 75, of Long Beach, California, was the most experienced B–17 pilot in the country, with 7,300 hours in the aircraft, Homendy reported at an October 3 press conference. McCauley also served as the organization's safety officer, and was  <https://www.facebook.com/eric.whyte1/posts/10217682549007514> eulogized on Facebook by his friend and fellow Collings Foundation pilot Eric Whyte as a former football player "who took pride in being a curmudgeon" and loved dogs enough to sneak away to animal shelters during tour stops and walk the dogs "since being on the road he couldn't have one of his own."

Co-pilot Michael Foster, 71, of Jacksonville, Florida, also died in the crash. The third crewmember, Mitchell Melton of Dalhart, Texas, was injured and hospitalized after the accident.

From: arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net <arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Doran Platt
Sent: Friday, October 4, 2019 5:26 AM
To: ARC-5 Mail List <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ARC5] B-17 Crash Near Hartford CT

Well, in reality I guess I knew that.  What do they call the exotic fuels now?  How about the ADI fluids?  Of course my lowly O-360A used 100LL pretty well.  I remember the transition to low lead.  Miracle the R-series big engines can effectively operate.  But, I guess they must.  K3HVG

On October 4, 2019 at 4:50 AM Francesco Ledda <frledda at att.net <mailto:frledda at att.net> > wrote: 

Yes, but it is not available. 100LL can be used at reduced manifold pressure to avoid pre ignition. Reduced MP means less power. Preignition can quickly destroy an engine.  

Sent from my iPad

On Oct 4, 2019, at 03:40, Doran Platt < jeepp at comcast.net <mailto:jeepp at comcast.net> > wrote: 

Didn't thse engines need 115/145 avgas?

On October 4, 2019 at 12:21 AM Mark K3MSB < mark.k3msb at gmail.com <mailto:mark.k3msb at gmail.com> > wrote: 

NTSB Press Briefing 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoLU-I6C4Uo#action=share

Pilot radioed ATC they had a problem with an engine.  NTSB has the engine. 

Fuel sample in right wing -- 100 LL 
A/C made initial contact with the approach lights about 1000 ft from threshold end of RWY 06;  hit 30 approach lights total. 

73 Mark K3MSB 

On Thu, Oct 3, 2019 at 8:52 PM Peter Gottlieb < kb2vtl at gmail.com <mailto:kb2vtl at gmail.com> > wrote: 

The NTSB investigators are very good and I'm sure they will be thorough and 
figure out what happened. 

Peter 

On 10/3/2019 8:45 PM, CARL HUETHER wrote: 
> 
> I suspect a very few (thankfully) on here are fueled with adult beverages and 
> are unable to control their fat mouth from spewing venom. 
> 
> 
> 
>> On October 3, 2019 at 7:54 PM Peter Gottlieb < kb2vtl at gmail.com <mailto:kb2vtl at gmail.com> > wrote: 
>> 
>> Well like one person suggested, it may have been fueled with jet-a. Easy to 
>> determine. 
>> 
>> 
>> Peter 
>> 
>>> On Oct 3, 2019, at 7:18 PM, Mike Bracey < mikebracey at att.net <mailto:mikebracey at att.net> > wrote: 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> It sounds like the pilot might have stalled the plane trying to make it back 
>>> back to the field. The mystery is why was he losing power. A B-17 will fly 
>>> all day on 3 engines. The first rule is fly the plane. After control is 
>>> established, cut the fuel to the bad engine, feather the prop and pull the 
>>> fire bottle. Then make the pattern to a normal landing. Most air disasters 
>>> are caused by a sequence of events rather than one thing. I'm thinking this 
>>> will be the same. It will be interesting to see what the investigation turns up. 
>>> 
>>> Mike 
>>> KE5YTV 
>>> 
>>> On Thursday, October 3, 2019, 3:18:03 PM CDT, Richard Knoppow 
>>> < 1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com <mailto:1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com> > wrote: 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>     Yes, this makes sense. I meant only that a single engine 
>>> going out does not sound like running out of fuel although it 
>>> could still be a fuel problem such as a leak or something else 
>>> that would prevent fuel from getting to the engine. Might also 
>>> account for the fire. 
>>> 
>>> On 10/3/2019 12:59 PM, gordon white wrote: 
>>> > Engine failure on takeoff is not usually from running out of oil, 
>>> > but maximum power used  briefly on takeoff (METO) is more than 
>>> > allowed for cruise, and takeoff power does stress an engine. A 
>>> > cylinder on a radial can come loose from the crankcase, or a 
>>> > piston break. I was on a DC-7 that lost an engine and it was 
>>> > pretty scary. The unbalanced forces from losing an engine are 
>>> > difficult to control. The pilot has to feather the dead engine, 
>>> > deploy the fire extinguishers (and not feather the wrong engine) 
>>> > in a very brief period of time. Some light twins, if you lose one 
>>> > engine on takeoff you can be flipped upside down if you don't cut 
>>> > the other one. 
>>> > 
>>> >   - Gordon White 
>>> > 
>>> > 
>>> 
>>> -- 
>>> Richard Knoppow 
>>> 1oldlens1 at ix.netcomcom <mailto:1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com>  <mailto: 1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com <mailto:1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com> > 
>>> WB6KBL 
>>> 
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