Germanicus - 3-26-2005 at 02:53 PM
There is a "bush pilots bird" sitting on the Serenidad strip since last week.
Made a crash landing.
Wings damaged.
Landing gear broken.
etc.
Anybody has more info?
plane bust-up at Serindad
Pompano - 3-26-2005 at 03:17 PM
I go by that airstrip whenever I launch my small boat at the Serindad ramp and I noticed that damaged plane about a week ago. It happens so often I
never bothered to check on that particular event, but assume it was a hard, bad landing by a pilot coming too hot and into an unknown strip...maybe
something else, who knows? Lots of wind sheer events, also, which can be deadly.
Years ago cattle, dogs, people, pickups, pigs, etc. would clutter the runways and any old Baja bush pilot would always make a flyby to check things
out.
Just at the Serindad alone (not counting numerous mishaps at Pta. Chivato) I have known planes to flip on bumps, hit pickups, crash through fences,
overfly runway into river, mash into lighthouse fatality, race-dragging cars on the strip and stalling out at end into desert, stolen plane hit
mountain top and killing 2 plane-theives, flying in after dark to be arrested by federales, taxiing into others and chew up fuselages, pilots asleep
flying into Cortez, the list goes on. Made for great entertainment at Serinadad Saturday night pig roasts amongst the pilots.
Here's a photo of the most recent crash.
David K - 3-26-2005 at 04:49 PM
That is one of the best dirt strips on the peninsula... hard to imagine how that happened.
Don Johnson does a great job maintaining the strip... Isn't that right Capt. Mike?
Bruce R Leech - 3-26-2005 at 04:57 PM
I think the right landing gear did not deploy properly. and the plan spun on landing.
Nikon - 3-26-2005 at 08:47 PM
This is a Mooney. Mooneys have such clean aerodynamic design that a mere 5 kt over final approach airpseed will cause an overshoot on a short strip.
I've even seen one go off the far end at STS, which is 5200'.
I had an instrument student buy a Mooney, and it was left to me to go get checked out in one, so I could give instruction in it. Some of you might
remember Dan Olivier who had a house in Mulege. Dan told me quite explicity, "don't let your student carry more than 80 mph on final, these wings are
really slick"
After the third session with this doctor/student, we were both exhausted, and he was at 85 mph when he turned final. I thought there was time to
bleed it off later, only thing was, he didn't bleed it off. The flare was noticeably faster and he got on the brakes and stopped 15' from the end of
the 2100' strip. Both tires had to be replaced. They were two weeks old.
yes - all who have been into Serenidad
capt. mike - 3-27-2005 at 11:21 AM
especially the 3 whale weekends the BBP put on in march have said Don has the strip in the BEST shape it's ever been in, i have to concur - was there
10-13 mar, about 60 planes in for the 4 day event - always makes for some fun "observations"!
the wrecks happened (2 i think ) at whales III, the last weekend scheduled, 17-20 , if you want to read what happened....it's all over at the BBP
board.
And Nikon, you are right on about the specific need for speed control with the laminar flow wing design of a mooney. she'll float forever when you're
too hot coming in, and if you force it down prematurely it will porpoise - i know i had to practice a lot transitioning into my old M-20 F executive
from the hershey bar wing cherokee 180 i had been flying until i got the Mooney.
Bruce R Leech - 3-27-2005 at 11:30 AM
capt. mike can you post a link for bbp?
Succesfull Landing?
bajabum - 3-27-2005 at 01:51 PM
A few years ago I was driving along the little road on the way out to the Serinidad and a plane touched down on the run way next to us, bounced twice
then veered off to the side flipping over the fence and the road right in front of me. He landed upside down, got out and kicked the plane, and then
limped off to the serinidad cussing! They say any landing you walk away from is a succesfull one!
thanks
thebajarunner - 3-27-2005 at 02:43 PM
Thanks for the reference to Baja Bush Pilots.
Never saw it before, although some years back I was hooked on Arnold's little Baja Bible.
Glad to see it lives on.
Landed at Serinadad numerous times, never had the problems as noted.... guess we did not have enough "pops" prior to or during the flight. Hmmmmm.
Baja Arriba!!