CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE in the middle of nowhere - The Story
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- Опубликовано: 20 сен 2024
- The story of my first catastrophic engine failure in my airplane, well first engine failure or forced landing period. I definitely learned a lot from this experience. I will be following up with another video in the future on what I learned from all this, and a few things that kept me sate.
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The Gear I use:
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DJI Osmo stabilized cam - goo.gl/d5FcnE
DJI Osmo extension cable - goo.gl/9pyefZ
The drone I use - goo.gl/EP9d5b
Thanks for all the kind comments guys! Sorry I haven't been replying to all of them, work has me bogged down at the moment so I will do my best to catch up and will get back to making videos soon!
Trent Palmer I am a aircraft maintenance engineer from Holland. The failure could have something to do with beaching. A little crack not smaller than a hear getting bigger over time. Check with your N.D.T. specialist if this could have bin the case.
Have fun flying!!!!
Trent Palmer music? Artist? Song names?
Come look at D-Motor while you are in Oshkosh this year.
At least you didn't have to replace fuel injectors on a ww2 B17 flying fortress and At least you can load your plane on a trailer just the wings barely fit on a semi truck trailer
Can your install forged connecting rods in near future? Maybe have heads rebuilt also. Get all the internal seals and metal parts upgraded to higher quality metals
"the fan in front of an aircraft is just there to keep the pilot cool. In fact, you can see as soon as it stops, the pilot starts sweating". This one is perfect for this situation
i just made that comment.. then i read the comments and see you did it 7 months ago -_-
Also the pilots posterior tends to grab the seat cushion with great force
Unoriginal
It also keeps the rain off the windshield.
SURVIVAL TIP: When walking in bear country at least carry pepper spray and attach small bells to your clothing to let bears know of your presence well in advance so as to not startle them. It also helps to be able to distinguish black bear scat from the more dangerous brown (grizzly) bear scat. Black bear scat usually has lots of berry seeds but may contain small bits of animal fur. Brown bear scat smells like pepper spray and has small bells in it.
An oldie but a goodie.
LOL
Bears aren’t that tough. I usually go poop in my pants immediately, like a survival instinct. The bears usually smell it and run away from me. Its saved me a few times. (jk)
Or go with friend you can outrun!
@@boatrvme8478 yepper, the wife loves to go on hikes.
I love seeing how friends, family and total strangers can come together and help. The guys fishing, the guy from Kitfox, all the Cowboys, all put their lives on hold and jumped in, no questions asked, no expectation of payment, just made it their problem as well and bent over backwards. Love it!
I can just imagine: Survives emergency landing... Gets busted by game warden for fishing without a license...! Great story.
Kurt Buck wouldn't that be something?
Hahahaha
69 likes haha
So much freedom in America
@@carsandstuff365 most countries require a fishing license, and of all the things that you can have licensed, licensing for wildlife conservation seems pretty important to me.
D W paying money to a corporation for the privilege makes it important does it ? How does that change anything. Literally paying money to someone and they say ok you can do that now lol .. brain washed much
I'm a Paramedic/Wilderness-EMT of 20+ years here in the PNW as well as a former Firefighter and an avid rafter and back-country explorer... I've seen many high-stress situations in my career/life. I gotta say man, good on ya for keeping your composure. That's the the first and often most important thing in ANY emergency. Glad you got down safe and got home... Really stoked to have found this channel.
Thanks man!! 🙏🏻 and welcome to the channel!
All good videos start with "awe f**k"
I start everyday with an "awe F**k"
@@ninejets 😂
ninejets 😐
@@ninejets haha lol
NEVER apologize for a long video
🤓 I cant help it, I come from the short form video world where anything beyond 3-5minutes is too long... haha
long videos the new wave
Apologize if it's 3-5 minutes lol
Too long? Never! It's great to hang out with you. Longer video just gives more time for coffee.
well, structurally this is effectively a compilation of a number of short videos,
a. Engine failure - reaction analysis (how I got down)
b. getting myself, the plane, out of wherever i was *(recovery operation)
c. repair/test flying the new setup
d. incident analysis (what went wrong)
...all very beautifully compiled into one video....
Your wife cried when you landed, cried when you got home, and cried when you got the engine bill....
Nelson Ashbrook lol: cried most when the bill arrived!!
That made me chuckle
LOLLLL
Cool 😎
I know this was two years ago, but I must comment on Trent's ability to present a story about such an event on a platform like RUclips. He is not only gifted in many ways related to his work and hobbies, but can also hold the attention of viewers when talking. His knack for verbal eloquence borders well into the silver-tongued category - smooth, clear and crisp. When you listen carefully, you will get a rich content of information so well constructed as to be almost poetic... and never dull. Very few fast-talkers can hold your attention like he does.
As a fellow member of the "silent minority" (those who found themselves behind a dead engine), I understand the angst and confusion that comes out of this. The O-360 in my RV8 got junk in the carb, went full rich and at 10,000', that is no bueno. It flooded out and stopped totally on the turn to final to a THANKFULLY nearby airport. Best landing I ever made, actually. The old A&P running the fbo gave me full use of his tools and after finding the offending blob of sealant, I was good to go. I took me a while to "trust" the airplane again. I sold that airplane years later and now fly an Evektor Sportstar, behind a stock, 100hp 912 ULS. As much as I dearly could use more hp where I live (high and hot in NM), I'll leave the engine alone and do exactly as instructed by the Rotax manual. Fly safely.
Brian D Yeah, those engineers built it the way they did for a reason. Smart move.
Yes exactly. Performance and reliability are two opposite sides of the spectrum ...
Damn man. I’m a 44 year old man and hearing you explain your fear and worry for your wife’s feelings about the situation brought tears to my eyes. Very unexpected. I have felt what you are feeling in this video in a similar situation. It’s the panic that will kill you at the beginning. Control that as you did and a horrible ending is avoided. Do not become bold due to your escape from death. Glad you are safe.
@kryptoday well, not many. The last of the surviving pilots from the Doolittle raid just died at over 100. If they weren't bold there's no such thing 😀.
Just messaged my friend, "Finally watched Trent's video. Pretty cool how everyone rallied to get him out of the field. Also pretty cool that the random guys he found weren't serial killers." Thanks for sharing everything so honestly.
Now most important of all - - Did Trent catch a FISH?
no didn't have a fishing license.
As a young private pilot just a check ride away from an instrument rating, YOU are the pilot I strive to be like! We're glad you're safe and sound. Blue skies and tailwinds wingman.
"If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it's an outstanding landing."
The good ol' classic
Hey Bud. I used to test engine mods years ago and have lost an engine 17 times -- 3 times very unexpectedly and not always in a good place. But I relied on my training when I used to shut the engine down to make a 180 onto a dirt strip parked with a line for accuracy. Yes--competition. I now consider it "SP" - "Standard Procedure" when an engine fails. Heart rate normal. No sweat. Just fly. Glad you made it down safe but the more you actually go through the motions, the more comfortable you'll get. So, am glad you're safe and your pants were reusable.
I love it when I see people stop what they doing and come help out a person in a jam.. I just don’t see people helping people that much in my hometown but when ever I get a chance to go to the beach in Daytona Florida people from all over come together to help push trucks and cars that get stuck in sand..
Especially the CEO of Kitfox Aircraft!!! That's called CUSTOMER SERVICE. Can't wait to order mine.
It’s because it’s Idaho. We do that around here
Jake Pinson ❤️
A very frank and self-critical analysis of what happened and how you dealt with the incident as it unfolded. That is how people really learn from their experiences as opposed to simply patting themselves on the back and assuming they handled it perfectly. Good job and a great video - helps us ALL! P.S What an utterly BEAUTIFUL place to be stranded and what great guys you ran into!
"I think we just found the problem"
- Massive gaping hole in engine
Yea, yea I'd say that's a problem
The Fumbler no lol it was a snapped piece
Nvm ur right lol
Here is my 2 cents. You said the engine started humming, and then bang; stopped. That bang stop is probably when the connecting rod sheared. But the humming cant be discounted. It sounds like they had cracked, and just happened to shear on an intake stroke. I'd be willing to bet that adding the additional 40 horses to a very old 80 horsepower engine is what did it in. Now, its probably just bad luck. But if you wanted to point a finger at what caused the problem, that is what I think is likely. The prop strike sounds like it was benign.
Really great video by the way. Sounds like you handled it like a champ. I just found this, so I've subscribed.
Props Trent! I'd fly with you any day.
It's always good to know you have great friends that will help you when you are in need.
Dude you have great friends. I'd just be bones laying out in nowhere's dirt. Glad you're safe.
Hey Trent, just found your channel and watched this video. You have inspired me to re-engage what I love most. Had a near fatal and got spooked. Gonna get back in the saddle and fly free again, thanks Subscribed with out thought, great work. BE FREE BRO.!!
Youre truly blessed........ my wife either wouldve told me to come straight home commercial, or she’d fly out there to me just to beat me with a rubber hose. 🤣 glad youre ok!
This is exactly why must never stop practicing your emergency drills. A simulated engine failure to landing rather than just a touch and go pays dividends. I fit the 912 and the 914 to autogyro s so comfortable with this engine and know how good it is. Just fly safe mate.
I love the aviation community. So many people I know in the sport would drop everything for a fellow aviator in need. Great story Trent, glad everything worked out so well.
Wow. What an amazing group of friends that helped turned a disaster into quite an adventure.
10:09 *wings fold back during flight*
*trent*: yah, so I just turned into a missile...
Underrated comment
thats the "High Performance Mode" option
I suspect the most likely cause of the failure you experienced was that the engine had been badly over-revved in the past, which might explain why it had been removed from the previous aircraft. It shows how careful you have to be using used components in an aircraft, there's no shoulder at 3000 feet...
Damn Trent- glad you are ok! You are a true videographer, you seized the opportunity to film the guy fishing to allow you to tell a complete story. What a story it was...
The narration at the beginning..the description of the feelings of what happened and what it felt like, is normal reactions to a very stressful situation..yes, as former military I've put one down where I fully didn't expect to before. You were a bit down on yourself for some of the decisions, but in the end you made the right ones, and that is what is important..you didn't change from the dirt track you flew too, and you were lucky to find that..but the important thing is you took care of the situation in a skilled way, you also grew as a pilot and as a person from it. Plus you gained valuable experience on your powerplant..and what you will accept for your new-to-you one going forward, and that should serve you well in the future..now apologize to your girl., and others you scared ;) and keep flying.
niceguy217 well said. I agree on all points.
Gotta always have a satellite phone in your plane man, it’s always a must have in your cabin and other emergency equipment at all times, number 1 rule in the outback in aus
An Inreach satellite communicator can provide two-way text communication over the satellite telephone network and the cost of the unit and subscription plans are a fraction of what a satellite phone would cost. I believe that Spot offers a two-way text option on some of the new models as well. I don't know if these are an option in Australia however.
I know this is an older video, but the really important question is, did you catch any fish?
Glad all turned out well.
It gives me a warm feeling to see so many good people who know their onions turn up for the rescue.
So many miracles in one day. It makes your bit of bad luck seem trivial. Lessons learned, friendships forged. A pretty damn good day overall !! Glad your safe. Three cheers and free beers to all those who came to your aid.
Big kudos on keeping your head together under great stress and putting her down. You’re blessed to have a community around you instantly coming to your aid. Says something about relationships you’ve built.
It sad, that cameras was off. But safety first! When every second counts, it's better to think how you can save you life and may be a plane, instead of how "make a cool movie". Congrats to your new second birthday, Trent :)
Definitely ditch AT&T and go with Verizon out here in the boonies.
Trent you have an amazing support network around you. I'm glad you were ok after this! I have been thoroughly enjoying your channel and have worked my way back to some of your older videos. Your channel has inspired me to get my license and reach out to local kitfox owners here in Australia. Hoping to one day own a kitfox and surround myself with great aviators like you have. Cheers.
When ever I do business with people I make a real effort to be considerate and pleasant. I very rarely haggle. Someone states a price and we have a choice to accept it or walk away. In return like you when ever I have had a problem I find the vendor is keen to help and collectively we sort it out and most importantly retain the relationship.
Trent you clearly have the same values. In this instance that paid dividends, which is a reflection of you as person. Well done.
I doubt very much they would do that for everyone but anyone who has been fair to deal with could expect the same. That's how life works.
Great Video and kudos to all those that honored this friendship.
Foardhook What's wrong with haggling? I don't completely bend someone over, but negotiating is not mean or inconsiderate.
Glad to know you're OK dude! First emergency landing, good job, surely you kept calm and managed well. That's when we miss twins!
The second engine on a General Aviation aircraft carries you to the scene of the crash landing. A twin engine cessna has 12 cylinders that can fail, and a Cherokee Warrior only has four. Twin is three times as likely to experience a cylinder failure!
Yeah, but the cylinders on the good engine can fly you AWAY from the scene of a crash, under some circumstances. And here's a thought-if you had to play Russian Roulette with a .357 magnum revolver, would you rather have 12 cylinders on your revolver, or 4?
LOL, I guess that's why so many small corporate a/c are twins! You need to go on the road with this routine.
I could never top Trent :)...but you're right...there's no substitute for that 2nd fan ...I know the 777-300 ER is tried and true, but...I still feel safer in the 747-400 during Trans-Pacific flights...4 is even better than 2 out there...
Vector Inglês ICAO. That other fan just gets you to scene of accident faster
Trent, thank you so much for sharing this man. As a pilot, these are the videos I look for to help me get better and learn from others experience. 👍
Dude, you were so incredibly lucky. PLUS you had GREAT FRIENDS and you got to GO FISHING. Nothing succeeds like success, Trent. God bless ya. Be safe sir.
Great video and thanks for taking us along for the ride
That’s the impression we got when we showed up unannounced without an appointment at Kitfox and got a wonderful tour great people
I am not pushing anything I am not even a pilot. Great everything turned out alright. And I like the longer videos. Safe travels.
When gliding with a closed throttle up to 25+ in Hg can be pulled in the cylinder., this pulling on the piston and consequently the connecting rod creates a tremendous stress on the connecting rod, much more than you would think.
In the late 60's we ran a fuel dragster and upon decelerating (closed throttle) after the run it would stretch the rods, they would then fail all from pulling so much vacuum. We went from a two beam rod to a three beam rod to correct the problem.
Lighter pistons had nothing to do with the failure, bigger pistons certainly could have.
Just a thought...
Bass Player really hit the nail on the head here. Great comment.
THINK: What is the max pressure when the fuel ignites and compare that to 12 psi vacuum. Vacuum is not what breaks the rod.
Apples to oranges. Completely different function. 25 inches of mercury will probably crush a full size car to the size of a mini-cooper...
@Paul Ohlstein: During combustion cycle, the pressure inside cylinder is greater than in crank case, so the piston is pushed towards the crankshaft. The connecting rod is under compression at this point (getting pushed together). For most materials, the limit of compressive strength is buckling (like a connecting rod getting bent out of shape due to too much torque load).
During intake cycle, the piston is drawing air into the cylinder, so the connecting rod is under tension (getting stretched apart).
Compressive strength and tensile strength are different types of strength, and a part or material that can tolerate tremendous compression may be much less durable under tension - and vice versa. Damage or manufacturing defects can also affect a part's strength differently for different types of stress. If you think about something like a connecting rod, if it has a manufacturing defect or a hairline crack, it's going to be significantly less durable under tension or shear stress, but might perform just fine under compression.
How much tension is generated depends on the pressure differential between the cylinder and the crankshaft (which is typically under ambient pressure), and the surface area of the piston. So if the manifold vacuum gauge is showing 25 inHg vacuum (pressure differential) at sea level and the bore diameter is 79.5 mm, then the force on the piston (and tension on the conrod) would be about 535 Newtons. This is like a hanging weight of about 54.6 kg, or 120 lbs. Normally, not a problem for a connective rod by any means, but if the bore diameter is increased while the manifold vacuum remains the same, then the force on the connecting rod increases as well. I don't know what the big bore kit's diameter is on this engine, but if the bore is increased to 84 mm, then with the same vacuum (25 inHg), the force already increases to 597 Newtons, equivalent to 61 kg or 134 lb weight.
The key thing is that this is a cyclic stress, not a constant load, which is what causes metal to fatigue. In fact, on the picture at 19:20 timestamp, you can see that some parts of the broken conrod's cross-section are smooth, almost shiny, while one small area is jagged and cracked. The smooth area is a fatigue crack that developed during a long time, forming an almost flat "cut" across the part. The jagged area is where the final failure happened, when the metal that was still holding the part together was deformed and broken. There could have been a defect in the part, but more likely it had just developed the fatigue crack starting from a minor "notch" on its surface and it grew from there.
I'm done here, I feel I need a tetanus shot...
I really appreciate your commentary on this video. The tone is just right. It’s honest and genuine. Glad that you have the skills you have and were in a bird capable of doing what you did. I fly a Cherokee 235 that I don’t think I’d have done near as well with in the same circumstances for 2 reasons. 1. I don’t have the the off Airport skills and experience you possess. And 2: the aircraft setup being higher stall speed, low wing, small tires, etc. As for the owner of Kitfox helping you out....seems totally reasonable to me. You are a very high profile person putting his aircraft in the limelight and making it look good. Who wouldn’t have you on their “I need to take care of this guy” list in that situation? You help him, he helps you, and I’m sure there’s a friendship involved there as well. Nothing wrong with that at all! Same with all the others that helped. Being high profile and putting GA in a positive light comes with a lot of perks and that’s a good thing. Keep doing what your doing man. Obviously we all love it and are hungry for more. 🙂
You know what i liked most of this Video is the fact that you have all this good people there by your side that help you when you most need them ,people that will rush to help you when you have a problem, you know you can count on them.
I was going to buy a KitFox but now I MUST BUY a KitFox!!!! What a great community!!! Also Trent dude Your Wife is a Total Warrior! God Bless Her!!!
Good Job.... Man what a sobering experience for anyone to go through. You coped very well, my hat is off to you sir. Flying is always a learning experience and you got a good lesson, well done.
No need to apologize mate long videos are great 👍 glad you landed safely
I know this is a little late but I am new to your channel. I am so happy that you were ok and it wasn't more serious. You have some great friends. Big Shout out to them as well.
Subscribed from a guy who flew in that plane with the prior owner. Love what you have done with it and your channel.. One of my favorite planes that I have flown in...
Thinking about getting my pilots license up here in Canada, I have been binge watching your videos and some of the other guys you fly with and they are helping me with the decision. I am definitely a Kitfox fan and I haven't even seen one in person yet. Keep up the vids, have fun and fly safe and maybe one day we will cross paths! 🇨🇦👍😁
I don't know anything about air plains but your editing was spot on and so was the music. Enjoyable to watch thanks .
Glad your ok Trent, It's awesome that you have all the protocols in place for emergency situation. Stay safe.
Well done Trent, many thanks for sharing your engine out experience, good analysis of the technical side and human reactions involved.
As far as cameras are concerned, I have learnt from my experience as a flight instructor that anything may occur when I have no camera recording a training flight. Now I always have one running, so that I am in a position to share the experience with others (what could possibly go wrong !?!).
By the way, you are lucky to have such goods mates !
Please keep up the good work, Jean-Marc
Yeah, on the flight home I had a camera mounted in the cockpit that was within reach, so if I had any issues it was just one click of the record button away.
You could look into getting an automotive dash cam and mount it in your cockpit. Most are just powered off a USB port / 5V and automatically start recording on power up. They just record cyclically to a card and you can pull off footage as you need. There are even ones that record both forward and reverse at the same time.
While I'm not flying yet, I've recently done a lot of cycling. Weird stuff only happens to me when I don't have a camera running. So, now I mount the GoPro almost every time, just as a safety measure. Maybe Murphy doesn't like to be filmed... ;-)
It seems like most of my incidents happened right after I turned off my GoPro.
yes, but, now trent, you know that there is only reaction, there isn't time for - I want to start recording this for ...
I agree with SenoreQueso, a automotive dash cam would be a good option, something happens, and when it's over you hit the button....
and to you others, bringing up gopro's, yes, that is why, more and more motorcycle riders are wearing them on their helmets, because things happen, or they are accused of things happening, and it can help them with the aftermath, and, yes, sometimes it can be used for other things too...
Pretty cool that this sort of thing is still available to a young feller like you. A lot of people say they want freedom, and almost nobody does. Good for you brother
You had numerous things in the end that you could lay the blame to but chose not to blame any of them on the engine failure. This shows that you are a logical thinker. Minds like yours create excellent problem solvers and great engineers. Keep up the excellent diagnostics, this talent alone will send you far in this world. Congratulations on walking away from this one. It could have been a lot worse. Well done young man, well done indeed.
Exactly. I hate to see people looking for excuses while they should be looking for solutions. To me basically nothing happened if we are able to solve the problem together
As my old friend and Navy pilot trainer said " If you're over 20 feet off the ground your days are numbered, gravity wins "
I am not a pilot (prefer jumping out ;) but I've got to agree you have a rock star support team around you!! Glad all is okay and great vids (new sub btw ;)
You know what made me subscribe? At 12:17, when you where talking about the engine failure, but stopped to introduce yourself to any new viewers.
Glad you're ok!
When life gives you lemons, go fishing. Best line I’ve heard in a while. Sounds like some that would be on a shirt.
Your channel makes me think of how great it is to live in the US even though I've never even been there. Soundtracks, montage and content are incredible!
Watching this video after watching that of Trevor Jacobs, I have to admit that your engine failure looks much more authentic😜
Hey man, as a fellow pilot, well done for keeping that wing flying. Good job. You’re safe. Aircraft is in one piece, success! Well done!
I am not a pilot or smart enough to become one. I just watch this channel because you are a genuine, good human. I am very glad you were safe after the engine failure and that you could get it sorted. I do love the crazy that is the modified KitFox plane world. I did fly a quadcopter and hexacopter for a short while for some crap RUclips videos.
You are almost certainly smart enough to become a pilot! Take a lesson, it's not that hard, though it seems hard at first because it is different.
Mark Poole Thanks Mark. I have been flying with my old boss who learnt to fly and was pretty good at it. I will see where things go.
Sean McHugh smarts and common sense application are two different things. Most quality learning is on the job, don't knock yourself.... The rest of the world takes care of that....
TAKE LESSONS! Go to ground school. Visit many flight schools. Listen to Student Pilot Cast.
GO TRY IT!
If tight on money look into saving then going to training, LSA/sport pilot, or even buying your own plane (serriously loan rates are like a mortage). Many options, check out AOPA and EAA.
Get a few flying friends to help you along and make choices.
(I am looking at probably getting my ppl in a LSA before going to college for professional pilot at 31 yrs old)
Timothy Feist all good advice. Life isn't a rehearsal and someday isn't a day in the week. Go for it !
Years ago I took flying lessons, and one thing that impressed me most about the GA flying culture and community is that people share their experiences, good and bad. Few pilots hide their mistakes - they're shared so that others can learn from them. I never did get my license, but I sure learned a lot about life. Thanks to people like Trent, I keep on learning. (One thing I remember hearing seems apropos here: Every landing you walk away from is a good landing. If you can use the airplane again, it was a great landing.)
Looking at the picture of the broken connecting rod, it appears there's a substantial portion that is shiny (for the lack of a better term) and a smaller rough portion at the break. This is a classic indication of a fatigue failure. With connecting rods being exposed to a cyclic load, this is a common cause of this type of failure. With the unknown history of the engine and it's extended age, it's quite likely a small surface imperfection propagated a crack, which progressed until the load exceeded the rod's remaining strength. Your excellent response to this was captured in your video. Thanks for sharing.
23:15. Trent, you were not lucky. Continuous practice, always working on proficiency, planning your flights, good maintenance, cool head, key relationships...thats what got you to the ground in one piece.
Thanks Jonathan!
Great video, as always. Glad, that you and your plane are OK. That SPOT is limited to one-way communication was the main reason why we went with a Garmin In-Reach. You might want to check it out, as it also allows you to send text messages from anywhere.
transsib Two way messaging would have saved you hours, and your wife a heart attack.
TP, I'm classified as an old Geezer and your video's have gotten me pumped up, very enjoyable, Kudos.
I had a catastrophic failure followed by a successful emergency landing myself 20 years ago. You made an excellent decision regarding your tailwind and not going around (not like you could have, but that indecision in the moment is something I think you understand a little better now, and how it can rob you of precious seconds and force poor decisions). Great video, new sub, happy to be here.
Great explanation of a very difficult scenario. We can see that 'in the heat of battle' all great plans fly
out the window - literally. For example, when people say these planes stall at 38 mph (or whatever)
and then Trent finds himself in a very tough spot, that number that we all thought could definitely
minimize the force of impact (when 38 miles per hour is theoretically supposed to become ~ 28 mph
due to landing into the wind) NOW becomes almost 70 mph - downhill!
So much for textbook plans saving the day - oftentimes it's our wits and skill.
So excellent job, Trent!
19:15 it looks like the I beam hammered at the top before it finally snapped & there's no discoloration. Before reassembling components do a crack test & a Rockwell test. My guess is it's destiny was set before you got it.
The way it almost perfectly seared to me suggests a manufacturing defect, that was potentially overstressed.
All that can be said, was that it was going to happen sooner or later, and luckily it hit you when you weren’t in a very bad situation.
Could have been much worse, and you should be proud of how you handled the situation
Definitely, like I mentioned in the video, I am definitely not complaining. It could have happened at so many times where the outcome would have been much worse.
I agree on all points listed.
Think you maybe bent a push rod when you had the prop strike? The cylinder on the power stroke during a prop strike often takes a licking.
Regardless. You made some serious lemonade. Nice job.
Same, agree - note the dark section on the top of the rod, bet there's signs of oil staining and corrosion there, indicating a hairline crack from manufacturing - the sort of thing that won't show up in most testing.
I experienced a conrod snap failures in a car engine. There weren't any pre snap warning noises, just a big bang with a hole in the side of the block. It happened at about 30mph under steady power.
The diagnoses of a pull fracture and some noise before the failure might point to seizing of piston or bearing assisting the snap at a weak point in the conrod. Nice video!!!!
Great video with lots of factual information. That's one of the real down sides of homebuilt aircraft, one never knows the history of most of the parts. Just the re-use of a part removed from service was what killed my friend, John Denver.
Jim Foreman Sorry for your loss... may he rest in peace.. Wonder how the unfortunate accident happened..?
It takes an incredible amount of mental strength to stay calm and collected in a situation like that! Awesome video! One of the best videos I’ve seen on RUclips! And what a great company to support you the way they do! Kudos to Kitfox! My dream plane!
Just realized that you're the same Trent from Copter Kids. I remember watching your FS700 drone/helicopter footage back in 2012 before drones became popular. Very cool to see that you've taken it to the next level.
Glad you got down safe mate.
Hey dude I'm so glad all worked out for you and your wife and the plane. I've been enjoying watching your youtube videos an experiencing the flying from my on the ground perspective. I will say that in a critical moment in time you showed you have the right stuff and your training was a great strength to you. I'm always happy to see anyone come out in good shape under extreme pressure. There is a lot to be said for having your engine parts checked for stress cracks (Magnafluxing) I think is the process used to pickup stress fractures, although I am not up to the latest techniques for testing for manufacture defects. Just seems considering that the engine functioning at peak output and dependability justifies the extra process and cost to make sure an engine you may not have good history on is sound and solid to your satisfaction and safety. I'm no pilot, but from what I see you exhibit great flying skills and a cool head. In the long run your training paid off. Oh and it also helps to have God as your copilot.
Be safe and I look forward to seeing you back in action again. I hear people tell me any landing you can walk away from is A Good Landing. Be safe and keep flying.
James Pearce
J.pearce6945@att.net
Thanks for sharing! Glad you’re ok. 👍
You are a neat guy with principles many lack so don't change, you will always have friends and help when needed....thanks for being such a fine young man!
That’s such a great and supportive flying community you’ve got there Trent. It’ a big part of why your video story is so compelling. We need good stories of great people - thanks for sharing.
If my life depended on my engine reliability, as on an airplane as opposed to a motorcycle or car, I don't know that I would do performance alterations on a bottom end I knew nothing about. I have done it, but on a custom motorcycle I'd never ride more than an hour from home. Just my thoughts, in hindsight. Glad all worked out.
Jeez Trent, been watching a lot of your videos lately and this one nearly brought tears to my eyes. Your training and abilities and your support network saved the day. Congrats and hope you have many many years of great flying ahead!
Have you ever get to see this guys again?? I think it would be great to go fishing again with them, but this time landing nice and soft.
Thanks for sharing the video. It was once said that a smart man learns from his own mistakes, but a wise man learns from the mistakes of others.
Your engine problems and dealing with it effectively, has made us all wiser pilots. Keep the videos coming Trent! Well done!
In this day of changing thought patterns and changing attitudes it is refreshing to hear real gratitude. And so much sensible talk.
Another good video. Never mind the length. I am not spoiled. I want to see and hear what you have to say.
I am learning, so am in frequent amazement what you can do to an engine and airframe. So many changes and improvements!
Been there done that, four place with all seats filled. Got into a pasture with some cow dodging. Spent the night with the farmer who helped me solved the problem, flew out the next morning with just one passenger.
I recall that Chrysler Motors did some analysis of the stress on connecting rods (Based on the 426 Hemi engine) back in the early 1970's and came to the conclusion that the greatest strain on the connecting rods came during the intake stroke, at the top of the stroke, near top dead center. At that point the rod undergoes the stress of decelerating the piston's upward travel then accelerating the mass of the piston down, combined with accelerating the mass of the incoming air/fuel charge which, since the intake valve is open, exerts a negative pressure on the top of the piston.
Obviously there is a positive pressure on the underside of the piston due to crankcase pressure. The pressure differentials, along with the forces of deceleration and acceleration results in a significant stretching force on the rods.
Gerald, I'm thinking along the same line of thought. Look for my reply to Trent.
Wrong: Acceleration near TDC and BDC is the least.
Also he noted that the engine died when he cut power.... perhaps prop inertia is also a factor as the engine died after power was cut.
@@brucejonsson3149 Velocity near TDC and BDC is the least. not acceleration. www.epi-eng.com/images/Engine/engine_technology_piston_motion_g2.gif
@@teeowe1 and Bruce.... velocity would be least at T & B DC, but the comment pointed out the forces of a piston changing direction coupled with negative pressure on the top and possible positive pressure within the crankcase (likely much smaller with other pistons on their way to TDC). The speed it travels isn't causing stress, air pressures and inertial forces are something to be considered though.
I'm not endorsing the theory put forth (seems possible), just pointing out that you both may have missed the point presented.
I've seen two similar failures in the Automotive world after new pistons. In both cases the wrist pin bore in the piston wasn't perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder bore causing a bending moment on the con rod and eventual fatigue failure exactly as your example. Accurate measurement of the fault is a PITA, a quick test can be to measure between wrist pin bore and piston crown, but this quick test AssUMEs the piston crown was machined accurately which is also a bad assumption.
To check that the wrist pin bore is perpendicular to the piston OD, put a long pin in the wrist pin bore and hold the pin in a lathe chuck. Now put the piston on the pin and rotate the piston. If the bore is correct a dial indicator in the spindle will read the same as the piston passes past a dial indicator mounted on the lathe saddle.
James Lerch Yes. That was my first thought too.
I've also seen similar failures in the automotive world after an engine suffered a hydrostatic lock. The rod gets bent slightly and fails somewhere down the road, maybe years later. The failure he has looks identical.
Another layer of aviation.. JUST LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Incredible video showing how amazing how quickly and we'll react for our kin. I'm so sorry your little lady had a huge fright but a story with a fright is better than a eulogy. Amazing having such great friends. Restores some faith in humanity.
Just found you on creator on the rise and totally subscribed. Love your content my man ✌🏼 keep up the good work
Great to know your ok Trent, that emergency could have been worse but you handled it amazing. Good choice to go for the road instead of trying on a mountain top. Good luck with the new engine and happy landings
Pilot Nikolas as a former member of law enforcement/from/emergency management, you know the ones who get called to find you, an excellent suggestion. Just a note stuck on the joystick/yoke or someplace identifying yourself, clothing description, what you saw that makes you think it could help you, and direction you are going to be walking. I would suggest a carryon bag with either a high fluorescent green or orange vest you can put on. Also a small first aid kit, definitely something in it to stop heavy bleeding like an Israel kit, also other bandages and splint material, even some type of food like granola bars or something with high calorie type to keep sugar levels up, and maybe even some type of water purifying straw or equipment. All that stuff doesn’t take up much space or weight, and could be a lifesaver. Just happened upon this video but love experimental aircraft, so I will be subscribing. Hopefully no future mishaps. Great job on landing. May not have been textbook or pretty, but you know he saying. Any landing you can walk from is a good one!
Glad you made it to the ground safely mate 👍🏻
This video really gave me a flashback sensation of the early days of 'barn-storming' aviation....fly'em...fix'em...try'em...tune'em...fly'em again...all done wherever you land. I guess it may be the nature of bush-planes...things have to work or be fixable. Good job. Really impressed by the posse that surrounds you and jumps in when need. Cool.
You have a great team of folks who came speeding in to help. God bless you all. Great airmanship too Trent.