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Weird crash video - Grumman AA5 N5450L and Cessna 182T N127SL

From the youtube description:

On Dec 11, 2024 was flying with a couple friends from Galveston to Pearland Regional Airport. I was in the right seat recording. Our plane, a 1973 Grumman, experienced electrical issues. First the headsets went out, then the radio, then the avionics (navigation). We knew we had to get down quickly and made an emergency landing behind another plane with no working instruments. Fortunately our skilled pilot was able to set us down. However with no way to communicate, the pilot ahead was unaware of our presence and stopped fast to make a left turn on the tarmac. With our flaps not operational, we couldn’t slow fast enough and plowed into his plane as he turned. The prop tore a hole in the left side of his fuselage and destroyed the side of his aircraft. Thankfully he had no passenger on the backseat or it would have been fatal. In our aircraft, the impact was devastating with aluminum crumpling and glass exploding everywhere. My shoulder pushed through the window and I sustained slight external injuries. But thankfully everyone was ok. The planes not so much, both are likely totaled. This video captures the moment.

Sounds weird. With all electrics dead, one would still have lots of time to chose a moment when the final approach is clear.. there is no talk of fire or fumes. And even if he couldn’t wait it out any longer, why not land in the grass alongside the runway if there is another aircraft immediately ahead?



Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

The electric system is failing, they have set their mind is set to get on the ground as soon as possible, even tough the engine is still running.

Compare to this video, in this case there is not only no electrical system but the engine is out, too!



Yes, admittedly this is unfair because panic sets in when things don’t go as planned, but basically that’s the only difference here. Aviate!

Last Edited by Inkognito at 14 Dec 18:10
EDBW, Germany

boscomantico wrote:

Sounds weird. With all electrics dead, one would still have lots of time to chose a moment when the final approach is clear.. there is no talk of fire or fumes. And even if he couldn’t wait it out any longer, why not land in the grass alongside the runway if there is another aircraft immediately ahead?

Unless there was some issue that he didn’t mention, it sounds as if he panicked.

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

ASN

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I can’t think of any plausible reason to collide with an airplane in front of you, if engine power is available. As said, swerving on the grass to prevent a collision would by far have been the better decision! I imagine liability to the following pilot in this event!

Home runway, in central Ontario, Canada, Canada

Wow! Is there more to this story?

He was fast? Hurry to get down? Land straight behind preceding traffic instead of to the side?

The airport layout looks as hangars etc are predominantly on the left side, so most probably it could have been expected that the preceding will turn off to the left.

It looks like he went into car mode to over take left?

EASA BIR CFI
LO__, Austria

Other than no radio and even no electrics, …what was in this pilot’s mind that prevented him from adjusting to preceding traffic as usual?

Fixation on landing?

Electrics are no excuse for not maintaining separation in severe VMC conditions like this.

Last Edited by Antonio at 14 Dec 22:28
Antonio
LESB, Spain

Snoopy wrote:

It looks like he went into car mode

I think that sums it up nicely. The cue is in this quote: We knew we had to get down quickly.

No, you don’t. Total electric failure in one of our dual-mag powered engines is annoying, but nothing more. No reason to panic, which this guy pretty obviously did.

The written comments are obviously those of a non-pilot who doesn’t understand that shutting off the master switch likely has little impact on a Grumman and none on its ability to stop once on the runway.

I learned to fly in a plane with no electrical system, 100% of the time, and clearly it flew fine in that condition. Unless the Grumman had an STC’d electric CS prop like my current plane (it’s a rare possibility) any pilot would understand that electrical failure should only have been a mild annoyance.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 15 Dec 05:06

Really looks like a panic reaction to get on the ground fast…. the Cessna was clearly visible.

Will be interesting to read the NTSB report on that one.

LSZH(work) LSZF (GA base), Switzerland
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