When this happened...
I was over the marsh Friday evening when the starter ring gear separated from the flywheel. The prop caught the bell housing parts as they flew off.
I immediately shut down the engine and glided to the field just north of the runway. Ended up about a quarter mile away in the corn stubble. Normal engine out landing. No problem. Took the truck and pulled it home with Dianna and the neighbor's help.
Took it apart Saturday. Only other damage not evident in the photo's is it chipped the rear main seal housing. I have another one.
This happened because I was using the wrong flywheel. It couldn't absorb the harmonic resonance of the engine. I will try and find a replacement in a junk yard and have it balanced. The prop will be expensive. Don't know how much for the bell housing. I'm waiting for a response from the supplier.
Obviously will not be flying to Columbia.Don't know about Gardner.Should be fixed by Oshkosh.
C!
Wife's Point of View : Oh Honey ! Are you alright?!? So, you were able to walk away from the plane...
As a wife with a guy who will do what he wants to do. There could be some bumps, bruises, and broken bones along the way, as I've learned from a past experience.
Hubby is working on getting the bugs out of the system. We are glad he was in the neighborhood when the parts decided to fly. Instead of on his way to one of the upcoming events...
The kicker, he had only 48 more minutes until he would have been able to leave the 25 mile radius restriction. With changes to the plane he may have to start over at another 40 hours - to be determined after contacting the local FAA office to get their opinion. Sitting on pins and needles working on trying to get things all in order to be off into the wild blue yonder in the shortest amount of time possible once again...
I was over the marsh Friday evening when the starter ring gear separated from the flywheel. The prop caught the bell housing parts as they flew off.
I immediately shut down the engine and glided to the field just north of the runway. Ended up about a quarter mile away in the corn stubble. Normal engine out landing. No problem. Took the truck and pulled it home with Dianna and the neighbor's help.
Took it apart Saturday. Only other damage not evident in the photo's is it chipped the rear main seal housing. I have another one.
This happened because I was using the wrong flywheel. It couldn't absorb the harmonic resonance of the engine. I will try and find a replacement in a junk yard and have it balanced. The prop will be expensive. Don't know how much for the bell housing. I'm waiting for a response from the supplier.
Obviously will not be flying to Columbia.Don't know about Gardner.Should be fixed by Oshkosh.
C!
Wife's Point of View : Oh Honey ! Are you alright?!? So, you were able to walk away from the plane...
As a wife with a guy who will do what he wants to do. There could be some bumps, bruises, and broken bones along the way, as I've learned from a past experience.
Hubby is working on getting the bugs out of the system. We are glad he was in the neighborhood when the parts decided to fly. Instead of on his way to one of the upcoming events...
The kicker, he had only 48 more minutes until he would have been able to leave the 25 mile radius restriction. With changes to the plane he may have to start over at another 40 hours - to be determined after contacting the local FAA office to get their opinion. Sitting on pins and needles working on trying to get things all in order to be off into the wild blue yonder in the shortest amount of time possible once again...
