"Undercarriage lever a bit sticky Sir?" Hurricane wheels-up Report

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16 years 2 months

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AAIB report G-HHII.
http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/Hawker%20Hurricane%20IIB%20G-HHII%2003-12.pdf

All I shall say is I have been known to land in course pitch, forgotten to raise the flaps after take off, spoken on the radio without pressing the PTT switch etc. So I think I know which 'system' malfunctioned.

Original post

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Oh and can I add, failed to read through a post for spelling mistakes before posting. :o

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I wonder if this thread will disappear like the original one?

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the pilot radioed the tower to express his incomprehension at what had happened.

I wonder what he really said? :):diablo:

Can't be too many pilots with 1500 hours on Hurricanes around today!

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16 years 4 months

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Yes i did find that a bid odd 1500hrs ! shame he didn't have his radio turned up :(

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The old joke goes: "I couldn't hear the radio because of some warning horn going off..."

But seriously, even though the report states that there were no system failures detected it is impossible to rule it out. On the other hand... 1500 hours means very familiar with the aircraft and familiarity breeds complacency. Either reason could be the true culprit here but it isn't up to us to decide this. If it was 'pilot error' then consider the fact that the pilot has to live with that fact. That should be punishment enough, no need for us to add to that.

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None of us were in the cockpit and the pilot above all, is safe.

TT

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We have a lovely aeroplane with comparatively minor damage and an uninjured pilot.
IF pilot error was involved then I am sure that a valuable lesson has been learnt from an incident that could have had far more serious consequences.
Whatever the cause I am sure that everything will be done to try to prevent a repeat of the incident.

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Perhaps the 1500 hrs on type refers to all his warbird experience. As that Hurricane only first flew after restoration a couple of years ago I can't think that he'd already done 1500 hrs on it.

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Perhaps the 1500 hrs on type refers to all his warbird experience. As that Hurricane only first flew after restoration a couple of years ago I can't think that he'd already done 1500 hrs on it.

The CAA database on G-INFO shows that the Hurricane had done 67 hours total time up to 31/12/10

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Perhaps the 1500 hrs on type refers to all his warbird experience. As that Hurricane only first flew after restoration a couple of years ago I can't think that he'd already done 1500 hrs on it.

I don't know who the pilot was - could he have flown other Hurricanes?

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It doesn't matter who the pilot was. I think this is an info thead which has served its purpose....mods?

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A family friend who is now an Old, Bold pilot described his wheels up at Valley sometime in the late 50s/60s.

He said as the aircraft sank lower, more and more noise was generated until it peaked, as he was sliding along with everything in contact.

With great feeling he stressed that when it stopped and all was silent - do not immediately get out - just sit and savour the silence - as it will be the last you will hear for months as every armchair expert from the Groupie to the mess cat will insist you listen to their view of what you should have done.

Ross

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17 years 10 months

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Silence came the reply - followed by - f++k that'll be expensive, must remember to put gear down and turn radio volume up.....................

mick

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A family friend who is now an Old, Bold pilot described his wheels up at Valley sometime in the late 50s/60s.

He said as the aircraft sank lower, more and more noise was generated until it peaked, as he was sliding along with everything in contact.

With great feeling he stressed that when it stopped and all was silent - do not immediately get out - just sit and savour the silence - as it will be the last you will hear for months as every armchair expert from the Groupie to the mess cat will insist you listen to their view of what you should have done.

Ross

Spot on! Whatever all these pundits might say, this pilot has funded, rebuilt and flown a bunch of aeroplanes we never will.

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Would he have heard the U/C warning tone, over the noise of the engine, and
whilst wearing a headset ?

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19 years 9 months

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It doesn't matter who the pilot was. I think this is an info thead which has served its purpose....mods?

Watch out, the forum police have arrived!

1) This forum is the place for discussion based around historic aviation. All other posts/materials belong in the relevant aviation forum or if of a non-aviation nature in the General Discussion forum.

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Report states the aircraft was recovered with the lever in the U/C Down detent, yet the report also states the pilot said he selected gear down, THEN flaps....

uh huh... ;)

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Whatever happened the main thing is nobody was harmed and the aircraft will fly again. Its not for us to judge anyway as the AAIB get paid to do that not us :D .
Whether it was pilot error or not the main thing is lessons will be learnt from it and both pilot and aircraft live to fly another day. Thats really all there is to discuss.

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Regarding my previous point, and asked as a general question not necessarily
related to just this incident.

In aircraft where a pilot may be wearing a headset with full cup headphones,
are any warning tones audible ? ie. are they wired into the audio circuit, or
would they be loud enough to be heard over all other noises. Assuming the
pilot has good hearing ?