Fatal crash of Spirit of St Louis repro in Britain

2 June 2003, 06:43 PM

Very sad to pass on report of Spirit repro crash yesterday in Coventry, England. See press story BBC News website http://news.bbc.co..uk/2/hi/england/...nds/295410.stm
Wouldn't wish that on anyone.
Charlie

Lufbery · 3 June 2003, 04:35 AM

That's not the one you're working on is it? (That is you who've been posting on a Spirit reproduction, right?)

I couldn't open the page, by the way.

Regards,

greenknight · 3 June 2003, 05:29 AM

I was able to access the BBC story about this very sad incident here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/england/west_mi...nds/2953268.stm

The unfortunate builder/pilot of this aircraft was identified as a Mr. Pierre Hollander of Sweden.

If the above link doesn't work you can try going to the BBC homepage and doing a search on the story.

3 June 2003, 05:37 AM

No, the Spirit which crashed was from Sweden. We are located in California, about five hrs drive north of San Diego.

Pictures of our project can be seen at www.charleslindbergh.com
look under Reproduction on Main menu.

Sorry about the listing. perhaps you can try a search under BBC News. Photo with the story shows failure stbd wing. We will be looking at our strut attachments and watching for more data to be released by the British authorities. Any Forumite with info this matter may contact me or Dawn Patrol Aviation. It will be appreciated!
Charlie

baldeagle · 9 June 2003, 02:57 PM

A friend of mine saw it happen and said that it appeared that the lower end of the rear lift strut seperated from the fuselage. Others have told me that the workmanship wasn't so good on the airplane, but that is second hand.

10 June 2003, 05:30 AM

Thanks -eagle,

We've been having quite a discussion about he crash over at charleslindbergh.com Discussion Group. It has become clear that the aircraft was built using the Morrow drawings, which has several design factors which may have contributed to the failure. If the workmanship was faulty, it could easily accentuate those factors.

Don't know if the rear strut attach fitting would have caused catostrophic failure, but we've had our wing engineered and was told the rear spar contributes NO integrity to the lifting strength of the plan form. It does , in the case of the Spirit, resist drag loads. We believe(from observations of the tape) the wing is intact at the strut fittings and has failed at a compression strut location somewhat inboard. This, at least to us, suggests that the front strut may have failed at its inboard end. We are awaiting the release of official findings.

It should also be pointed out that the spars , as shown in Morrow's drawing do nt represent the actual Spirit of St Louis spars, as engineered by Donald Hall.

RLWP · 19 June 2003, 08:31 AM

The initial report on this accident is now available at:
http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/special/esxcl/pdf/esxcl.pdf

Richard

24 June 2003, 04:06 AM

The aaib has taken the unusual step of notifying all known NYP replica operators of the initial findings. This seems a first for an experimental /replica type. They have also been in contact with us (Historic Flight/Dawn Patrol) seeking input about the design factors noted in the Morrow plans.
We are currently of the opinion that any fatigue failure of the 'wishbone strut", even those based upon the Morrow plans, would not occur unless there was some continual movement (flutter???)of the joints in question, or there was a harmonic vibration of the engine/prop combination.
It should be pointed out that the Spirit's engines was not shock mounted in any way, but bolted directly to the the frame at the rear of the crank case and that the strut in question was fortified with spruce fairings, instead of usual balsa.