182 Engine Failure Gatineau

[Tanker299]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/st ... ineau.html


Five skydivers had to make an early exit from their plane Saturday afternoon after the single-engine Cessna-182's engine failed while flying over Gatineau airport in Quebec.

The plane was flying at 10,000 feet when GO Skydive instructor François Hamel and four experienced skydivers felt and heard a small explosion on the plane.

"Like a big 'pow!' Then a [noise] like when your car's just about to stall. I could see some little pieces falling off, like metal pieces from the plane... some oil and a little bit of smoke," said Hamel.

Pilot Elliott Manuel called mayday and began to steer the plane towards a landing spot, as engine oil covered his windshield.

So about five minutes ahead of schedule, the skydivers jumped, one at a time, at an improvised landing spot.

Three skydivers landed in a field two fields away from the regular landing site. Hamel was one of two who parachuted down near Highway 50, with his own drop finishing on the grassy median.

"I landed in between the left and right lane in the highway," said Hamel. "I'm just thinking, just hoping he's going to land the plane on the runway," said Hamel.

Manuel, a pilot with four years of experience, remained calm.

"When I was gliding down I could actually see the emergency services coming," said Manuel. "And the first thing that came to me was, 'Where are they going?'"

Manuel soon realized that he and his plane were the emergency.

About 15 minutes after the engine failure, he glided into Gatineau airport.

The Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident.

Pierre Carpentier, the co-owner of GO Skydive, said Manuel, in his first year with the company, was trained for the procedure, and said the company's planes keep near the airport for just such an occasion.

Downplayed event significance
Carpentier downplayed the significance of the event.

"It's routine that the experienced skydivers and the instructors will go do the last load of the day," said Carpentier. "So we went up and did a jump. So it's just an added event. It's an aviation situation, not a skydiving issue."

GO Skydive said it leased the plane but is responsible for its maintenance. The company overhauled the engine a year ago.

Manuel was simply glad to walk away.

"It felt just relieving when I could step out and was on the ground again. It felt really good," said Manuel.

[cgzro]

These guys have been operating without any problems and very professionally at Gatineau for many years. Good to see a safe outcome like that, kudos .. "Adrenaline 1"

[SuperchargedRS]

Bonus of flying for a DZ, if you have a engine problem, or run out of gass (hear that one happening a few times), your 10k right above your field.

I like how the guy said "planes keep near the airport for just such an occasion", I always thought it was so the divers could land at the same place and the operation could turn load$ quicker. Glad everyone is ok

[cgzro]

sure is why i stay close and its payed off a couple of times

[Heliian]

Our planes are so unreliable that we don't leave the control zone

At least the pax had chutes on.

I know nothing of this company or their equipment but I just get this bad picture of another clapped out jump plane that sits all winter, fly's until the engine blows up in the summer and gets maintenance from the "qualified" individual at the company after the oil's all over the windshield.

Good job getting it back on the ground though, I probably would have bailed with the skydivers

[bizjets101]

Photo C-FGDJ Cessna 182H Gatineau-Ottawa Skydive School Inc.
Ouch!, manufactured in 1965 . . . imported 1991

Go Sky Dive Website

[cgzro]

clapped out ...

Engine was only a year since overhaul and 200 and a bit hours on it , so hardly qualifies as clapped out.

[azimuthaviation]

clapped out ...

Engine was only a year since overhaul and 200 and a bit hours on it , so hardly qualifies as clapped out.

Fresh engine that just just finished the first 200 hours "on condition" had failed? I would think that would be the most reliable time in the life of an engine. Oil starvation would be the most likely cause I would think but apparently not if oil was covering the windscreen, and fuel exhaustion doesnt cause a bang followed by smoke. I'm quite curious to find out the results of an investigation.

[cgzro]

I would think that would be the most reliable time in the life of an engine

I suppose so, I'd imagine the first 20 hours and then as you get towards TBO would be when failure probabilities start to increase but sometimes crap happens.

I imagine to lose an entire cylinder you need a piston to just stop dead/seized in the cylinder. Not sure what kind of failures could cause that.. stuck ring perhaps .. slipped timing .. Anyway be interetsted to find out.

[ybwflyguy]

How the hell do you fit 5 skydivers into a 182?!

[iflyforpie]

Easy when you don't have seats or a yoke in the way. A 205 or P206 can fit five seated and they aren't much bigger.