Max Trescott and Rob Mark talk about a dense lineup of recent accidents and final reports, led by the Piper PA-44 Seminole N595ND crash in Fort Pierce, Florida, the Cirrus SR22 N124SP hard landing in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Mooney M20K N4387W stall-spin in St. Augustine, Florida, after a cabin door popped open shortly after takeoff. They also examine the Beech 58 Baron N2063G crash in Tennessee, which appears consistent with a VMC demo that turned into a stall-spin, the Sling N166TW crash on Catalina Island after apparent low-level terrain maneuvering, and the Piper Saratoga N4190E runway overrun in Arizona after an excessively fast approach.
In the final-report segment, they break down how distraction likely contributed to the Mooney M20K N4387W crash, why the Piper PA-44 Seminole N595ND shows the danger of trying to salvage a one-engine go-around in a light twin, and how Cessna 172P N781FM likely lost power because of carb ice during a low-power descent. They close with one of the strangest cases in the episode: a damaged battery pack that later ignited and destroyed Mooney M20E N5632Q. A brief additional mention covers a separate Cirrus SR22 N285AH that departed the runway in Fullerton after the pilot seat slid back on takeoff.
The last event describing the Lithium ion battery pack and thermal runaway and consequent fire illuminates a very rare but very consequential risk. This is why I carry an approved Lithium Battery Fire Containment Bag as part of my “at hand” emergency equipment. (I also carry a backpack with emergency supplies and a personal locater beacon, handheld radio, etc, even on local flights.) This might feel like “overkill” but…I see it as an antidote to the hazardous attitude of invulnerability: “it could happen to me”.
So, at 30:10, Max advocates choosing “one of three school yards” for an off airport landing. Max, have you ever considered that your priority as PIC is to protect people on the ground – especially kids – not your own sorry self if you need to land off airport? It’s enough for a plane to come dropping out of the sky unexpectedly (and probably silently) without adding additional risk, and potentially pain and suffering to innocent bystanders. Protect your passengers and yourself, yes, but after the ground-bound. You signed up for this risk when you started your engine – The poor kids on the ground never did.
Edit: Max are you really advocating choosing “one of three schoolyards” for an off airport landing?
Reminds me of the Bonanza in 1972 crashing in a school yard on final into Sacramento Executive Airport — and kids were out playing. It ended horribly.
-Provided that there are no souls at the yard…..any potential emergency landing field !!!
Max did not say that in the piece but I”m certain he would be very mindful in choosing any empty yard like every other experienced CFI / PIC.
You have a good point but you sound as if you are putting words that Max did not advocate.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to put words that Max did not say, hence my edit. But consider this: kids are in the yard all the time – after school, weekends, holidays, anytime. In a built up area like around RHV, there are no great options for kids to play in besides the streets and the schools. There are sports programs that can’t find enough field time (my daughter played soccer since she was eight, and practice and games started at 8 am and you had to be there earlier, and went into the night when she was older). Did you check the field on the way to the airport? Did the field fill up while you were doing your preflight? Sorry, but schools are off limits. Land in the street. At least cars have give some protection to the innocent.