FAA revokes Collins Foundation passenger permissions

"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut) 03/26/2020 at 20:30 • Filed to: Planelopnik, B-17

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“The Federal Aviation Administration, citing safety concerns, has revoked the Collings Foundation’s permission to carry passengers aboard its historic aircraft, one of which crashed and burned at Bradley International Airport in October, killing seven.”

The FAA also found “notable maintenance discrepancies existed with the B-17G, yet the Collings director of maintenance signed inspection records — dated as recently as Sept. 23, 2019 — indicating no findings of discrepancies.” Collings’ maintenance director was Ernest McCauley, 75, who was the chief pilot the day of the crash.....

S pecifically, the inspection found that magneto and ignition failures existed in the aircraft’s No. 4 engine. Magnetos, engine-driven electrical generators that produce voltage to fire the engine’s spark plugs, were not functioning properly. An attempt to jury rig one had left it inoperative, according to the report. A second magneto on the No. 4 engine, when tested, produced a weak or no spark to four of the nine cylinders it was supposed to fire.”

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WilliamsSW > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 03/26/2020 at 20:36

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Oof.

ttyymmnn > WilliamsSW 03/26/2020 at 20:40

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Oof indeed. 

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 03/26/2020 at 20:49

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That’s pretty terrible on their part.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 03/26/2020 at 20:52

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Oh my :(

boredalways > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 03/26/2020 at 21:12

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Must be a division of Boeing

Thisismydisplayname > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 03/26/2020 at 21:18

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Ouch, and with a ruling like that, it would probably open them up to a civil suit.  

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 03/26/2020 at 21:23

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“Ernest McCauley, 75"

This is consistent with the way a lot of the older generation are not taking the cornavirus threat seriously. I wonder why the o ld er you get, the more like a teenager you get in terms of the precautions you’re prepared to take to preserve the years you (and others) have left.

ranwhenparked > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 03/26/2020 at 21:29

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I would say its in line with the jury-rigged “grandpa” repairs you often see on older cars - chicken wire and Bondo rust patches , bailing twine to hold stuff on, bare fence wire to the ignition , etc. They’ve had a longer time to learn creative ways of cutting corners, and start getting the attitude that if it worked for them once before, it will always work again, and they’re not going to waste time and good money doing it right, if “ good enough”  gets the job done.

You sometimes see it with longer tenured employees, too. Who does everything right by the book, exactly as the procedures say? The new hires, straight out of training/orientation. Who’s more likely to slack off or look for loopholes? The people that have been there several years or more.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > ranwhenparked 03/26/2020 at 22:16

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I jumped out of this building, I’ve fallen 75  floors so far and I’m fine. Nothing dangerous about jumping out of buildings.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > boredalways 03/26/2020 at 22:28

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opening line to Travellin band has a whole new meaning

boredalways > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 03/26/2020 at 22:30

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LOL

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 03/26/2020 at 22:38

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I flew on that plane in 2009. Nothing more to add just CSB.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition 03/26/2020 at 22:49

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Good time. From what I;ve heard from family near Stow, MA the organization changed when the son took over. They pissed off a lot building their new museum and son quadrupaling his salary. I’m curious how much the change  played into culture of safety.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Thisismydisplayname 03/26/2020 at 23:11

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Everyone signs a waiver, but that has to be pretty damning in gross negligence. 

RacinBob > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 03/27/2020 at 00:12

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All may be true, but I am still curious how a plane with 3 1/2 good engines and no bomb load didn’t have enough power to take off and crashed ....... I am sure the pilot and maintenance director was just as surp rised. By the way, he was the most experienced B-17 pilot alive at the time of the crash.

I think there was more than this that caused the crash.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > RacinBob 03/27/2020 at 00:28

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How do you get 3.5?

If you loose magnetos and thus spark on an engine, the remaining cylinders don’t have 50% power as they have to fight the compression of the other cylinders.

Additonally he may have been down to only two engines all on one side .

“ An inspection of the No. 3 engine showed “all spark plug electrode gaps were out of tolerance, fouled, and revealed various signs of detonation.” Inspection of the engine also revealed problems with the cylinders, according to the report.”

They weren’t taking off, the pilot was trying to land .