Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.
Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/113663
S a f e t y W ir e Flight Recorders The airplane was equipped with an engine monitor. The airplane's engine monitor and a recovered global positioning system (GPS) device were shipped to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Recorder Laboratory for readout. A secure data (SD) memory chip from an onboard Contour video camera was located on scene following the recovery of the wreckage, and that SD chip was also shipped to the NTSB Recorder Lab for readout. Figure 6—Typical section of the forward side fracture surface of the lef side propeller shaf forward weld. Te areas of fracture, lack of weld penetration, and smearing damage are labeled. Pores were ofen found on the fractured areas (~50X magnifcation). The recovered engine monitor was a Dynon EMS-D10 model, Serial Number 001502, which was a cockpit instrument that graphically displayed engine information to the pilot using a six-inch liquid crystal display. The unit can display engine rpm, cylinder head temperature (CHT), exhaust gas temperature (EGT), oil pressure, oil temperature, battery voltage, fuel flow, engine manifold pressure (MAP), fuel pressure, and aircraft fuel quantity. The unit can record that data on a flash memory chip located on its main printed circuit board. This data is typically recorded at a rate of once per second. The recovered GPS device was a Garmin GPSMAP 196 model, Serial Number 65410637, which was a portable GPS unit equipped with a detachable antenna, and a 320 x 240 12-level grayscale liquid crystal display. The unit was capable of storing date, route of flight, and flight time information for up to 50 individual flights in the form of a flight log. … Figure 7—Typical section of the af side fracture surface of the right side propeller shaf forward weld, afer cleaning. Te areas of fracture, lack of weld penetration, and smearing damage are labeled. Pores were also present in the fractured areas of this weld (~30X magnifcation). The Contour high-definition (HD) video camera was a consumer-grade HD adventurer recorder that was ruggedized and water resistant. It was powered by an internal rechargeable battery and recorded the video and audio information to a removable mini-SD memory card. … This camera was connected to the airplane's audio/intercom panel, and it could record audio alarms, radio conversations, and pilot-to-pilot intercom conversations. Wreckage and Impact Information The airplane was located by first responders in a field about one-half mile northwest of the intersection of South Pitchin Road and North River Road. The airplane had a resting magnetic heading of about 210 degrees. The top wing was found displaced forward and deformed downward over the forward portion of the lower wing and engine. The lower forward empennage tubing was buckled, and the empennage was bent downward. Figure 8—Closer view of a typical area of the right side propeller shaf forward weld fracture surface, afer cleaning. An area of fatigue could be observed between the unwelded inner area and the rest of the fracture surface. 32 Vol.2 No.3 / March 201 3 An on-scene examination of the wreckage was conducted. A liquid consistent with the smell of aviation gasoline was found in the bottom of the left fuel tank. The right fuel tank and the header tank were compromised, and no fuel was found in those tanks. The fuel tank selector valve had the