Quickie fatality
Question:
This builder was unknown to the California Quickie community. So far, non of our guys have come forward and said this builder had contacted any of them about flight testing, quirks and handling characteristics of the Q breed. Since the builder listed it as a "QZ" he may have designed in some changes. We have several planes flying with over 1,000 hours and lots of experience. However, it is not a plane that someone can just jump into. This is the second first-flight fatality we have suffered this year. Please, no more! If you are building a Quickie, Q-2, Tri-Q, or Q-200, please tap into the resources. We have an excellent builders organization and e-mail list. There are also many guys around the country willing to look your project over and lend their knowledgeable advice. It’s a fun plane, you just have to know what you’re getting into. Here’s a couple of useful links for those interested in more info. http://www.quickiebuilders.org/index.htm http://home.globaleyes.net/shoskins/wantQuickie.html See you at Oshkosh. Sam Hoskins Quickie Q-200 1,302 hrs.
Response:
It’s hard to hear another guy was lost to "first flight". I know the info I got from the Q-newsgroup and from talking to other Q-Guys saved me. I wasn’t a builder but did manage to put about 530 hrs in a Q-200. On 2 occasions I got calls from guys wanting suggestions on flying the Q-200. I gave simple suggestions that weren’t followed and they both ended up as fatalities. It was suggestions given to me by my more experience pilots with Q-time. They are fun planes but at times not so "forgiving". Steve
Response:
This builder was unknown to the California Quickie community. So far, non of our guys have come forward and said this builder had contacted any of them about flight testing, quirks and handling characteristics of the Q breed. Since the builder listed it as a "QZ" he may have designed in some changes.
From my post in another thread: "But more than that, most accidents can be traced back to a conflict in priorities. Rather than balancing risk against necessity and finding appropriate hazard mitigation, most accidents can be traced back to a latent human error of placing objective ahead of caution and process. No pilot wakes up and says, "I’m going to go crash an airplane today." But many, especially in recreational aviation, will push on when caution dictates otherwise. " If this is true that the pilot was no know to the user group, we have a classic example: 1. An aircraft with a distinct reputation for requiring special techniques and skills for flying. 2. A well established process for mitigating the increased risk by shared experience. 3. Possible ignorance or disregard of the established process. 4. Objective (fly my new aircraft) placed ahead of process. Towards prevention of further occurrences, I ask the following question: 1. Since aircraft requires special skills, does manufacturer attempt to notify purchaser of the existence of such knowledge sharing groups? If not, I strongly urge it. R/ Jim
Response:
More likely the builder was using a quirk in the California personal property law that exempts aircraft with fewer than 5 per model from tax. Simply changing a letter when you register the model insures that there will be less than 5. It is quite commonly done. Jim Since the builder listed it as a "QZ" he may have designed in some -changes. Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup) VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
Response:
Jim, I agree with your post. Unfortunately the Quickie Aircraft Company has been out of business for about 15 years and they weren’t around long enough to help their product mature. I think they sold around 800 Q-2 kits. The Quickie Builders Assn. hopes to promote the aircraft through our internal network and experience. Unfortunately some people do not know we’re out there, or they want to go it alone. All of the Q accidents are repeats, meaning, we have seen it before. By tapping into our organization the new builder will gain from our hard knocks. If you know someone building a Quickie, please direct them towards www.quickiebuilders.org Sam Hoskins Q-200 (on my way to Oshkosh for the 15th time) More Quickie stuff here: http://home.globaleyes.net/shoskins/page1.htm
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This builder was unknown to the California Quickie community. So far, non of our guys have come forward and said this builder had contacted any of them about flight testing, quirks and handling characteristics of the Q breed. Since the builder listed it as a "QZ" he may have designed in some changes. From my post in another thread: "But more than that, most accidents can be traced back to a conflict in priorities. Rather than balancing risk against necessity and finding appropriate hazard mitigation, most accidents can be traced back to a latent human error of placing objective ahead of caution and process. No pilot wakes up and says, "I’m going to go crash an airplane today." But many, especially in recreational aviation, will push on when caution dictates otherwise. " If this is true that the pilot was no know to the user group, we have a classic example: 1. An aircraft with a distinct reputation for requiring special techniques and skills for flying. 2. A well established process for mitigating the increased risk by shared experience. 3. Possible ignorance or disregard of the established process. 4. Objective (fly my new aircraft) placed ahead of process. Towards prevention of further occurrences, I ask the following question: 1. Since aircraft requires special skills, does manufacturer attempt to notify purchaser of the existence of such knowledge sharing groups? If not, I strongly urge it. R/ Jim
Response:
This builder was unknown to the California Quickie community. So far, non of our guys have come forward and said this builder had contacted any of them about flight testing, quirks and handling characteristics of the Q breed.
Not to cast aspersions, or slight the loss to the family (I have four kids – can’t begin to imagine…) but might it be possible that an engineer for Scaled Composites, working on the X-prize aircraft, might have thought that he already knew everything he needed to know about unusual composite aircraft?
