Pietenpol-List: Celebrity Crash - more info

[matronics]

Original Posted By: "Christian Bobka"
just a little note to update some of you who requested more info regardingthe friend of mine's fatal Fisher Celebrity accident.Another friend of mine, who coincidentally was married to Kandy Kubeck,Capt. of ValueJet crash, knows the witness to Joes' crash. The witness issomewhat knowledgeable in aviation. He stated to my friend that Joe'sCelebrity WAS in fact losing FABRIC before the wings folded. He said thatfabric pieces were coming from the aircraft prior to wings folding. After afew seconds of fabric ripping from the top wing he said that the plane wentinto a dive and then the top wing folded back.This fits my original theory that it was the fabric that came loose. Oncethe fabric had departed the wings it appears the drag was incredibly strongto the open wing structure causing a structural failure at which point norecovery could possibly be made.The sad thing is my dad told Joe NOT to fly the aircraft a couple weeksbefore the crash. My dad told him that if the fabric was loose and becomingunglued that he should recover the wings and stitch them. My dad said toGROUND the plane. BUT, as I've poked around and asked friends about whathappened after that conversation that Joe had with my dad, I found out thatanother friend of Joe's, who I also know, told Joe that if the fabric wascoming loose not to worry. He told him that if it started to depart theplane he would have enough time to make an emergency landing. So, Joe, aninexperienced pilot took the opinion of the other guy and not my dad. Hadhe listened to good advice he may be here today.The point is not stitching fabric can kill you. It only takes a coupleextra days, a few bucks and a tad of weight. You gotta stitch the fabric.DJ________________________________________________________________________________

[matronics]

Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
And besides, stitching is actually fun!!! (until your finger tips start tobleed)Chris Bobka-----Original Message-----