Emergency: Crunch

I wrote the first part of this based on my memory. I had no pictures. At the current date, August 17, I have received pictures from the crash site. Instead of simply editing my earlier report with real data, I am adding pictures as well as appending a section describing things as they really happened. In addition to being able detail more fully what happened, it turns out I can be a crappy witness about some things.

Doors consist of full glazing with a frame surround . Glazing disintegrated on impact. Body impact felt on left lower leg and forehead.

Soon as I stopped, I released my safety belt and reached for the main power switch but could not find it. I saw and smelled fuel streaming from a fuel line break in the line from fuel valve to gascolator (Estimate only 50 ml max available since the wing valves were shutoff.) After a more frantic search I still failed to find that switch. I did notice the battery cutoff lever was hanging loose so knew there was no power active.

My left foot was not aligned with the rest of of leg. Still concerned about a fire developing, I dragged myself from cockpit which was simplified because entire glazing/door was gone and fuselage was lying on ground. Dragged about 15 feet from right door (pilot side) and downhill from plane. A conscious effort was made to maintain foot/leg orientation to avoid further damage. Then the adrenalin effect stopped and leg pain started. Stopped moving and rested with the foot lying downhill and in line with leg.

The twin engine aircraft arrived overhead. I waved as it circled a few times before leaving.

Literally, having nothing better to do, I examined the wreckage from my vantage point. Aircraft position was upright and horizontal, on its belly on the semi-soft sand surface facing uphill. The main landing gear appeared intact but located approximately 15 feet behind the tail. An impact trench was not evident. The firewall and forward part if the plane appeared to have cleanly separated and 5 feet forward of the rest of the the fuselage.

The lower fuselage shell of the front cockpit suffered extensive damage. The rest of the fuselage appeared intact except for one semi-circular crack behind the baggage area along the circumference. Door glazing was gone and the the windshield had major cracks and missing sections. The wings and empennage appeared intact.

I estimated between 100 and 200 feet of landing area remained before a wall of trees.Surface was semi-soft sandy soil with occasional depressions.

When I receive photos of the accident area next week I will post some here and update the narrative to reflect reality.

I estimate about forty minutes after the crunch the pain became more noticeable. I began to say, "Ok I am ready to be rescued". After a few recitations of my new mantra I heard the whop, whop, whop of a helicopter. It was a Ministry if Natural Resources helicopter. The first of the crew arrived and jauntily announced, "We're first aid". Good. I needed first aid.

They splinted my leg with a cut sapling and electrical tape (no duct tape apparently) then hauled me to the helicopter which took me to the Red Lake hospital. The smooth landing was noticed. Rub it in.

Many X-rays of many parts were taken. I began to wonder if a more politically correct term could be used when dealing with a patient named Ray with unknown injuries. It just does not set the right frame of mind. Radiograph could be more appropriate.

After radiating me, pulling my broken tibia back into line, splinting me and cathetering me (most unpleasant), I got medivaced by Pilatus aircraft to Thunder Bay. The smooth landing was noted.

I arrived at Thunder Bay hospital around 11 pm Monday night, was operated on Tuesday morning and discharged from the hospital Friday morning. I left with a titanium tube in my left tibia and a pair of crutches. My fibula broke too, in multiple locations, but apparently it is left to reconnect itself in these situations.

Barb, my wife, arrived Wednesday pm. She stayed, then we stayed at the nearby Days Inn until the one week post-op observation and redressing. That happened Monday morning. Although Barb had rented a car, tourist opportunities were hampered by my inability to remain vertical except for short periods.

We flew back to Fredericton on Tuesday. That involved two aircraft with a stopover in Toronto. I noted the landings were not the greasers of either the helicopter or the medivac plane. But they were much smoother than my lawn dart technique by Primok Lake.

**** NEW SECTION BASED ON PHOTOS ******
The attached photos were taken by members of the Ministry of Natural Resources who administered first aid and then helicoptered my to Red Lake Airport. The areal view was taken from the helicopter before it landed.

From the tracking log on the aircraft and the data recorded with the first photo, my waiting time was approximately 25 minutes before the helicopter arrived.

The other views are from the left side. Its damage was much more severe than the right. I am not including a right side view since all I have were taken after the baggage area contents had been strewn about to gain access to the Emergency Locator Transmitter.

The second photo indicates I landed adjacent to line of boulders on the left. These were not visible from the right. The first time I noticed the boulders was when I saw the photos.

The third pic focuses on the area around the left side of the fuselage. Although there is an indentation in the sand from the rear fuselage and tailwheel, there is no trench. Apparently the plane impacted the grounded, ceased all forward motion and crumpled in place. The aircraft tail impacted, bounced up while the aircraft yawed slightly to the left before the tail dropping to the ground at its final resting position. Czytaj więcej