Airshow news: Sean Tucker bails out safely 4/4/06

[CMC Airboss]

wow, the control stick broke in his Oracle Challenger.  Nothing like being a passenger in a single seat airplane.

COUSHATTA, La. The pilot of an aerobatics plane had to parachute to safety in Red River Parish this morning after the plane developed mechanical problems.

Authorities say Sean Tucker had to ditch the plane after the aircraft's control stick broke.

Deputies say Tucker landed safely -- despite getting tangled briefly on part of the plane after getting out of the cockpit.

The single-engine stunt plane crashed in a field near the Red River-Natchitoches Parish line. Red River Parish Sheriff Johnny Ray Norman says Tucker was in town to visit friends while on his way to a weekend air show in Florida.

The plane's control stick broke shortly after takeoff from Red River Regional Airport, Norman said, but Tucker managed to get the plane away from any houses before bailing out.

Norman says Tucker initially got hung on a back part of the plane but managed to extricate himself and parachute to the ground.

The single-passenger, propeller plane crashed about a mile from the airport and was destroyed.

Photo of the wreckage here: http://www.ktbs.com/news/local/2574846.html

[AWMac]

That's what happens when you use Logitech sticks.

[Fishu]

Originally posted by AWMac
That's what happens when you use Logitech sticks.

Saitek might do the same...

[Russian]

So we know he likes it ruff…

[Hangtime]

wonder if he kept the stick.


That's gonna make a heluva bar story... the legend grows.

[CavemanJ]

dayum....

[rpm]

Originally posted by CMC Airboss
COUSHATTA, La. The pilot of an aerobatics plane had to parachute to safety in Red River Parish this morning after the plane developed mechanical problems.

Authorities say Sean Tucker had to ditch the plane after the aircraft's control stick broke.

What's wrong with this picture?

[Flit]

"ditch"
 Lucky boy, especially as he got hung up bailing out.

[Chairboy]

We talked about this at our EAA meeting last night.  One guy in our group heard that it wasn't the stick that broke, but that it was instead an elevator push-pull rod.  Also, he said that there wasn't anything bigger than a garbage can lid left of the wreckage.  He flew it with trim and determined that he didn't have enough control authority to land it, so climbed to 8,500 and bailed.

There's a shop of our field that does work on acrobatic planes, his included.  Apparently he brought in a plane to be recovered a few years ago, and the plywood in the wings had seperated from the ribs from all the strain.  That fella flys 'em hard!