Stearman Flip...Hard on the Brakes?

[johnnyrace]

So this happened today...both men are okay...Looks like the brakes were set on touchdown...Any ideas?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmYH9dEhFvs

[flyboycpa]

Re: Stearman Flip...Hard on the Brakes?

My sources said that a Washington Post reporter was being carried and admitted to accidentally pushing the brakes in order to leverage himself up to see better during the landing. He didn't realize he was pushing rudders or brakes. It's a good lesson for all of us who routinely carry non-pilots in tailwheel aircraft to brief them on where not to have there feet & hands during critical phases of flight.

Sam

[Inverted]

Re: Stearman Flip...Hard on the Brakes?

That is something that really freaks me out. I give a pretty long brief but it still makes me nervous a non pilot passenger is going to bump the stick or hit the rudder or brakes when least expected.

[h34race]

Re: Stearman Flip...Hard on the Brakes?

OK so who gets the insurace clam the reporter or his company,has got to be at least 150,000.00 in damage to the plane rite.or with they give the standered it was opreator error, saw that the news guy fessed up too standing on the brake to prop him self up to get the landing shot just didn't know what was what honest mistake,let the finger pointing begin shouldn't cost that much to fix a stearman rite???

[bellarch]

Re: Stearman Flip...Hard on the Brakes?

The video looks like the rudder was being deflected with full travel during flare and touch-down. The pilot could notice the resistance, right?

Not being familiar with Stearman's, are the brakes separate from the rudder pedals? or is it a golf cart ratchet-lock type brake that was accidentally set earlier in the flight?

Just an inquiring mind. No agenda. Frequent passenger that never wants to accidentally do this.

Thanks!

B.

[Skyracer]

Re: Stearman Flip...Hard on the Brakes?

Stearman's have toe brakes incorporated into the rudder pedals. There is a manually activated parking brake valve that can be set but it takes an intentional "push this, pull that" act and I'm not sure it can be done in flight.

The original Stearman drum brakes are troublesome and it is not a question of if, but when, you will be "surprised" by them. Most modern restorations are converting to disc brakes which are very reliable and you have to work pretty hard at to lock them up.

Is likely the reporter wanted to "get the shot" and was trying to push himself up higher in the cockpit (lost cause, you can't see over the nose anyway) when his foot (feet) found the rudder/brake pedal(s) at a very inopportune moment.

Assuming a wing spar wasn't broken, the really spendy part will be replacing the prop.

[ignomini]

Re: Stearman Flip...Hard on the Brakes?

Won't they have to tear down the motor too? My father's Stearman was characterized by it's general inability to stop. I seem to recall times when it was all he could to keep the thing stationary during run ups. Flying it as a kid I could barely reach the brakes, but he usually did the ground handling and then handed over to me for the long boring cruise to wherever we were going.

[airtj]

engine

Any time the engine has a hard stop, the engine has to be torn down to make sure their isn't major damage inside. I won't be surprised if something in the engine is bent because of the ground loop. The prop came in contact with the runway is a sure way of breaking parts in the engine.