On February, 23, 2013, we had an airport open house at the Venice, Fla., Municipal Airport. It was a beautiful day, with a great turnout of people and airplanes, and a mix of aircraft ranging from LSAs to jets. Some attendees got more than they bargained for, however. That occurred when a pilotless Piper Malibu roared out of its parking spot, across a taxiway and into a ditch. The aircraft and its owner were not taking part in the open house, though many people including pilots and visitors got to watch. It was fortunate the airplane hit the ditch since the opportunities to cause not only breathtaking damage to other aircraft but also loss of life were huge.
The Cessna 206’s cargo-door configuration has been a concern since the aircraft’s introduction in the 1960s, with Cessna modifying newer models with design changes.Flying/Cessna Aircraft Company
Key Takeaways:
An unattended Piper Malibu spontaneously started and crashed at an airport open house due to critical hand-propping safety failures, underscoring the dangers even with larger aircraft.
A reader corrected technical details in a previous article, clarifying that VMC (minimum control speed) in twin-engine aircraft is based on the inoperative engine windmilling.
A reader criticized the FAA's tower closures due to sequestration, arguing these cuts compromise general aviation safety and freedom to fly, urging publications to advocate against such government actions.
On February, 23, 2013, we had an airport open house at the Venice, Fla., Municipal Airport. It was a beautiful day, with a great turnout of people and airplanes, and a mix of aircraft ranging from LSAs to jets. Some attendees got more than they bargained for, however.
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