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Tuna-Salad

Have you ever been on a jump ship when something went wrong?

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Sugar Alpha, aka The Firestone 3, was still flying when it owner, Steve Moran, was killed in 1983.

BASE359



I was aboard Sugar Alpha at FB in '85...16 miles from the DZ at 8000 ft...blew a jug. Prolly one of the few loads in history to be embarrassed because the plane broke. We were taking up a "2 ton 20 way" all fellers weighing over 200lbs. As we stood packed up toward the front, someone said "Crap , you KNOW they're gonna blame our fat asses for breaking the plane!"
They made it back to within a mile or so of the DZ and started puttin us out. Single file, running down the left side of the aircraft and out the door. Look over one shoulder and see canopies in various stages of opening, turn to the other side and see people still poppin out the door. Cool visual. Landed about 50 yards from the edge of a corn field. Had an unusually soft stand up landing, and wouldn't move my feet as I gathered the kite up to walk out. My feets were pointed toward the edge of the field and i wanted them to stay that way....Had heard too many stories of folks "lost in the corn" for days
(skyjumpinfool, could this have been the load you were on? Maybe the memory is a bit hazy through 3 decades of saftey meetings and such?) ;)

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About 4-5yrs ago i was in a 182 at about 6000 when the plane made a horrible clunk noise and lost power. About 2 seconds later the pilot said "out now" so we all bailed. ..turned out to be the engine block had cracked in flight.

Edited to add that the pilot did an amazing job of gliding in with no power.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

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My third jump visiting a new dropzone a few hundred feet from the endless Pacific. At about 4500 feet, it felt and sounded like someone had smacked the cowling of the Caravan I was in with a sledge hammer.

After that, silence.

After a few seconds, the pilot said that the engine was no good and that we could go or stay as long as we told him what the plan was. I posted more in the link slotperfect provided earlier in this thread.

It ended well. All jumpers landed at the DZ and the plane landed on the runway.
Owned by Remi #?

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one from a uh-1h and one from a blackhawk at campbell back in the eighty's chip light or something i guess. a queen air up in illinois lost a jug. everyone got out at 3 grand and landed off. and I was on afaik the last load of jumpers mr. douglas flew. we were at like 4 grand maybe 3800 at tullahoma me jimmy oleander and some other guy were supposed to pull off a 3 way base for a 7 way attempt. I suggested we go ahead and pull of the 3 way. jimmy was up for it. but the 3rd guy chickened out. he was like "man this is an emergency situation" blah blah. what ever you go 1st dude. I'll allway smile when I think about chris spotting that load. that grin of his when he gave the pilot the cut sign. and the look the pilot gave him.
i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .


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1998 or so, King Air at Marina, CA. Lost an engine on climbout at around 1,000ft with a full load and full fuel. We were at 600ft by the time everything was sorted out. Quoth Bill Gere, the pilot: "Sit the fuck down, shut the fuck up!" He brought it around and landed on one engine like it was cool.

2005 (I think) Lost Prairie. Sitting in the back of the Otter with Mad John and I looked at the port engine and saw a clear fluid dripping off the trailing edge of the wing. It didn't look right to Mad John, either, so we passed the word up to the pilot to warn him. Well, that word didn't make it all the way to the cockpit. About five minutes later, apparently the idiot lights started flashing and the pilot brought the airplane back towards the DZ, leveling about 8,000 or so. One pass, no show exits and all was ok. After the last jumper exited, he shut the offending engine down and landed it just fine. Larry and the gang had it fixed that night and ready for load one the next day.

--Q
-----
Chris "Q" Quaintance
ccqquaintance.com
D-23345

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2005 (I think) Lost Prairie. Sitting in the back of the Otter with Mad John and I looked at the port engine and saw a clear fluid dripping off the trailing edge of the wing. It didn't look right to Mad John, either, so we passed the word up to the pilot to warn him. Well, that word didn't make it all the way to the cockpit. About five minutes later, apparently the idiot lights started flashing and the pilot brought the airplane back towards the DZ, leveling about 8,000 or so. One pass, no show exits and all was ok. ................. I'm all up for the no show exit but but how big did you build it? how many on the load got in ????

--Q

:D:ph34r:
i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .


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2005 (I think) Lost Prairie. Sitting in the back of the Otter with Mad John and I looked at the port engine and saw a clear fluid dripping off the trailing edge of the wing. It didn't look right to Mad John, either, so we passed the word up to the pilot to warn him. Well, that word didn't make it all the way to the cockpit. About five minutes later, apparently the idiot lights started flashing and the pilot brought the airplane back towards the DZ, leveling about 8,000 or so. One pass, no show exits and all was ok.


................. I'm all up for the no show exit but but how big did you build it? how many on the load got in ????
:D:ph34r:


If I remember correctly, it was something like a 12 way for Mad John's group and we quickly settled on a plan b: Speed Star, two back layouts required on exit! Who knows how many actually got in, but I remember it as a lot of fun with all but one or two in.

--Q
-----
Chris "Q" Quaintance
ccqquaintance.com
D-23345

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I was aboard Sugar Alpha at FB in '85...16 miles from the DZ at 8000 ft...blew a jug...
(skyjumpinfool, could this have been the load you were on? Maybe the memory is a bit hazy through 3 decades of saftey meetings and such?) ;)



Was it in the 80's? Damn, now I have to dig out those old log books. It sounds like the same incident. I remember I was sitting in the front, closest to the pilot. Heard every (swear) word he said. I don't remember making it to 8,000ft though. As for the cause of the engine failure, all I have is hear say.

In those days I logged everything! I will check it and get back to you...

Meanwhile, What did happen to Sugar Alpha?
Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

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On my 100th skydive. At about 2500 ft or so the engine started making noises and sputtering. It was a 182 and of course very tight. Pilot looked at me and said to get out. I opened the door and exited. Pulled my main right away and watched for the other 3 jumpers to exit.

To my surprise. They reached out and closed the door!! Pilot turned around and started circling me, as they all waved at me. Then they climbed to 10.5 and had a great 3 way. Fuckers!! Happy 100th.
Dom


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On my 100th skydive. At about 2500 ft or so the engine started making noises and sputtering. It was a 182 and of course very tight. Pilot looked at me and said to get out. I opened the door and exited. Pulled my main right away and watched for the other 3 jumpers to exit.

To my surprise. They reached out and closed the door!! Pilot turned around and started circling me, as they all waved at me. Then they climbed to 10.5 and had a great 3 way. Fuckers!! Happy 100th.



haha :D:D
crafty bastards!
"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

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well, i guess its a good thing that im gonna keep my trap shut when it gets to my 100th jump...

also, my dz doesnt have 182s, king air and caravan... and i (kinda) doubt they would fake an emergency just to get me out if they have tandems or such going up
"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

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well, i guess its a good thing that im gonna keep my trap shut when it gets to my 100th jump...

also, my dz doesnt have 182s, king air and caravan... and i (kinda) doubt they would fake an emergency just to get me out if they have tandems or such going up



Manifest knows how many jumps you have :ph34r:

And never underestimate the will of your fellow jumpers. :P
Owned by Remi #?

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shhhhh!!

besides, unless they actually look at the number in my book, thier numbers are going to be atleast 10 jumps off... by then, ill be at 110 :ph34r:

and no, i dont doubt they would do it... im sure they could get a whole load together of funjumpers and get everyone in on it... but then they would miss the pie'ing when i got down.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

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It wasn't intended to be a skydive...but pilot and trainee on a check-ride for our 182 for the first flights of the season.
Right flap locked down, left flap was freely moving. Pilot turns to me and says "I need you to get out now." I had asked if I could go along, and wore a rig as a matter of course. No goggles, alti, shades, etc.
They landed uneventfully, turned out a cable had slipped.
Not nearly as exciting as some of the stories before this one.

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besides, unless they actually look at the number in my book, thier numbers are going to be atleast 10 jumps off... by then, ill be at 110 Sly



Meh... doesn't matter what your log book says.



Touché...
"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

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1995: Takeoff in a 182. Jumper starts screaming bloody murder. I abort the takeoff. Everyone looks at me like "what?" They then say "oh she always does that." I say "She will not do that ever again when I'm flying."

1996: C-U206. Part of the seatbelt was still over student bridle (IAD) when he exited and JM was holding PC. Basicly directlined the main then cynched around the seatbelt and snapped. When the plane lurched I turned around to see the JM handing me the PC. I took it and banked the plane. Watched the students canopy dive then level then dive then level with no action by the student. A tree caught him and set him down like the hand of God scooped him.

My girlfriend at the time was going through IAD. The JM hurried practice with a dummy handle for a PRCP. Doing so he wrapped the bridle around the harness. She went out at 3.5k with a PC in tow. I saw the JMs eyes go big when she left but I couldn't see what was going on. He was out on the step still. We circled and in a short time he came back in and said "reserve ride". That was all. I closed the door, banked the plane over and saw she was already on the ground. Her FXC 12000 had fired her reserve. She landed under reserve ok.

Was on takeoff in a C-U206 when I blew two cylinders off the case. The sparkplug wires held them from falling completely off the engine. I kept the throttle in using four cylinders to get me around and landed on the pavement into the wind. Abandonned ship as soon as we got stopped. No fire fortunatley. 2 years later that 206 had an engine failure and oil fire that killed 5 of my friends.

Was on takeoff in a C-182 and had a double magneto failure. Yah, I know. It's supposed to never happen. It did. I was at near 1,000 AGL and made a 180 back to the airport. Landed downwind and fortunately had two snow banks to stop me before running across a road. It was on a grass strip parallel to the paved runway. The paved runway at the time was a skating rink. Yah, I know I shouldn't have gone in the first place.

1997: Was on takeoff in a C-182 and the engine failed at about 400ft AGL. I made an immediate left bank and used the flap handle (parking brake style) to smoothly apply flaps. It ballooned me enough to get around and make a downwind landing in the jumpers' grass landing area. Lots of mud was tossed over the plane as we came to an abrupt stop. Carb ice we believe caused the failure which had built on the previous descent. An ice chunk let loose and choked the engine. It was the 3rd engine failure in 4 months for me at this DZ. Two weeks later I quit. One jumper gave me a donut the next morning saying "I've crashed from that altitude."

Climbing out of 10K in Mr. D. I was flying from the right seat and the left engine blew a jug. Dave nonchelantely says "yep, we're losing one." He took the plane and secured the engine. He had me pass the word that we were turning for the airport on jumprun. Max's group were lined up ready to go. Max was spotting with his head out the door. He then leans in and looks up the aisle at me and gives the "cut" sign. I look at him and mouth the words "cut what!" (the left engine was dead). He just points out the door and mouths "we're getting out." I give him a big thumbs up.

1998:Climbing out of 6k the right engine on an otter came apart and seized the prop from turning quickly. It shook the plane so bad some jumpers thought we had had a midair collision. A TM turned to me as I was securing the engine and announced that we had an engine fire. The fire indicator was not illuminated but I was about to pull the handle when he announced "ok it's out.!" The fuel wasn't burning efficiently as the engine came apart so it was flaming outside of the exhaust ears. Not quit an engine fire but not a pretty sight either. Turned back for the airport and climbed a thousand feet before putting the jumpers out. Waited for everyone to land then came in. I see one guy standing right next to the runway as I'm about to touch down. Yep, one jumper is getting video. Figures.

There's more but those are the highlights.
Chris Schindler
www.diverdriver.com
ATP/D-19012
FB #4125

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Copilots window was open.
Manual leaves.
Hits engine
POW
Engine make smoke
Pilot turns plane back to land
Land safely.
Everyone exits

Not sure of the whole story since another skydiver was on the plane who had been in a pretty bad crash the year before needed a break and some buttery nipples, so we took the rest of the day off.
Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

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