Today they said fuel wasn't contaminated. Pilot said one engine running rough thought a mag problem. That was his last communication with tower.
B - 17 crash in Connecticut.
- Thread starter coronet68mx
- Start date
Basket case
Well-Known Member
the day of the crash one witness said that one of the engines wasn't running very well, and the other three were missing. If you haven't heard radials before, you might think there is a miss when there may not be. If they were, to have affected all four sounds like a fuel issue.
Top Banana
Active Member
I believe its 100LL. (Low Lead)
I use that in my piper when I fill up at my local airport. I used to buy it also for my 70 442 w30 and what a difference. They don’t sell to the public but most of us flight club members also had muscle cars or hot rods and we would buy it right off the tanker Pending who was running the airport that day. It was way cheaper than Sunoco race gas at the tracks and I think some guys with 12 to 1 would run it with no issues.
I would usually bring 5 red gas cans and some guys had the large 25-40 gallon mini pump tanks and would fill those up and head home for cruise night.
I use that in my piper when I fill up at my local airport. I used to buy it also for my 70 442 w30 and what a difference. They don’t sell to the public but most of us flight club members also had muscle cars or hot rods and we would buy it right off the tanker Pending who was running the airport that day. It was way cheaper than Sunoco race gas at the tracks and I think some guys with 12 to 1 would run it with no issues.
I would usually bring 5 red gas cans and some guys had the large 25-40 gallon mini pump tanks and would fill those up and head home for cruise night.
KENTON
Well-Known Member
I tried to put a link I read today but it failed. I will try again.
miller
Well-Known Member
I find that very hard to believe.
On at the very least, first take-off of the day, before even pulling onto the runway, a power/magneto check is done, on each separate engine. If even one fails that check, you do NOT take-off. Aircraft is returned to the stand, to find out why that engine failed the check.
I don't know the standard, for more that one run-ups/take-offs, in a day.
(I was the engineman on our privately owned B-25, for 7 years.)
If the engines checked good, the first time out...good to go.
Basket case
Well-Known Member
there's too many "eyewitness" accounts of people not in the know. Best just to wait till the report comes out.
Top Banana
Active Member
X2 on that!
NTSB aren’t the quickest but they are good at what they do.
Basket case
Well-Known Member
miller
Well-Known Member
Yes sir, absolutely correct. Thanks for the link. Raises more questions, than answers.
The mechanic is one of the survivors, so hopefully, he might be able to shed some light.
Guess I'm taking things a little personal. It's been quite a few years now, but I built several engines for that B-17. I know, many times, those engines can sit around for years, before put to use. Of course, their well preserved, and stay canned, in good shape.
Power test, like I mentioned before, a bad magneto would have shown up!
Prop blades separating? Props have an hour limit on them, then must be overhauled.
Final results might answer things.
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Basket case
Well-Known Member
wow I didn't realize the copilot was one of the survivors.
miller
Well-Known Member
Sorry! I mis-spoke...one of the mechanics.
Slap Stick
Well-Known Member
Just because a mag checks good on the ground doesn't mean they remain good. They can fail at any time.
jdakrt
Well-Known Member
Terrible situation, loss of life should outweigh the plane. Hope the cancel culture we have become keeps out of it. I rode in this plane back in 2015. Filled me with pride. Also spawned a renewed interest in WW2. Been reading up ever since. I'm sure these living history displays have done the same for thousands of others. Any speculation at this point is just that. Just a shame no matter the ntsb findings.
miller
Well-Known Member
I won't disagree with you, though I think it would be fairly rare.
Timing could have 'slipped', loose hold-down screw on the contacts, drive gear splines wore enough to let it slip, and so on. I've only run into one 'bad' mag, on someone else's plane. Contacts screw loosened...simply had to re-time that mag.
That type thing is why two mags are on piston aircraft engines. Completely separate (except the harness manifold), one for front plugs, one for the rear plugs.
#4 engine was somewhat high time, more than 800 hours. Normal for these days, anyway, to change the engine at 1000 hours.
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