ZipItyDoDa
10-10-2006, 09:27 PM
This was taken from another site:
Xcitor ppc crash in Albuquerque
Here is an account by the passenger in the xcitor posted on the ppg list:
My perspective on the ABQ incident
Here is my perspective on what happened that morning:
Beautiful conditions to fly. There were not many pilots in the air
as most pilots had gone on the Xcountry to the Balloon Fiesta 10
miles out. I had just returned from a very gratifying solo flight
and Eric and I decided to go tandem on the XCitor.
Couldn't have been more perfect than that: warm light winds, no
thermal activity, air was smooth as glass.
Eric and I flew around the fly-in sight for a while and at one point
saw Eric's wife Elisabeth leave the house with the car. We decided
to go wave at her knowing she rather would have been with us flying.
We proceeded at a safe altitude, level flying until we reached
Elisabeth and starting waving. Distraction it was as we were not
paying attention either one of us and lost altitude to the point
where when we finally started paying attention we were right in the
powerlines.
The sequence of events after that are pretty amazing because anything
out of that sequence would have caused us to fry. The front wheel of
the XCitor caught the line which caused us to start a front flip.
Eric at that point was real quick with launching the ballistic
reserve which in turn caused our rotation to kind of stop and also
resulted in the trailer hitch hooking in one of the ground powerlines
(not live powerlines). The way we flipped also caused the main two
live wires to short circuit . . . . I could go on and on but it is
obvious that we were extremely lucky !
There is only one excuse for this incident: we're human. Two long
time friends who hadn't seen each other for some time, both
passionate about this form of flying, having fun, feeling bad for
those not being able to join us, wanting to share our concern and not
paying attention.
Let it be known that I feel as much of a responsibility for this
incident as Eric who was piloting the craft. I helped in the
distraction by encouraging it and wanting to go wave at my best
girlfriend too.
Eric to me, not only because of our friendship, but because of what
I've been able to see first hand, demonstrated extreme control and if
we were able to free ourselves safely was because of his cool and
calm approach. Eric never stopped talking to me and reassuring me
and if I kept my cool was only because he made me feel everything was
going to be OK.
We both are very humbled by this incident but Gerry, **** happens and
IT WAS one of those days.
.
.
Xcitor ppc crash in Albuquerque
Here is an account by the passenger in the xcitor posted on the ppg list:
My perspective on the ABQ incident
Here is my perspective on what happened that morning:
Beautiful conditions to fly. There were not many pilots in the air
as most pilots had gone on the Xcountry to the Balloon Fiesta 10
miles out. I had just returned from a very gratifying solo flight
and Eric and I decided to go tandem on the XCitor.
Couldn't have been more perfect than that: warm light winds, no
thermal activity, air was smooth as glass.
Eric and I flew around the fly-in sight for a while and at one point
saw Eric's wife Elisabeth leave the house with the car. We decided
to go wave at her knowing she rather would have been with us flying.
We proceeded at a safe altitude, level flying until we reached
Elisabeth and starting waving. Distraction it was as we were not
paying attention either one of us and lost altitude to the point
where when we finally started paying attention we were right in the
powerlines.
The sequence of events after that are pretty amazing because anything
out of that sequence would have caused us to fry. The front wheel of
the XCitor caught the line which caused us to start a front flip.
Eric at that point was real quick with launching the ballistic
reserve which in turn caused our rotation to kind of stop and also
resulted in the trailer hitch hooking in one of the ground powerlines
(not live powerlines). The way we flipped also caused the main two
live wires to short circuit . . . . I could go on and on but it is
obvious that we were extremely lucky !
There is only one excuse for this incident: we're human. Two long
time friends who hadn't seen each other for some time, both
passionate about this form of flying, having fun, feeling bad for
those not being able to join us, wanting to share our concern and not
paying attention.
Let it be known that I feel as much of a responsibility for this
incident as Eric who was piloting the craft. I helped in the
distraction by encouraging it and wanting to go wave at my best
girlfriend too.
Eric to me, not only because of our friendship, but because of what
I've been able to see first hand, demonstrated extreme control and if
we were able to free ourselves safely was because of his cool and
calm approach. Eric never stopped talking to me and reassuring me
and if I kept my cool was only because he made me feel everything was
going to be OK.
We both are very humbled by this incident but Gerry, **** happens and
IT WAS one of those days.
.
.