Hamilton Lancaster
 

Someone please jog my memory! Damned CRS is acting up again... :(

Seems to me, a few months ago a pilot taxiing the Lanc ignored ground signals and zigged when he should have zagged, chopping up the Dakota there (apparently the second known highest-time Dak in the world?) and damaging the Lanc (wingtip and prop?).

Can anyone supply details and give a sitrep on both aircraft?

Just a Story
 

Geoff,

A fellow told me that the whole 'Lanc eats Dakota' story was a pile of rubbish - that both were as good as they have ever been.

I think Jon Skagfeld has the inside track on this developing old wives tale.

Jon???


Stewart
Getting ready for more snow in Beachville:mad:

Hamilton Lancaster
 

No real inside track, just reports from various people/groups who have recently visited the Mount Hope site.

All report that everything is OK with both aircraft.

Perhaps an attempt to author an urban myth?

I do recall the thread about this alleged incident from the "old" MLU Forum, and BTW, isn't Alexander Borgia directly under one of the Hamilton airport's approach runways? Perhaps he can fill us in further. Is he a member of this Forum?

Some help
 

Hi.

One of the customers who comes into the store I work at on a regular basis is part of the crew for the Lanc. I remeber asking him what had happened as everyone at my job was very interested. Two of my bsses also used to work at the airport so they got a buch of info too.

The Incident

Basically most of the CWHM pilots are commercial pilots who know what they are doing. From what I have been told (I mean no disrespect to the ground crew) the ground crew people tended in the past to be rather lax on control movements of the taxing aircraft. This led to a situation whereby the pilots having much more experience tended to park the aircraft by themselves. (ie, judeging distances ect.) From reports in the news and from what I was told, the two pilots were arguing about somthing in the cockpit and were not paying attention to the aircraft movement. Unfourtunately by the time it was realized the plane didn't have enough room itwas too late to do anything. These things don't stop or turn on a dime. The plane continued slowly moving toward the Dakota until the right outboard engine/prop on the Lanc (still spinning) made contact with the left wing of the parked Dakota. The Lanc prop procceded to chew up about 2-3 meters of the wing before grinding to a halt.

The Damage

The Dakota suffered the most external damage but luckily spare parts arn't a problem to locate and are very cheap compared to other aircraft of the same age.

The Lanc had very little damge to it externally. Basically it had a prop destroyed and a bent cowling. However, it suffered some heavy damage to the engine which was literaly forced to stop in a few seconds. From what I was told by one of th guys who works on the Lanc, it had (I don't know the tech name) a few interanl gears striped of all teeth. And I think a bent crank shaft.

The Result.

The Lanc was given a rushed job to get it back flying and I believe it was up again within a few weeks. They were trying to get it ready for the Queens visit. I know it has been flying for a few months now because I have seen it go by. I don't know about the Dakota otherthan when I last saw it both wings were removed waiting for a replacement. The pilot were in a lt of trouble not only for damaging two aircraft but for ignoring the ground crew movement orders. Both were put on probation pending an investigation. I beleive that one of them was not allowed to fly for the museum again.

I dont know much more than this and I hope I ahve everything correct. Most of this information came from people who actually work on the planes up there so I believe what they told me. l also want to say that I have given mis-information I am sorry.

Jordan Baker

FOUND THE THREAD
 

Still on the old forum. My mistake (time flies when yer gettin' old :( ), it was last July, with the announcement by Alexander and updates through to September by Rob Dabkowski. Apparently it was flying again by the end of September.

http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/...eid=1024590159

Thanks, guys. Be nice to know about the Dak, though.

Re: Some help
 

Thanks, Jordan. I know I sure wouldn't have wanted to be the guy responsible for buggering a perfectly good Merlin... :eek:

yeppers still here.
 

As far as I know the Lanc is still airworthy at the time of writing this. I do see it occassionally in the air, and last October I saw it live and in person at the museum.

Just got word yesterday that my court case against some very bad gov't officials is going entirely in my favour and that as soon as I resolve that, I will be looking into arranging a ride in the Lanc for my son. His uncle, on his mother's side, went down in a Lanc flying back from Op Totalize so he has a connection to it. Mind you, he has no interest in the air force, despite his uncle, nor does he have an interest in the Navy despite that he'll eat anything that ever lived in water. He's 11 yrs. and is dead set on being a RHLI when he is old enough to enlist.

As of last year, the cost was a membership to the museum ($100) plus a grand for the lanc ride. I'm not sure how many it can take in one flight, but if there are open seats available, first go to some vets I know, then others who may have interest. Since this will be paid for by YOUR tax dollars, the cost will be a token rather than a recovery. I'll let you know.

Further updates on both...
 

Hey All,

Sorry I didn't get to this sooner, been in Florida for three weeks.... hee hee...

At any rate, I volunteer at the CWHM and have been filled in on pretty much everything (it's nice to get the insider scoop).

Jordan hit everything on the head re: what actually happened. It was an ugly thing to see, but hey, things happen (I guess....)

BOTH aircraft are airworthy once again, BOTH doing a flypast for the Queen in Ottawa during her visit. The Dakota will actually be used for ferrying members who get a free ride with the purchase of their membership. I'm looking forward to my ride this summer in fact.....

The Lanc is currently undergoing some regular maintinance and was "up on blocks" the last time I was there pre-vacation.

Hope that answers any lingering questions....

Tim

I have to fly to Toronto on Thursday and have all day to kill. So I think I'll rent a car and take a drive down to see the Lanc and it's friends. :D :cool: :D