Thu, Oct 26, 2006
Sticky Main Gear Eventually Cooperates
What could have been a harrowing experience for about 10
passengers riding on the Experimental Aircraft Association's B-17
"Aluminum Overcast" Wednesday morning, instead presented an
opportunity for them to spend an extra 30 minutes flying in the
skies over Houston... and get a first-hand lesson in
troubleshooting.
The problems began at approximately 10 am. The plane was
returning to Ellington Field when the left main gear would not
extend. According to EAA spokesman Dick Knapinski, the plane's crew
radioed EAA personnel and experts on the ground to troubleshoot the
problem.
After discussing possible causes and solutions, the decision was
made to recycle the landing gear. That brought the right maingear
back up... before both landing gear legs extended, and locked into
place.
Aluminum Overcast landed without incident... leaving EAA'ers
scratching their heads on what could have caused the problem to
begin with.
"We've never seen this kind of problem before," Knapinski told
Aero-News.
The plane will remain at Ellington Field while staffers attempt
to diagnose the problem. "We're lucky this happened at a facility
like Ellington," Knapinski said, "with hangar facilities and jacks
available." (We imagine there are more than a few eager USAF
personnel willing to lend a helpful hand, as well --
Ed.)
This isn't the first time landing gear woes have struck the
61-year-old Overcast. As Aero-News reported in May
2004, the plane suffered gear collapse while taxiing
off the runway at Southern California's Van Nuys Airport, shortly
after the plane made an uneventful landing.
The plane was ferried back to Wittman Field the following
September, and a 19-month restoration effort began. The plane took to the skies
again last March (above).
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