WIX Archives
The Fat Cat's
Posted by Brad on Sat Nov 01, 2003 10:35:04 PM
In reply top Mystery Lockheed Twin posted by Mike Henniger on Sat Nov 01, 2003 09:43:17 AM
http://community.webshots.com/user/bradleypilgrim1
I just posted a couple of pictures I took of both of the Fat Cat PV-2 in Texas several years ago. Fat Cat was still in it original polished aluminum and blue cowling scheme. I do remember seeing it all blue, sometime before it burned up. Fat Cat was N7428C
Fat Cat Too was all blue and is the one that had the landing gear retraction problem. It was N7857C
Both of the airplanes were owned by a man from Lousiana named Richard Mitchell. Apparantly FAT CAT went to the Confederate Air Force at some point.
Mitchell was associated with a museum down in Lousiana called the "Combat Aircraft Museum". I believe they actually had another PV-2 that they were restoring too.
Here is the accident reports for both planes.
NTSB Report Brief FAT CAT
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Accident Information
Accident Date: Sunday, 1990 Sep 16, 13:26 CDT
NTSB ID: FTW90DRA10
Accident/Incident: Accident
Accident Location: CONROE, Texas
Aircraft N-Number: N7428C
Aircraft Information
Aircraft Make/Model: LOCKHEED PV-2
Maintenance Type: Last Inspection Type: AAIP, 1990 Sep 04
Airframe Total Time: 1900 hours
Engine Make/Model: P&W R2800-31
Number of Engines: 2
Rules Flight conducted under: 14 CFR 91
Operation: Personal
Location Information
Departure Point: Same as Accident Site
Departure Time: 13:26 CDT
Destination: LFT, LAFAYETTE, LA
Accident Location: On airport
Airport: CXO, MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Airport Elevation: 247 feet
Runway: 19; 4600 feet x 150 feet; Asphalt, Dry
Weather Information
Basic Weather Conditions: Visual meteorological conditions (VMC)
Lowest Ceiling: Broken
Observed Visibility: 15 miles
Temperature: 91?F
Wind: 170? / 10 kts
Visibility Restrictions: No visibility restrictions
Precipitation: No precipitation
Pilot Information
Pilot: 42 years old, male
Pilot Certificates and Ratings: Airline transport, Single engine land, Multiengine land, No other ratings
Instrument Ratings: Airplane
Flight Instructor Ratings: Airplane SE, Airplane ME
Medical Certificate: Class 1
Medical Certificate Valid: Valid medical-no waivers/limitations
Date of Last Medical Certificate: 1990 Jun 28
Current BFR: Yes
Source of Flight Time: Pilot/operator report
Pilot Time All Aircraft/Make+Model
Total Time: 18000 hours / 500 hours
Instrument Time: 3200 hours / 20 hours
Last 90 Days: 250 hours / 50 hours
Last 24 Hours: 5 hours / 4 hours
Accident Information
Weather Briefing Source: No record of briefing
Type of Clearance: No clearance
VFR Approach/Landing Type: No approach/landing
IFR Approach: No IFR approach
Aircraft: Damage: Destroyed, Fire: On ground, Explosion: No explosion
Injuries (Fatal/Serious/Minor/None)
Highest Degree of Injury: No injuries
Pilot: 0 / 0 / 0 / 1
Copilot: 0 / 0 / 0 / 1
Other Crew: 0 / 0 / 0 / 2
Accident Narrative:
DURING TAXI TO TAKEOFF THE CREW SENSED AN ODOR SIMILAR TO AN ELECTRICAL FIRE, AND SMOKE BECAME APPARENT IN THE COCKPIT. BOTH GENERATORS AND THE BATTERY MASTER WERE SECURED. THE RIGHT GENERATOR WOULD NOT ACCEPT A LOAD AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE RIGHT WING ACCESSORY J-BOX IN THE RIGHT WHEEL WELL. THREE OCCUPANTS DEPLANED AND INITIALLY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, WHICH REIGNITED DUE TO HOT METAL AND COMPROMISED FUEL/OIL LINES. ALL SYSTEMS WERE SECURED AND THE PILOT THEN EVACUATED THE AIRPLANE, WHICH WAS CONSUMED BY THE FIRE. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT DID NOT ARRIVE FOR 20-25 MINUTES AFTER THE FIRE BEGAN. FAA INSPECTORS WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE FIRE SOURCE FROM THE BURNED WRECKAGE. HOWEVER, THE OPERATOR'S REPORT STATED THAT THE RIGHT STARTER SOLENOID DID NOT OPEN AFTER ENGINE START CAUSING THE STARTER TO REMAIN LINKED TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS RESULTED IN A SYSTEM OVERLOAD AND SUBSEQUENT ELECTRICAL FIRE. BOTH FUEL AND OIL LINES WERE ROUTED THROUGH THE RIGHT WHEEL WELL FOR COCKPIT INDICATIONS.
Occurence #1: Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Phase of Operation: Taxi - to takeoff
Findings 1: Engine accessories,engine starter - Other (Cause)
Occurence #2: Fire
Phase of Operation: Taxi - to takeoff
Findings 2: Electrical system - Overload (Cause)
Findings 3: Emergency procedure - Performed - Pilot in command
Findings 4: Remedial action - Delayed - Airport personnel (Factor)
Accident Cause:
THE ENGINE STARTER REMAINED ENGAGED AFTER ENGINE START AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OVERHEAT.
NTSB Report Brief FAT CAT TOO
Accident Information
Accident Date: Friday, 1994 Sep 30, 10:10 CDT
NTSB ID: FTW94LA319
Accident/Incident: Accident
Accident Location: LAFAYETTE, Louisiana
Aircraft N-Number: N6857C
Aircraft Information
Aircraft Make/Model: LOCKHEED PV-2
Maintenance Type: Last Inspection Type: AAIP, 1994 Sep 10
Airframe Total Time: 2355 hours
Engine Make/Model: P & W R-2800-31
Number of Engines: 2
Rules Flight conducted under: 14 CFR 91
Operation: Instructional
Location Information
Departure Point: LFT, Same as Accident Site
Departure Time: 09:53 CDT
Destination: LFT, LA, Local flight
Accident Location: On airport
Airport: LFT, LAFAYETTE REGIONAL
Airport Elevation: 42 feet
Runway: 4R; 7650 feet x 150 feet; Asphalt, Dry
Weather Information
Basic Weather Conditions: Visual meteorological conditions (VMC), Daylight
Lowest Clouds: Scattered, 20000 feet
Lowest Ceiling: No ceiling
Observed Visibility: 7 miles
Temperature: 84?F, Dew Point: 65?F
Wind: 70? / 8 kts
Visibility Restrictions: Haze (H)
Precipitation: No precipitation
Weather Information Source: Weather observation facility
Pilot Information
Pilot: 46 years old, male
Pilot Certificates and Ratings: Airline transport, Flight instructor, Flight engineer, Single engine land, Multiengine land, No other ratings
Instrument Ratings: Airplane
Flight Instructor Ratings: Airplane SE, Airplane ME, Instrument plane
Medical Certificate: Class 1
Medical Certificate Valid: Valid medical-no waivers/limitations
Date of Last Medical Certificate: 1994 Jan 14
Current BFR: Yes
Source of Flight Time: Pilot/operator report
Pilot Time All Aircraft/Make+Model
Total Time: 20000 hours / 600 hours
Instrument Time: 3500 hours
Last 90 Days: 140 hours
Last 24 Hours: 1 hours
Accident Information
Weather Briefing Source: National weather service (NWS), Flight service station
Weather Briefing Method: Telephone, Aircraft radio
Type of Clearance: VFR
VFR Approach/Landing Type: Touch and go
IFR Approach: No IFR approach
Airspace at Accident Location: Class E, Class D
Aircraft: Damage: Substantial, Fire: No fire, Explosion: No explosion
Injuries (Fatal/Serious/Minor/None)
Highest Degree of Injury: No injuries
Pilot: 0 / 0 / 0 / 1
Copilot: 0 / 0 / 0 / 1
Other Crew: 0 / 0 / 0 / 1
Accident Narrative:
THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT WAS INSTRUCTING THE PILOT IN THE LEFT SEAT FOR A TYPE RATING IN THE AIRPLANE. AFTER THE SECOND LANDING, THE PIC IN THE RIGHT SEAT WAS CONFIGURING THE AIRPLANE FOR TAKEOFF AND INADVERTENTLY PULLED THE GEAR HANDLE UP INSTEAD OF THE FLAPS. THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT THE TWO HANDLES "ARE IDENTICAL IN SIZE, SHAPE, AND COLOR. THEY ARE LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO ONE ANOTHER."
Occurence #1: Gear retraction on ground
Phase of Operation: Landing - roll
Findings 1: Gear retraction - Inadvertent - Pilot in command (Cause)
Occurence #2: On ground/water encounter with terrain/water
Phase of Operation: Landing - roll
Accident Cause:
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT GEAR RETRACTION