Comments on: Forced landing near Rockcliffe

By: david

david — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:29:56 +0000

Thanks, Marc — Jeremy told me about that at the club. For a car, it might make sense to shut down the engine if there’s too much crank vibration, but it’s a horrible idea for a plane, obviously.

By: Marc Patry

Marc Patry — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 18:09:39 +0000

Turns out it was the crank censor. Anyone running a Subaru engine in their homebuilt should look into this.

By: Jack

Jack — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 20:34:47 +0000

Your father is a really lucky guy. Good thing he had 50 years of experience. I’m sure this won’t stop him from flying. So what caused the accident?

By: Marc Patry

Marc Patry — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 22:35:32 +0000

Thank you for the kind words.

By: Tony Hunt

Tony Hunt — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 02:18:55 +0000

Marc (& Gerry): My sons & I had seen your Zenith on the ramp at Rockliffe for several years. My boys always told me it was a “neat” airplane and wondered when they would see it fly. My younger son showed me a copy of the “Metro” newspaper with a photo of the plane on the front cover, hanging from the trees, three feet off the ground. Not a dignified position for any plane, but I am glad that Gerry did the right things and got himself back to earth without injury to himself or others.

I’m glad Gerry still has his enthusiasm for flying and wants to get up again soon. Hope to see you both around CYRO again soon.

By: Marc Patry

Marc Patry — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 23:46:11 +0000

Well Im pretty sure he is going to part it out. He is 68 and that plane has been a 6 or 8 year “headache” for him lol. Hes just happy he is alright, as we all are. He has another plane to fly anyway. The plane is back at the flying club for the next few days.

By: david

david — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 23:19:11 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Marc. I guessed from the story that the pilot had done a great job — landing in trees with no injury — and I appreciate the extra information. I hope that the plane is repairable.

By: Marc Patry

Marc Patry — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 22:46:17 +0000

Hi, the Zenith that went down today was my Fathers, Gerry Patry. Just to let you know the plane he was flying did actually come down nose first, well kinda at an angle, steep angle, but still nose first. The reason he escaped injury is because he got hung up in the trees and the plane didnt actually hit the ground, only 3 feet off, and the fact that he equiped his plane with shoulder harnesses(very lucky). My Father has been a pilot for going on 50 years now and intentionally avoided the houses and school once he reallized he wasnt going to make it back to Rockliff. If it had been a less expeirenced pilot this may have had a very different outcome. Im just glad he walked away.