Fallo del motor del Janus CM lleva a un aterrizaje en campo cerca de Sheffield
El 14 de octubre de 1996, un planeador motorizado Schempp-Hirth Janus CM experimentó un fallo de motor cerca del suroeste de Sheffield, Reino Unido. El piloto no pudo extender y bloquear completamente el motor, lo que aumentó la resistencia del avión. Después de volar en ladera por un tiempo, el piloto intentó un aterrizaje en campo para evitar cables eléctricos, pero entró en pérdida, resultando en una caída de 20 pies. La aeronave sufrió daños significativos, pero tanto el piloto como el pasajero resultaron ilesos. Una inspección reveló la falta de un pasador en el mecanismo del motor, lo que impidió la extensión adecuada del motor.
- Ridge-soaring flight: After a weather-related diversion from Longmynd to the Camphill area, the pilot spent about one and a half hours ridge-soaring before intending to use the engine.
- Engine fails to extend: When the pilot attempted to raise the engine, it would not fully extend and lock into position, and then became jammed in a partially extended, unusable state that increased drag.
- Mechanical roll-pin loss: A roll-pin securing the upper end of the engine extension/retraction spindle had fallen out, allowing the upper spindle pivot to unwind and preventing full engine extension and locking.
- Continued ridge-soaring, field selection: The pilot continued ridge-soaring while searching for and selecting a suitable upslope field across a valley for an outlanding.
- Approach over power cables: On approach to the chosen field, the pilot noticed a line of power cables late and decided to fly over them rather than adjust the approach path.
- Stall avoiding cables: During the manoeuvre to clear the power cables, the aircraft was stalled and dropped approximately twenty feet into the field.
- Outlanding - damage: The aircraft impacted the field heavily, causing minor nose damage and complete disruption of the tail, but the pilot and passenger were uninjured.