A friend just sent this report of his recent misadventure. Things to think about.
2020
Collision at 1,500 Feet
On June 24, 2020 I flew to Golden Lake in the floatplane (Citabria), had a picnic lunch with friends with social distancing, and took off about 2.15 p.m. heading for Constance Lake near Ottawa where I was keeping the plane at this time of year.
Climbed to about 2,700 feet and, at Golden Lake, could see the town of Renfrew clearly some 20 nautical miles away. Visibility was exceptionally good. Course, South Easterly towards Ottawa. Listening brief on the on-route frequency 126.7.
Approaching Arnprior Airport, I moved over the Ottawa River and called them (122.7) with my position, altitude, and direction of flight towards Ottawa.
I gradually lost height to 1,500 feet, reaching the beginning of the Ottawa practice area over the Chat Falls Dam on the Ottawa River. As is customary, I called “practice area”, (123.35) gave my position, height 1,500 feet, and that I was proceeding down the Ottawa River on the Ontario side. Further down river, I repeated this call opposite Mohr’s island.
There was little traffic, no one in sight, COVID 19 having curtailed training, only a couple of calls and these were of no conflict. No other transmissions were heard.
I was over a narrow inlet to the Ottawa River, Buckam’s Bay, when there was a tremendous bang, the plane shook, and a red and cream plane flashed by. I just had time to utter one word “yousonofabitch” and then I became very very busy as the plane started a sickening left spiral.
It immediately became clear I had no right rudder or any rudder control, limited elevator control and, initially the alerions seemed unduly stiff. I almost immediately increased to full power and it brought the nose up, but not quite horizontal, so it was clear we were going down. The tendency for left wing turning was difficult to control.
By bad luck, this had happened over Buckam’s Bay, an inlet only about 300 meters wide; not the wide expanse of the river. My objective was to put it down on the water, not into the bank or the trees on either side. I found I could vary the radius of the left turn with power and some aileron. Less power for a steeper bank over the land, more power for a gentler turn and keep it over the water.
I ended up about 20 feet above the water, not quite level at almost full power, but 100 yards away facing me was the bank and the trees. I contemplated a left turn but could see a boat about my 11 o’clock position and, besides the boat, the concern was: initiating a left turn may well cause a little height loss, catch a wing tip, and cartwheel in. I chose to land on the water straight ahead, closed the throttle, and she hit the water about a 20-degree angle.
The windshield caved in with a great rush of water, the plane tilted up about 110 degrees (I thought it was upside down), and I was underwater.
Some years ago, I had driven to Toronto for egress training. As you may be aware, a good part of the course is in a swimming pool strapped into a mock cockpit that is then turned upside down and they teach you how to get out.
Well, it works. My immediate reaction was “pause” and the door is on the right irrespective of what attitude you are in, and the door handle is just behind the pilot’s seat. I was reaching for the door handle when I saw the front jettison handle for the door. Citabrias have this feature; it disengages the hinge pins. I decided to turn that one first just in case the door could be jammed on a buckled frame and it would help clear it if necessary. I turned it and was just starting to go for the ordinary handle when the door just fell away into the depths of the river. I reached out to the top of the door frame with my right hand, undid my seat harness (with shoulder straps) and popped out.
I was met by a guy who had swam over from a nearby boat, was holding onto the wing strut, and was screaming “get out get out”. I told him I was going to just retrieve my wallet from the back pocket of the pilot’s seat, and he started to scream at me even more loudly. So, I let it go (yup, I lost my wallet), and swam the ten yards to the boat. Didn’t even inflate my life vest, saving the CO2 cartridge for next time.
Immediate Aftermath.
I borrowed a cell phone and called my wife Lynn that I was fine. Good job I did. Search and Rescue from Trenton called her less than 10 minutes later. It had received an ELT 406 burst on the collision and on the way down. They wanted to know my whereabouts.
The ambulance wallahs grabbed me, I was fine, a few cuts and bruises. Some tests then, despite my protestations, they insisted I be transported to hospital for a check up.
One thing about hospital emergency rooms, you can avoid a long wait, or any wait, if you crash land a plane into the Ottawa River.
A couple of hours of high tec. tests, things in your arm, electrodes, ultrasonics, and then I could go home.
Interestingly enough, I had some cuts, one on my nose that congealed, and on my legs. Did anyone at the hospital minister to me, clean me up, offer a couple of band aids. Nope, all high tec.
Where is Florence Nightingale when you need her.
Last Words
The guy that hit me was flying a Cessna, 3 adults and a kid, out sightseeing. They made it back to Arnprior and landed safely with damage to the bottom cowl, firewall, front wheel etc.
The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) is conducting an investigation and its report will be out in December. From my own observation of the wreckage, and not to prejudge the TSB, I seem to have been hit from behind, about my 4 o’clock position. There are prop strikes on the right aileron, the whole rudder fin is bent 180 degrees, and there is limited elevator movement.
Peter Cameron