There recently was an accident in Germany in which both engines shut down on gear retraction. The aircraft was a Diamond DA42, the diesel powered TwinStar.
The scenario unfolded thus - the battery died and the aircraft had to be jump started. Takeoff went OK but raising the gear caused an electrical drop which normally a charged battery would have masked. The result was, both ECU's shut down, and therefore both engines.
Probably the pilot could have restarted the engines given airspeed and altitude (the two things you cant get back).. but not with a dead battery.
Interesting situation.
This would not have happened on a traditional magneto ignition engine. However my experience with Cessnas and Pipers has been that, the engine keeps on ticking but the panel goes dark or a fire starts. Same end result.
I had 2 dark C-210 panels and a Seminole with under panel smoke.
Nothing concentrates the mind like being hanged.. or the sound of 2 silent engines 100 feet above the ground.
Given that the 2010 TwinStar with the soon to be released new engines will be close to $ 700,000... does it make more sense to buy a Piper Matrix ?
Or, you could drop 700 large into a perfect new-remanufacture Aerostar and go lots faster. Fuel burn and maintenance aside. Or a used P-Baron for the same money.
yes I spend much idle time looking at airplane ads and dreaming away.
The scenario unfolded thus - the battery died and the aircraft had to be jump started. Takeoff went OK but raising the gear caused an electrical drop which normally a charged battery would have masked. The result was, both ECU's shut down, and therefore both engines.
Probably the pilot could have restarted the engines given airspeed and altitude (the two things you cant get back).. but not with a dead battery.
Interesting situation.
This would not have happened on a traditional magneto ignition engine. However my experience with Cessnas and Pipers has been that, the engine keeps on ticking but the panel goes dark or a fire starts. Same end result.
I had 2 dark C-210 panels and a Seminole with under panel smoke.
Nothing concentrates the mind like being hanged.. or the sound of 2 silent engines 100 feet above the ground.
Given that the 2010 TwinStar with the soon to be released new engines will be close to $ 700,000... does it make more sense to buy a Piper Matrix ?
Or, you could drop 700 large into a perfect new-remanufacture Aerostar and go lots faster. Fuel burn and maintenance aside. Or a used P-Baron for the same money.
yes I spend much idle time looking at airplane ads and dreaming away.
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