John Denver’s father was a test pilot on the B58 Huster. John screwed up, starved the engine of fuel, and ended up in Monterey Bay. There was no fuel in the cockpit of any of Rutans designs. The fuel “rod” your talking about runs down the right side of the aircraft longeron, following the side stick control rods back through the rear seat bulkhead, to the fuel tank selector, right, left, and off. I helped my uncle build both a Vari-Eze and a Long-Eze with hundreds of hours in both aircraft, they are both exceptional! Even today, the mph/hp/range of Rutans canard family of aircraft is still leaps and bounds above anything else in the sky, some 45 years after the first Vari-Eze flight. 999JD won best home built at Oshkosh in ‘80 or ‘81. John just had a bad moment and unfortunately it cost him his life. He was pre-flying the aircraft prior to purchasing and everyone assumed that the fuel selector position, as found after the crash, contributed to the crash. I met John in Redding California at my uncles hanger and my uncle gave John a ride in 999JD. They came back after a couple of hours and John was just flabbergasted at the performance of the plane. Interesting guy!
@bristleconepinus2378
11 ай бұрын
fate is the hunter.
@Frankie5Angels150
11 ай бұрын
Col Henry J Deutchendorf, Sr. had all the speed and time to climb records in the F-4 Phantom. I’m not sure where you got B-58 Hustler story from but he was a fighter pilot, not a bomber puke. Now, if as a Z-prefix test pilot he also did some record runs in the B-58, all well and good, but to make that his claim to fame would be like saying Eddie Van Halen was a keyboard player and leaving out his guitar skills.
@NeroontheGoon
11 ай бұрын
@@Frankie5Angels150 He never flew fighters and was a B-17 and B-29 instructor pilot during WWII. After the war he became involved in Americas jet bomber program culminating with him setting six world records in the B-58 Hustler in 1961. You may want to review YOUR information. He was not a fighter jock. By the way, the name of the B-58 Hustler that he set the world records in was named “Untouchable!” He flew bombers in Korea and Vietnam.
@Kda2456
11 ай бұрын
This is correct he had the fuel selector switched relocated over his shoulder. It was in the wrong position when the wreckage was gone through. The aircraft would run out of fuel 100% of the time in this position.
@planethedgehog2427
11 ай бұрын
H-a-n-g-a-r.
@troygleeson738
Жыл бұрын
so back when that accident happened I was working in CA in a shop that specialized in EZs. I heard the news in the morning and called in to work. "where have you been? the news was knocking on the door at 7 AM". So I went into work, my boss, who had built a lot of long Ezs, did the interview and it was his hypothesis that was accepted as the cause of the accident. What you said was true, the airplane was beautiful (my wife and I almost bought it) and Denver was an excellent pilot.
@eugeneweaver3199
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for providing my daily "I learned something new"! I could never figure out exactly what happened with all the speculation "he suicided, etc". BTW, BIG John Denver fan, so this knowledge means a lot to me.
@JJMedusa
Жыл бұрын
-- Thank you for making this video. I never really knew exactly what happened to John Denver, and now I do. A sad story.
@jumpingjacks5558
11 ай бұрын
John Denver didn't have a valid pilot's license when he took off that fateful day. He lost his license because he was busted twice for DWI. It's sad that it happened. He was a very talented entertainer.
@joserivas2623
4 ай бұрын
IF YOUR LICENSE IS TAKEN AWAY, DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU FORGOT HOW TO DRIVE? THE LAW CAN TAKE AWEY EVERYTHING THAT A MEN HAS, BUT NEVER WILL TAKE AWAY KNOWLEDGE. WITH OR WIT OUT LICENSES HE WAS A GREAT PILOT.
@skyboy1956
Ай бұрын
Oh my. He did have a valid pilot's license. The FAA had sent a letter asking him to surrender his medical certificate, as one of the conditions of holding his SI Medical was 100% abstinence from alcohol. When FAA Aeromedical learned his wasn't doing that, they asked him first to surrender his medical. Had he refuse they would have taken more aggressive action. It is not clear if he ever received the letter.
@mudhutproductions
11 ай бұрын
The rescue diver who recovered Mr. Denver's remains was a friend of mine. He himself is now deceased but I recall him being a little shaken up by the incident.
@briannarelle
11 ай бұрын
Irony of ironies. On the day John died I was stopped for gas in Sacramento with a friend. A Long Easy flew over and I pointed it out as being a safe plane because of it’s canards. Hard to stall. I did not know that a friend and golfing buddy of mine, Neal, was playing with John at Pebble Beach. After 18 holes John elected to go fly his plane instead of sticking around for drinks. When I eventually learned that this all happened on the same day I was both saddened and flabbergasted at the timing.
@Jim-fe2xz
Жыл бұрын
The internet is like that snotty kid in the back of the class who always had something to say about everything but actually knew nothing. (I think they all ended up in hollywood - at least at my school). I still miss John Denver's work today!
@CanardBoulevard
Жыл бұрын
And apparently the vast majority of those snotty kids now hang out on KZitem! :) I don't know what it is about KZitem, but you see the WORST in people here at times.
@kenwoychesko2163
Жыл бұрын
Best explanation ever of this tragedy! Great job and thank you for spreading awareness! 👍
@jayc4562
Жыл бұрын
The canard aircraft are some of the safest planes flying because of their anti-stall characteristics. I met Dick Rutan when he was flying a long ez from Anchorage Alaska to the Bahamas. Also watched him bring the voyager into Oshkosh.
@jimbower9268
2 ай бұрын
That plane didn’t kill John Denver. John Denver killed that plane.
@lancomedic
Жыл бұрын
I knew about the valve issue but I never saw anyone actually demonstrate it. Thanks.
@larryhawkins8311
11 ай бұрын
Excellent video, thank you for the very concise unbiased explanation. As a builder myself (RV4 and RV3) I know that sometimes you do the wrong thing for what you think is a good idea.
@Tola.831
8 ай бұрын
Excellent video. There some additional facts that I’d like to contribute. John was a gentleman of average height. 5’ 9” is what has been reported. The builder of the aircraft, Adrian Davis, was well over 6’ from what I’ve been told. John had a pillow stuffed between him and the seat backing, in order to push him forward enough to reach the rudder peddles. This pillow had feathers of a certain Canadian goose in it, and initial media reports attempted to conjecture that the feathers found in the wreckage may have been from a large bird that had brought down Denver’s aircraft. George Peterson, the NTSB investigator did his due diligence and quickly figured out that the feathers were from a species of bird that had never been known to be in the Monterey CA area, so the “hitting a bird “theory was dismissed. I am the aircraft mechanic that chatted with John that fateful day.
@realvanman1
Жыл бұрын
That explanation was pretty much my understanding. I had thought he inadvertently pulled the stick to the side while he was reaching, but either way, the result is the same at such a low altitude. So sad. Thanks for the excellent explanation.
@Verb130
Жыл бұрын
You don't have the John Denver fuel system or it's maintenance problems. There was some maintenance problems with that rod and link system. You'll be fine. I'm building a Cozy Mk IV. All the big stuff is done; wings, canard, fuselage. Need engine and avionics. Great content. Keep it up.
@CanardBoulevard
Жыл бұрын
Fantastic! What avionics are you going to put in?
@JustaPilot1
Жыл бұрын
Yup. A friend of mine tested this at 3000 feet in his Long EZ. He reached around as if the fuel selector was over his left shoulder for about 5 seconds. When he turned back the plane was on a steep right bank and starting to descend.
@donraptor6156
11 ай бұрын
The fuel selector on this particular aircraft had a pair of vice grips on it
@californiadreamin8423
11 ай бұрын
How does anyone know if the rudder was pushed hard over ?
@JustaPilot1
11 ай бұрын
@@donraptor6156 I'll have to read the NTSB report. I don't remember vice grips.
@JustaPilot1
11 ай бұрын
@@californiadreamin8423 The right rubber, there are left and right independent rudders on a LongEZ. It was tested by the NTSB. As I posted, my friend in his LongEZ also tested it, and given the circumstances, it's the only explanation for the flight track
@californiadreamin8423
11 ай бұрын
@@JustaPilot1 He had lots of hours. It’s all very odd.
@chriscampion9906
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for doing this .. awesome job explaining what ended tragically for JD
@willcall9431
10 ай бұрын
I had an Eze and went to a few air shows with it and got so tired of the “ John Denver “ question that I started saying that my Varieze was the actual aircraft he died in and I bought the pieces it and put it back together. So I just Stopped going . Great little airplanes. Very slippery and efficient. I’d take trips nonstop from Southern California to central Oregon on many occasions. Non stop on 24 gallons.
@georgew.5639
Жыл бұрын
John Denver was not killed by the airplane. He should not have been flying in it in the first place. He had his license revoked. And there was an issue that issue with the fuel valve as you mentioned. He was likely trying to operate it when he crashed as you said. That doesn’t make the design of the aircraft any more dangerous than any other. Flying is inherently unforgiving of carelessness regardless of who the pilot is.
@robertwakelin8717
Жыл бұрын
Very good explanation in lay man's terms. I've read several detailed reports on the crash and you covered it well. He was flying on an expired medical but was very experienced. A tragedy.
@jeffholladay224
11 ай бұрын
He had an expired medical because of his well known drinking problem, and he knew he wouldn't pass the medical. His DUIs were a matter of record at the time. The FAA had sent him a letter notifying him they were pulling his ticket until he sent them a current medical.
@sciencerules8525
Жыл бұрын
The plane didn't kill John Denver. Pilot error killed John Denver. When he reached over his left shoulder he unconsciously pushed on the right rudder peddle. The aircraft flipped over and nosed dived into the ocean before he could recover.
@CanardBoulevard
Жыл бұрын
Hm, it's almost like you...watched the video and just repeated exactly what I said IN the video. But apparently you didn't, and just decided to make a comment on the video without first watching it!
@francisvantuyle
Жыл бұрын
John Denver killed John Denver. John Denver had his pilots license revoked. Multiple DUI's. John Denver the morning he took off illegally at Monterey. Knew he had a limited abount of fuel. The fuel switch to transfer fuel from one tank to another was behind the pilots left shoulder. When John tried to switch fuel tanks. John extended his right leg pushed the rudder. The EZ ROLLED. 200 FEET OFF THE WATER. SPLASH YOUR DEAD.
@garyradtke3252
Жыл бұрын
As I have learned there is almost never just one cause of any accident. This one sounds like a poorly engineered fuel valve location causing the pilot to error. Of coarse there is that antsyness of the pilot to fly before fixing the problem also. This has gotten me in trouble with things before like driving a vehicle before all repairs are complete. I will fix those brakes tomorrow after work.
@snotnosewilly99
Жыл бұрын
There was nothing wrong with the fuel valve ... the previous owner flew it for about 10 years with no problem. Denver didn't work with the system before taking off ... he only bought the plane two days before.
@jeffholladay224
11 ай бұрын
The fuel valve was found to be in avery poor location in the FAA report, and the young mechanic who helped Denver pre-flight the plane was unfamiliar with Long-EZs. But that mechanic did notice the pair of vice grips clamped on the fuel valve. That mechanic reported this fact to FAA investigators. He also suggested / offered to put more fuel in the plane for Denver, but Denver declined the offer and went up with vice grips on the fuel selector in a poor location in an unfamiliar plan with less than 3 hours in type. This info is in the publically available NTSB report which can easily be sourced online.
@snotnosewilly99
11 ай бұрын
@@jeffholladay224 The previous owner apparently had the plane for years, and had no problem the the location of the fuel valve.
@PiefacePete46
8 ай бұрын
@@jeffholladay224 Mr Denver was also given a mirror to assist him when he needed to see the valve. It has not been suggested that this contributed to the accident, but, of course, looking at something in a mirror horizontally reverses what you think you are seeing.
@PiefacePete46
8 ай бұрын
@@snotnosewilly99 : Something as simple as the difference between two people's ability to rotate their upper body, or see something clearly when it is near physical limits, can make a massive difference. I speak as someone who has frequent hassles because of restricted neck movement. EDIT: In addition, he wore glasses or contact lenses, which may also contribute to the location of the valve being less suitable for him than the previous owner.
@ianbenning2833
Жыл бұрын
None of us will live long enough to make all the mistakes in aviation. That is why we must learn from the mistakes of others. Now to John Denver's lesson to us all. Sit yourself down in a comfy semi reclining seat in front of your TV with your legs outstretched. Now, turn to your left and stretch out with your right hand behind your left shoulder as if to grab a can of beer or soda from somebody standing behind you. Now pause and take in an anatomical fact of life. What are your feet doing? I guarantee that your right foot is now well ahead of your left foot. You take a few seconds to thank the person for the drink. Now back to poor old John Denver. He has inadvertantly pressed hard on the right rudder while focussed on that damned fuel selector behind and high left of his seat. He was distracted long enough for the wonderful Longezy to convert the right yaw to a right hand roll to be inverted and crash into the water. So sad. Let us all learn from this.
@stvcolwill
8 ай бұрын
While I agree with all of this, I do know that it doesn't take much pressure on the rudder pedals, though. Not much at all.
@imbetterthanyouis
Жыл бұрын
stupid question , why not have a cross feed that draws from both tanks at the same time ?
@CanardBoulevard
Жыл бұрын
First off, a "cross feed" is something else - typically on a twin engine airplane, if you are feeding the left engine from the right tank, it's called a "cross feed." There are a couple of reasons why you don't have the tanks feed together into one place. The first is that it makes it hard to fill the tanks. If both tanks are empty, you start filling one, and while you're doing so, gravity causes some of that fuel to flow into the other tank. Then you fill the second tank, and some of that fuel goes back to the first one. You end up having to top off both tanks over and over again as the fuel flows back and forth in order to actually fully fill both tanks. Second, if you have contamination in one tank (water, dirt, strainer blockage, etc) you can then switch to the other tank, which hopefully will not have that same contamination - so redundancy. If the tanks are connected together, any contamination (i.e. water) in either tank can cause engine failure which you can't fix because there is no fuel redundancy. That said, some basic trainers (Cessna 152, for one) do have a combined fuel system with a single shutoff valve for simplicity for the students.
@donanders2110
Жыл бұрын
From what I understand, he was told to move the fuel valve by the guy that did his inspection. It was in a difficult location to reach!
@josemmontes5810
Жыл бұрын
I was familiar with the John Denver accident, however you added some additional details I didn't know about, thanks for the video.
@michaelsamson3276
Жыл бұрын
Plenty of EZ's and long EZ's have the fuel valve on the aft bulkhead. You need to learn how and when to operate the valve.
@U20E27
11 ай бұрын
The Long Eze and Veri eze the veri eze was first the long as designed later to offer more space. Are both extremely responsive to rudder input. You rarely ever use rudder in flight with them unless your flying highly aggressive turns etc. The flight control inputs on these planes are extremely small compared to traditional aircraft also. Moving the flight stick just a 1/2 inch or so would result in a hard bank quite fast. The rudder was very much the same way. Also the Veri Eze and Long Eze were literally built to the pilots body size. The cockpit width was based on shoulder width and the seat position was fixed actually a structural component of the fuselage. John Denver was a tall guy and this likely added to the issue of putting pressure on the rudder pedal as he turned his body to reach the fuel selector. The Veri Eze I built with my grandfather pre Long Eze days. The fuel selector was found in many different locations. The stick was about 4 inches tall poking out of an arm rest / control channel that ran front to back on the right side of the cockpit. We decided to have our fuel selector on a wheel/ knob right under the front stick at the front of the armrest- fuel valve was an updated type of valve with easier less friction movement located behind the rear passenger. The Veri Eze design was for maximum efficiency and speed ie lightest possible weight for the highest possible speed. Which case no starter, only a motorcycle battery for electrical no fuel pump. So we had three fuel tanks. One was a 3.5 gallon head tank literally behind the rear passengers head up high to gravity feed fuel to the hand propped/ started engine with nose gear up. With engine running pilot lifts the nose off the ground, cranks the nose gear down and climbs in while providing the counter weight to the engine. The Long Eze ran a starter and heavier stuff for a more civilized flying experience. The Veri Eze was faster and far more efficient than the Long Eze. Rutan designed the Veri Eze to win efficiency races being held after the oil embargo to show his engineering and design skills as a young designer. He absolutely crushed all his competitors with the veri eze and soon many pilots wanted a 180-190knot 4gph rocket and Rutan had his first successful kit plane. The Long Eze came out of pilot’s wanting a starter motor, more cockpit space for cross country trips with minimal luggage etc. The veri eze we use to joke that we only had room for two pairs of clean underwear.
@stvcolwill
8 ай бұрын
thanks for this post, very entertaining and informative!
@user-bj4lp3fr1o
2 ай бұрын
Denver was 5’ 9”.
@kimmer6
Жыл бұрын
He was golfing that afternoon and wanted to take his new plane for a quick trip around the patch before dark. Testimony says that his assistant wanted to get the fuel truck over and add some gas but John said it would be a quick trip and refueling was unnecessary.
@billwilliams9527
Жыл бұрын
Thanks much for that story on John. I had read that some years back, but your clarification was needed. Loved his music, gone way to early.
@richardjohnson9275
Жыл бұрын
Absolutely nothing wrong with that aircraft! Fly that thing within it's CORRECT PARAMETERS. and you'll live to share another video!
@warshrike666
Жыл бұрын
That goes for all aircraft mate, the problem is some will kill you way quicker then others. The margin for error in certain aircraft is minimal compared to others. That is why i fly a Tecnam it is the most forgiving aircraft out there especially for new pilots. Just like the Cesna's 172's and 182's that is why they are used as trainers.
@chrissheridan33
5 ай бұрын
Great explanation, thanks! I crashed a Long-EZ in 1991 (deep stall) and spent years trying to explain what a canard/experimental plane is. Then after Denver's crash, there was a picture on the cover of People magazine and then they understood. Since then, I've been flying a ♿ pulling 1 G.
@CanardBoulevard
5 ай бұрын
Hi Chris! Wow, what a story - just watched your 1997 documentary film. I've thought about that - riding a deep stall down, you're likely not going to come out with your spine intact. Sorry to hear about your accident, but wow what you've done since with the life you've been given!!
@eggreedgious5194
8 ай бұрын
I'm imagining a Typhoon pilot's response to the "John Denver Question" 😂
@kirkmorrison6131
11 ай бұрын
It was his unfamiliarity with with the airplane at low altitude that got him killed, not the basic design of the plane. The plane has an excellent safety record
@DdDd-ss3ms
11 ай бұрын
I did know what caused the crash but glad you explained in the best and understandable way I have seen (for all people ).
@stvcolwill
8 ай бұрын
In reading the comments, I hadn't seen anyone mention specifically that John Denver had literally borrowed a par of locking vice grips from the mechanic on duty that morning. The mechanic, after being shown what it was for (turning the fuel selector) advised against him going up that day because of that issue. The actual mechanic posts this very first-hand encounter on a you-tube video. Poor guy will live with this for the rest of his life. Anyways, the fact that he asked for some vice grips says it all. Also it was reported that he only took off with about 25% of fuel in each tank. Most speculate that he was going up to work out and experience the fuel switch. It was only the second time he'd flown THAT very plane which he had just purchased from a the builder/previous owner. So yes, he wasn't too familiar with it for sure (just like you said).
@Tola.831
8 ай бұрын
I had to chuckle at “poor guy will have to live with this for the rest of his life.” I am that mechanic. During the aftermath of the crash, while talking to George Peterson, the NTSB investigator, I mentioned that John Denver had made a passing invite for me to accompany him on that flight, and I did not respond. After telling George this little piece of information, George off handedly said, “he might be alive had you gone with him.” George was just following the facts, and in that moment, he added a few facts together to make that comment. Years later I read, that the original builder would not fly alone, anytime he knew that he needed to switch fuel tanks, because he needed someone to hold the airplane steady while he went through the arduous task of switching fuel tanks selection. Up until that moment, I had separated myself from what had happened, almost an out of body experience. At that moment, it hit me like a ton of bricks and it made me sick to my stomach. For months, my mind wandered and I’d find my stomach upset, just thinking that I could have been in that airplane, and even worse, because I wasn’t, someone had died. Survivors guilt is very real.
@arthouston7361
11 ай бұрын
For a quick synopsis.....John had been a drunk..... a bad drunk..... for many, many years......and when you drink that much for that long, it affects your brain's ability to make good decisions. The FAA is aware of this dynamic, and John was not permitted to fly because he could not hold a pilot medical certificate at that time, so when he took off, he was not legal to fly....and his brain was still suffering from the years of alcohol abuse, and he wasn't able to properly manage fuel and maintain control of the aircraft. That is why he died. HTH.
@chucklemasters6433
Жыл бұрын
very well done story you have my admiration for a short story with all the information that is pertinent and none that is not. most of these pilot types on you tube are so full of BS thay are hard to stomach. thank you for your story. if you fly enough you will encounter some close calls, some due to your own making and some not in your control so much. if you are lucky you will live to share them with somebody who is nice enough to pretend to listen and understand.
@johnwood551
11 ай бұрын
John Denver paid no attention to rules ,weights ,balance or density altitude . Wasn’t his first time crashing .
@PercivalFakeman
Жыл бұрын
I read a slightly different account. That Denver was performing touch and goes at the airport near where he crashed and that he was running out of fuel. The account I read indicated he was having a fuel shortage. Never heard of the pedal being pushed in the process of turning the valve, but that makes perfect sense.
@samj1185
11 ай бұрын
Great vid. John Denver killed John Denver. A real shame. The EZ design is almost impossible to stall but you can sure crash one. Hope you have many hours of safe flight in that beautiful plane.
@esteban1487
11 ай бұрын
I was stationed at the Navy Postgraduate School then and was golfing the following morning at Pacific Grove Municipal golf course, some of which is right on the water. The Coast Guard was all over that area 100 yards offshore. Boats, helos, etc, we wondered what it was about then discovered later they were looking for JD and his plane. He stalled it over the water which was fortunate as if he made it another quarter mile we would have come through someone's roof.
@valleyken
Жыл бұрын
Who says you can't learn a little music history on an airplane channel ? 😀
@pittss2c601
Жыл бұрын
Simply keep both tanks full with fuel until the selector switch was fixed. He 'refused fuel' after lots of flying the day before. That's what killed him. Option 2: when you stand at the crash site facing the ocean turn 180 degrees and look. There's a beautiful smooth golf fairway at Pebble Beach golf course. Simply glide to a landing.
@edwardstowers7272
11 ай бұрын
I disagree. John made a pilot error by not filling the tanks. That did not kill him. A pilot with his hours should have been able to safely ditch a Long E-Z if the engine quit for any reason. It was the ergomics of twisting for that selector that caused his right foot to push the rudder and cause it depart controlled flight. While it is true not fueling the tanks was pilot error and the plane would not have come down, he should have ditched in the water. That twist and the leg push in the rudder is what caused his fatal crash. If the fuel valve had been in the correct position, that rudder input would never have happened. John was at fault for not refueling the aircraft and for not knowing the FAA has suspended his license for alcohol abuse after a DUI. But neither of those killed him. It was the place placement that put the ship into a roll. He was also very low over the water. With a normal engine shutoff, you control the aircraft and ditch. Having to twist induced the fatal maneuver. He might have been in legal trouble for flying at at fault for not refueling, but the fuel selector was what killed him. His fooling with that ergo-metrically caused a rudder input he would not normally have made. Once he departed and stalled, he had not altitude left to recover. If he’d been at 5,000 feet he should have been able to recover with his hours of skill, but not at 500ft.
@pittss2c601
11 ай бұрын
@@edwardstowers7272 Are you a pilot? I've lost power many times in many aircraft and always glided to a safe landing from low altitude even while actuating my hand wobble fuel pumps trying to restart. I'm flying tomorrow. I'll put fuel in the tanks and let you know how that goes. Have you been to the crash site? I have. Simply turn 90 degrees and glide to a landing from 500 feet on the golf course. It wasn't the fuel valve nor an expired license that killed him. Just add fuel.
@pittss2c601
11 ай бұрын
@@edwardstowers7272 I flew a vintage 1940 Fairchild airplane on Sunday. Filled both wing tanks with fuel. Turned the left tank Off, right tank On. Flew 1.5 hours on the right tank only. I never touched the fuel valves throughout the flight. Perfect flight. Fuel is a life saver.
@jeffholladay224
11 ай бұрын
@@edwardstowers7272 Brilliant comentary. Thank you for your clear and concise evaluation. The designer of the Long-EZ, upon hearing of the crash, immediately volunteered his time and expertise to help with the investigation. He pointed out that the fuel selector was not in the designed location, which was between the pilot's legs, on the floor in a very accessible location just aft of the front landing gear handle. The aircraft designer was also the individual who pointed out the likely depressing of the rudder pedal. This information about the designer volunteering in the investigation is not widely known, but I have it on good authority to be the case. He was very concerned that the NTSB determine the actual cause of this unfortunate mishap.
@HighCountryRambler
Жыл бұрын
That's exactly how I read Denver's tragic accident happened, altered fuel thank selector. Also read Denver refused a pre flight familiarity rundown from the previous builder. Not that it made any difference but the same piece mentioned he failed to top the primary tank pre flight which would have prevented the need to switch. They failed to mention this is common practice on short hops to balance weight. Sure loved his music however.
@davidwheatcroft2797
Жыл бұрын
His licence was suspended because of a DUI. He did not fill the tanks before take-off on a plane new to him. Why so low? Flying unforgiving and will bite you! ALWAYS FILL tanks when you LAND. One less thing to remember and stops condensation.
@henrytowne7463
Жыл бұрын
yep, excitement, poor choices, and confidence will kill you
@davidwheatcroft2797
Жыл бұрын
People do not realise that there are 2 Worlds - the normal one, and the aviation one. Every time a plane flies, it is like being on a high wire. .....it gets to you, and flying high G in the RAF, we raised hell in the Mess and nothing ever said. Awful nightmares from the inner ear - waking sweating, terrified; several times a night. Was major fun, except for the nightmares. CAVU skies.@@henrytowne7463
@AudioFreqx
Жыл бұрын
Altitude is most always your pal. Many things lined up for this to happen. ~rip
@CanardBoulevard
Жыл бұрын
...as is usually the case with every aviation accident!
@coleyounger5882
Жыл бұрын
John Denver's aircraft ran out of fuel, and he was unable to switch tanks due to the location of the L/R switch. What still has not been explained is why did this plane suddenly flip and go into a dive that kill John. Even out of fuel an experienced pilot would have been able to control the plane to some degree. Ah your video did explain it rather well, what I did not know was John Denver was flying at low altitude.
@GaryLaaks1
8 ай бұрын
Because any "unusual" aircraft looks different it tends to peak the interest of onlookers and if one crashes we tend to doubt it's "non standard" characteristics. When a 2nd one crashes it only "confirms" our thought patterns. We had a long ezee go down in Port Elizabeth a few years ago. It was ongoing engine trouble and the pilot had taken it for a test flight after working on the engine. He did the impossible turn over an urban area and did not make the airport. He did well to avoid houses but ran out of luck and unfortunately perished.
@KPL400
Жыл бұрын
he was also a competent glider pilot...I am surprised he did not glide it down to a forced landing on the beach or near to the shore like a Trojan did recently... the aircraft has a glide ratio of about 12:1 prop windmilling and about 15:1 prop stopped...
@Oldbmwr100rs
Жыл бұрын
I remember hearing of the accident, he was at too low an altitude to get out once he lost control. He was also above water which to me makes no sense when you're not completely familiar with an aircraft. i do also remember from the news that the aircraft had a fuel problem.
@KB10GL
Жыл бұрын
It is my belief & understanding they John extended his flight time beyond the original plan with insufficient fuel, thereby needing to do what he did. A very unwise act as he knew that he did not have a lot of fuel on board & knew of the problem with the fuel valve actuation. If he had returned to the airfield when he was supposed to, we may well be enjoying a much bigger catalogue of songs than we do now. I also believe that it was a team of investigators/engineers at Bankstown airport [Sydney Australia] that actually realised what the key to the whole problem was, although I understand that there was some elevator movement involved when he pulled back on the stick while trying to twist around to reach the fuel valve control. It was otherwise a fully airworthy aircraft of a well proven & safe design.
@Don.Challenger
8 ай бұрын
Well, the last week, in small part from clearing the drive from the first snow fall, I have suffered from severely painful back spasms when ever I raised my left arm or torsioning/twisting my left side, otherwise perfectly fine - as you describe the process of switching fuel source (and the fact that that should be done to equalize fuel mass regularly during flight) - I would not be able to do that maneuver physically without proceeding in very slow deliberate motion expecting sharp jolts of pain. I would not be safe to fly, would I realize that having a new toy enticing me to come play?
@davemaccarter64
11 ай бұрын
Kudos to you for dissipating some of the BS floating around about the John Denver accident. I'd say one thing more though and that is that J.D. took off with minimal fuel in the tank he was using and "probably" switching from, and he was aware of that fact. All he needed do to still be among us was to buy some gas. Nothing is more useless than fuel on the ground and runway behind you. Seems that sometimes we get in a hurry and it costs dearly.
@PiefacePete46
8 ай бұрын
I agree with what you say, however it was inevitable that he would need to operate the valve at some time, unless the modification to the setup was carried out immediately. Sadly, we'll never know.
@ernestgalvan9037
8 ай бұрын
Nothing more useless? I beg to differ: the sky above you is more useless.
@stealthwarrior998
Жыл бұрын
Can’t wait for your next installment - just wanna hear more!😊
@GNUBRAIN
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for making this video. I never really knew exactly what happened to John Denver. I didn't even know he was an accom;lished pilot. The news stories made ir seem he was flying some minimalist untralight 6that disitegrated in flight. Thank you so much for this video!
@seeyouonyoutube8494
11 ай бұрын
He was flying an experimental modified home-built plane with zero experience on how to fly it.. Lack of training in a new plane leads to lack of life when you crash it
@WoodByWright
Жыл бұрын
One of my favorites. I made a Cozy a few years ago. Man I would love to make another some day
@jackfrost3573
Жыл бұрын
John Denver told his plane what to do. They both killed each other. User error.
@lawrencemahalak6824
Жыл бұрын
Well, when you buy a kitplane second hand, and the builder thought putting the fuel selector *behind* him was a good idea…
@peterrowntree8
3 ай бұрын
John Denver was an amazing musician and singer. I loved his music growing up and still listen to it sometimes to this day.
@gregarioussolitudinist5695
11 ай бұрын
Whoever built that plane should have been charged with manslaughter, or criminal negligence. Whoever approved that as a 'safe to operate' system should also have been held accountable. That opeation would not have been 'safe' at any altitude, like texting while driving.
@wadepatton2433
8 ай бұрын
Here from JB's. Thanks for the JD details.
@tomfortson5147
Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much for the clear commentary on the root cause of the crash. It's so sad about John Denver's demise. I agree that the Long Eze is a great aircraft. It's just a sad story.
@krechenklein4453
Ай бұрын
What a sad state of affairs. If only the builder had put the fuel selector where it was supposed to be on the plans. Or if only John had fueled up. What a tragic loss. I just keep thinking about the mistakes that could easily have been avoided.
@JK-zl7vv
7 ай бұрын
On the crash that happened recently in that same location, where two people passed away, their aircraft had fixed landing gear, but had they had retractable landing gear, they could have left the landing gear in the stowed position, then they would have just skimmed the water, and most likely would have survived the landing on the water, but due to the landing gear being down, and fixed, when the craft hit the water, the landing gear entered the water first, which caused the plane to slam the nose and fuselage into the water, and disintegrated it, killing the two souls on board the plane.
@CanardBoulevard
7 ай бұрын
You're wrong about this in quite a few different ways. - There were four people on board, not two. All four perished. - The airplane did not disintegrate on impact, and was mostly intact, floating upside down. It was destroyed later when it was washed up onto rocks along the shoreline. - The pilot made the mistake of attempting to ditch with the nosegear retracted (it was the same type of Cozy aircraft that I have). This causes the aircraft to flip upon touchdown. Proper ditching procedure is to lower the nosegear, which helps the airplane "surf" on initial contact and keep the nose up while speed is bled off.
@seeyouonyoutube8494
11 ай бұрын
Probable Cause: The pilot's diversion of attention from the operation of the airplane and his inadvertent application of right rudder that resulted in the loss of airplane control while attempting to manipulate the fuel selector handle. Also, the Board determined that the pilot's inadequate pref light planning and preparation, specifically his failure to refuel the airplane, was causal. The Board determined that the builder's decision to locate the unmarked fuel selector handle in a hard-to-access position, unmarked fuel quantity sight gauges, inadequate transition training by the pilot, and his lack of total experience in this type of airplane were factors in the accident. THIS is what killed jonh denver not the plane get it right
@CanardBoulevard
11 ай бұрын
If you had actually WATCHED the video before posting this comment, instead of just reading the title, you would know that this is exactly what I talk about in the video.
@seeyouonyoutube8494
11 ай бұрын
I know what happened to john denver I was alive for the crash and your clickbait title "killer airplane did this plane kill john denver" should be changed to john denver kills himself in a plane he should of never been flying without proper training any pilot knows that. On 10/11/97 at Santa Maria, CA, the pilot received a 1/2-hour flight and ground checkout in the airplane by another Long-EZ pilot. A half an hour is not proper training.@@CanardBoulevard
@jeffholladay224
11 ай бұрын
@@CanardBoulevard Love your channel. I am binge watching it today. But you well know rule #1 in aviation. John Denver forgot that rule. Also, not that it matters, but the designer's location of that fuel switch was on the floor between the pilot's legs. Very easy to get to, but it wasn't on the dash, a distinction of little difference, I know. Denver was overly confident that day. He spent 20+ minutes on pre-flight, but refused the offer of assistance to add more fuel. Upon hearing of the incident, the designer immediately flew up to Monterey to lend the NTSB whatever assistance he could to the investigation. Together it was determined the sputteting engine was starved for fuel, requiring (in this individual plane) removal of a shoulder harness to twist around 180° and blindly fumble about for a poorly located switch with locking pliers attached, and attempt to switch fuel tank selection. Doing so he inadvertently depressed the right rudder pedal and spun / dove in. I know this having worked at KMHV with "the man", and I asked a brilliant engineer there what had happened. Despite his open door policy, it would have been inappropriate to ask the designer himself. This was a very sad ending to a wonderful, loving, caring and talented man's life. But he was flying on a suspended license, and with his experience and hours, he knew better.
@mikekellum6238
11 ай бұрын
Correct me if I am wrong, but I understood his flying license was not active and he went flying regardless?
@jeffholladay224
11 ай бұрын
Correct
@rockeyroy1
11 ай бұрын
John Denver's death was his lack of experince in the type! It had nothing to do with the desigh or operation of plane. On Take off out to the sea at 400' the engine starved of fle stopped giving life saving lift the plane was observed pitching to the left and plonging almost nose down into the sea! The reason was that John was reaching behind his head inwith his right hand to trun the fuel selector from one tank to the other as he twisted he was forced to extend his leg and that pushed the rudder on the right side which cause the yaw and his death, he had according to NTSB reports had had few previous flight
@michaelbohlander8392
Жыл бұрын
Planes don't kill people . People kill people. You can line them all up on the ramp and see if anyone dies. Told ya!
@PiefacePete46
8 ай бұрын
Good explanation thanks. Although I do feel that anyone who only stuck around for the slightly "Clickbait" title, and the Hollywood opening, probably still thinks canards are the quickest way off the planet!
@johnplump3760
28 күн бұрын
My wife is/was an avid fan of John. She was heartbroken when we received the info of his death. I am an avid sailor. Have great respect for the water and have survived many instances. In John's case, The location of the valve for fuel change should not have been there. I am not a plane person- Is is possible to use an electric valve eather with an automatic switching? Does it make sense to switch the fuel when it is half empty to balance the load? I am jost asking. It is easy in hind sight!!
@CanardBoulevard
27 күн бұрын
An electric valve is another point of failure on a critical system. You really want your hands right on the valve to operate it manually - especially if you were to have an electrical failure (the engine will keep running even if you have an electrical failure). Pilots normally switch back and forth between tanks regularly during flight in order to keep the aircraft balanced.
@Captainmaule
8 ай бұрын
Yes, you did mention the mechanical issue. You did, however, failed to mention that he was not legally licensed at the time. He had lost his license due to his frequent drunk driving charges. He had many hours in many airplanes yes, but a good pilot does not fly without his. Also, they know better than to drink and drive or fly.
@CanardBoulevard
8 ай бұрын
He lost his medical, not his certificate. Did his lack of a medical certificate cause this crash? Absolutely not. Postmortem toxicology tests showed no impairment. That's why I didn't bother mentioning it in the video - it's irrelevant.
@Captainmaule
8 ай бұрын
@@CanardBoulevard without a medical, you are not legal to fly.
@CanardBoulevard
8 ай бұрын
Correct. But did that cause the plane to crash? No, therefore it's irrelevant to the point I'm making in this video.
@triggerpointtechnology
11 ай бұрын
Happens when you are flying the plane for the first time, run a tank dry, the fuel selector is behind your head, oh, and you’re flying at 100 feet.
@SnowWhite-kk8oq
11 ай бұрын
Oh my YT's are getting so clever. I clicked on this the instant I seen the title.
@garyowen9044
11 ай бұрын
There was a builder’s modification to the designer’s plans. Never deviate from the plans.
@av8tor261
11 ай бұрын
You just endorsed that John Denver acted stupid and had poor airmanship. He should not have flown the aircraft until the fuel selector modification was corrected, he was not proficient on type and should not have been flying low over the ocean.
@PJHEATERMAN
7 ай бұрын
Never hurts to know your airplane and your fuel status.
@spikehofmann
11 ай бұрын
extremely clear, very informative, thanks
@terrymillard9255
11 ай бұрын
That is a Burt Rutan design very good. It was the fuel switch
@jons4542
Жыл бұрын
I was lucky to see John Denver perform at the Sundome in Sun City Arizona in 1994. John died in 1997 and the Sundome was demolished in 2013.😢
@alansmith2203
25 күн бұрын
Now i know. Thanks for posting up. Always wondered how he could have screwed up. As my Chinese wife would say...it was his fate.
@larryegilman1
11 ай бұрын
The airplane was ferried from so cal to Monterey, Ca It was not refueled in Monterey before the fatal crash. If it had been refueled, there might not have been a distraction with the fuel slector. He made a mistake, just like many have or will have
@stvcolwill
8 ай бұрын
I don't think mistake is the proper word in this case. He literally refused fuel service from the hangar assistant/mechanic before his flight. He knew exactly what he was doing. He even put vice grip pliers on the Fuel selector (borrowed from that same mechanic). I think better words are 'careless', 'cavalier' and 'hubris'.
@mikedineen7857
11 ай бұрын
John was gonna buy that easy but didn’t because he died. I was fortunate to have a buddy that built one. It is a wonderful aircraft
@jeffholladay224
11 ай бұрын
Correction, John did own that aircraft as evidenced by his application to change the tail number to end with JD.
@v1-vr-rotatev2-vy_vx31
Жыл бұрын
Yes thanks for the clarity
@leifandersen2756
11 ай бұрын
There is nothing like killer a plane.If it’s approved to fly it’s good to go.Maintenance and skills from the pilot is the key .
@chuckaddison5134
Жыл бұрын
My understanding was that the fuel selector switch was located behind his seat. He took off with less than a full tank, ran out of fuel and couldn't get to the selector switch in time. Prehaps moving the stick in his attempts.
@antaklugom7389
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for the Detailed Explanation. All these years, I thought John Denver completely forgot to Turn the Fuel Select Rod / but he did and end tragically.
@DblIre
Жыл бұрын
The fuel selector valve was behind him on the firewall. He had to turn around to turn it. He DIDN'T forget to turn it.
@frankfielder
8 ай бұрын
One of those Cozy MK4s just crashed into Half Moon Bay on Jan 14 2024. All 4 people on board were killed.
@ledenhimeganidleshitz144
26 күн бұрын
John Denver hit a sea bird, possibly an albatross. It broke off the Canard. Then it nosedived. Fuel starvation would have caused it to glide to earth. Pressing the ruder or any other nonsense is a Red Haring.
@irench
2 ай бұрын
Very accurate summation, NTSB n FAA determined sympathetic muscle combined with low altitude. John also technically did not have a pilots license is accurate as he was convicted of drunken driving repeatedly. He also told the person who readied the craft for flight after he purchased it he was taking it up around the airport test it for ferry perhaps( I've not read any reason other than a joy ride) but he did not file a plan. According the the ATC in those days "we aren't the pilot police" was the response I got when discussing how he would have filed for a ferry permit or any plan. He wasn't supposed to fly out over the ocean as you well know. Canards do get a bit of a silly rep over the Long but hardly anyone outside those of us who appreciate them know of them. Several are even certified and not experimental. I have been dreaming of a Velocity and as you well know beyond the benefits of flight characteristics there is cost both initial and long term. Just the other day joby has proven that their fuel cells will work in their long range air taxi. I'd love to have a fuel cell pusher experimental. Albeit that would be a really long way off until hydrogen becomes much more available. For now I'd be happy to have me 1000 mile range n 1000 useful in an experimental I can work on and not have to buy certified holly molly it cost what parts. I've just found your channel and I'm interested in knowing the dash hardware you have I watched the stall spin video and said nice dash.
@skyboy1956
Ай бұрын
He had a pilot certificate. Read the actual NTSB file and stop listening to internet claims. There is no rule requiring a flight plan for VFR flying, lol, typical TV news comment. Your aviation knowledge is not very deep.
@jwc4520
11 ай бұрын
John Denver died because the moved the switch for fuel transfer , his tank ran dry and he couldn't find the switch . According to the builders ,.
@truthserum5310
8 ай бұрын
Came here from Blanco.
@eagle2019
Жыл бұрын
Automobiles have a "Dash". Aircraft have "Instrument panels"
@CanardBoulevard
Жыл бұрын
I know...this video was intentionally aimed more towards non-aviation people, which is why I was calling it that.
@timsaxer6442
Жыл бұрын
@@CanardBoulevardIs that also why you said he had a "lisense" to fly a jet instead of a "rating"?
@CanardBoulevard
Жыл бұрын
@@timsaxer6442 You got it, although the correct term is actually certificate. You can then have ratings applied to your certificate. But if I call it a certificate, non-pilots are not going to have any idea what I'm talking about.
@timsaxer6442
Жыл бұрын
The correct term for "license" is certificate. A "type rating" is an add-on to a certificate. If you know the correct terminology, why don't you educate rather than dumb-down?
@dandunlap8638
11 ай бұрын
Denver was also struggling with alcoholism at the time of his death. In fact he had at some point had his license suspended.
@jeffholladay224
11 ай бұрын
In fact, he was flying on a suspended license on that fateful day.
@Ackermanmedia
Ай бұрын
Hey man....Were starting something cool up here in Washington State specifically at the Tacoma Narrows Airport. Come join the fun if you get that thing up and running.
@TimBarnett-pl9kd
7 ай бұрын
I think there is one of these airplanes in entrance to junkyard in Shelton Washington?
@larrynoe6162
8 ай бұрын
Yes fuel selector got him and he was not familiar with it.
@presspound7358
Жыл бұрын
Superbly clear. Thanx. And here I was thinking that Denver died over land in an ultra light “kit” which just folded on him. Yes…in a sense… it “dudn’t matter none” now but it’s always appreciated to simply “set the record straight” Oh yes…and John Denver’s spirit thanks you. 😉
@gamewizard1760
2 ай бұрын
Was there any accountability for the airport employees who allowed him to take off after his license was revoked?
@skyboy1956
Ай бұрын
lol. His license wasn't revoked and tell me how they can stop someone from taking off, lmao.
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