Well, shit happens, and it happened to me. After 16 years of restoration of my C47, on landing after its 4th test flight (engines at idle and no more than 20 mph on the active runway), the RH gear collapsed! The culprit? A hydraulic line burst.

Major bummer! But, thanks to a lot of volunteers and a couple of mechanics, it's being repaired. I'm still bummed out, but I've resorted to a major tool that I learned a long time ago:

"God, grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and Wisdom to know the difference. Amen"


Everything OK before takeoff

Landing after a good test flight

Oooppsss!


The smile was a joke for an airshow


Boo hoo! Well, time to get working again!!

Oh no! That's terrible! Hopefully there wasn't too much damage done.

Well, not really since the engine was at idle. As you can see, I need new prop, but fortunately, engine/crankshaft are OK. We're fixing the wing tip, and some skin. The moral damage is the worst!!

Major bummer!

Beautiful restoration. Hope she's flying again soon.

CHIT< CHIT< CHIT!!!!

Dang, that sucks!!

Sure glad no one got hurt. Sorry Eduardo.

Sorry to read this but glad it was a good landing. They really are incredibly efficient money pits.

At least I had a nice chat with the firemen!!

Eduardo-

So sorry to hear of the gear collapse. And congrats on finishing your restoration project. The C-47 is a hoot of an airplane. But please consider taking the engine apart to check everything (crank, cams, accessory section, supercharger, etc). Sometimes a Runout check on the crank doesn't reveal internal damage.

Keep on! Serenity now!

We did take take the engine apart. The engine, specially the crank is OK. Thank goodness.

It sure is a money pit Troy! I don't even want to know much I've invested in this bird in the last 16 years. I just want to finish it and start flying it. What I need is to find airshows that want the Gooney there that will pay for my fuel.

In quoting the Serenity Prayer I can see that you have your priorities straight.

And I think God was watching over you as this mishap could have been much worse.

Yes, it could have been worse, Mau! Thank God we were almost stopped. And, as to priorities, I keep trying. Bill is a good friend!

As someone who makes his living with hydraulics, (small cranes) the cause of the problem really struck home with me. I am somewhat surprised the 47 does not have, as original equipment, some sort of check valve or restrictor to preclude such a collapse from a burst hose. Your reaction to the incident is commendable, and I look forward to seeing it back in the air, you are preserving an historic airplane

Sorry to see that Patin. You will get her back flying again. That smile says she ain't done yet! Bill is a friend of mine too! Small world.

Small world!!

Hey courierguy, it was the check valve that got stuck and did not release the excess pressure. Hard to believe we missed it!!

Eduardo I remember talking with you the same day that it happened.
Deifinitelly you had the right attitude, its a beautifull plane, hope you will have it flying soon.

I want to see it at the airshows

It will fly again, Larry. Sixteen years is a long time of blood, sweat, and tears! I'm not giving up. All I need now is a prop. I have found two half time props, and I'm negotiating them. More $$$, but hopefully it will be money well spent, and some day I will get it back in wonderful flying memories. Additionally, DC3/C47s in good shape are getting scarce, so I am confident it will be good investment.

Originally, when I bought it for a song and a dance, my plan was to "quickly" put it in flying condition, and fly it to Alaska. How things have changed. I guess some people call it reality. Well this crazy romantic woke up one day realizing that Oz does not exist. Reality was that it needed a hell of a lot more work than I could afford, and that with Avgas at $6-7, I wouldn't get very far. So now AK might be out of reach due to the cost of fuel (today in El Salvador Avgas is $7.45, although I use ¾ Mogas and ¼ Avgas) so my new dream destination is to take it to Sun 'n Fun. He'll, all I want to do is fly it. Would love to bring down to Costa Rica someday!