Mike Patey just posted a video to YouTube shot just moments after he crashed Draco, his short takeoff and landing aircraft at Reno/Stead Airport Sept. 16.
“I’m heartbroken. I will learn from my mistake, maybe showing where I failed others may learn as well,” he says, adding the accident was “100% his fault” and that “this is going to haunt me for a long time.”
I would never want to kick someone who’s down, and as an airplane lover and loyal Mike Patey YouTube subscriber, I am sickened by the loss of Draco and heartened by the miracle that no one was hurt! Having said that, there has always been a sense as I watched Mike’s videos that he lives life at FULL throttle ALL the time. Undoubtedly this is why he has accomplished so much so quickly in life. And that’s all well and good. Until it isn’t. Sometimes full throttle is not called for. Sometimes the all-powerful turbine can’t save the day. Metaphorically and actually. Sometimes throttling back is what is called for. Knowing what is called for in any given moment is the trick. And we’ve all been wrong at times. Obviously this was one of those times for Mike. I hope that Mike has learned this now—thankfully with no loss of life or serious injury. Imagine how he would feel now had he maimed or killed one of his two passengers by going full throttle into a blasting crosswind and predictably crashing moments later—against all common sense. I am so grateful that did not happen. I hope he learns from this to mix in a little bit of humility and perspicacity with his balls-to-the-wall MO. Then there would truly be no stopping him. And while I’m wishing things for Mike, I would say one last thing. Stop saying “it was all my fault.” There’s nobody on planet earth that does not know that. So it kind of goes without saying, and it sounds kind of self-serving. Almost like he wants credit for admitting the obvious. Still, I’m an admirer, not a hater. Long live Mike Patey, his family, and his aviation endeavors!
What an incredibly well-engineered plane this was/is that no fire erupted.
Mike, sorry for your mishap and glad you are ok. This will be a chance to rebuild Draco better than ever. Good luck.
RG
Just think you may have some parts such as axles and breaks, wheels, tires for scrappy.
Your a great jan when you can admit to the mishap. Ken
Mike you were very very lucky that there was no fire. I used to be a pilot single, multi engine and was working on get a type ratting’s. I started flying in the with Lear 23 & 24’s when I went back into the military. I started flying in High school in 1958-1959 year. The school was the first to have an aviation class, flying club and an aircraft. The aircraft was an Arronca 7AC…
If I ‘m correct it sounds like scrappy will be in high gear.
Glad to hear that all you folks were safe except for your wife’s fingernail.
Thank you for the great videos. I really enjoyed watching your flights of DRACO.
I know you will miss her as she seamed like lot os fun…Ken
If his landing gear was not so capable of compression, he could have kept the wind from taking hold of his upwind wing. Yes, he probably should have started his takeoff from the downwind edge of the runway and angled into the wind but it’s my guess the landing gear was the critical factor.
For me and many, many other’s, I cannot express in words how grateful we all are that Mike did not get hurt or killed. As a mentor to all those uncounted aspiring aviators and builders, showing us tirelessly how he does things and pushes the envelope of aviation, he inspires us all.
Yes Draco is a wreck right now, everything has its time, but that plane may be responsible for increasing interest in flying for a generation.
I want to expand on Mike’s comments a bit. He said he knew he should have “crabbed a bit” on the runway, but was kinda concerned about what the tower would think.
Guys, when you are in your plane, YOU are in control. No One Else. Do What You KNOW Is Right!
Crosswinds. Landing or taking off. If the wind is more than about a 10-knot crosswind component, DON’T DO IT!. Do whatever is necessary to take off/land INTO THE WIND.
If that means crabbing across a runway, so be it. If it means doing so DIRECTLY across a runway, DO IT. If you have to land, no options, then land INTO THE WIND. Taxiways, ramps, GRASS AREAS—-the plane doesn’t know the difference. I have done all the above, in my 60 years, 10,000+ hours, AND THAT IS WHAT I TEACH. I started flying taildraggers when I was 13 years old. I teach high performance acro in my Christen Eagle. Don’t try to make the plane do something it just plain isn’t capable of. Do what is necessary to make it happy. That means the wind on the nose, regardless of what the ground markings say.
Mike has given all of us a hard, tragic lesson. By his incredible honesty, he has told us, shown us, what a real pilot is, what a real pilot does. Be a pilot, not an airplane driver.
This is a prime example of what happens in severe crosswinds, and as he states so clearly, so honestly, “He Knew Better.” This is a MAN, and a great teacher.
Guys, planes are only designed to fly INTO the wind. If you have these kinds of conditions, do whatever it is you need to take off directly into the wind. Or LAND. There are a dozen ways to use airport facilities CORRECTLY, from an aerodynamic standpoint, and Who Cares what way you actually take off or land?
I learned my lesson at a very young age. I was landing my Tcraft in a strong crosswind, had everything crossed up, almost dragging my wingtip, and patting myself on the back “for my skill”. Then flew into the turbulence spilling off the upwind hangars. I honestly don’t know what happened, except that 1/10th of a second later, I was at full power, and 45 degrees to the runway, climbing. I came around, saw what had happened, and landed FAR DOWN THE RUNWAY, ACROSS IT. Rolled about 40′.
The airport manager came out as I taxied in, and congratulated me. He said an airline pilot landing his Bonanza the previous year in the same circumstances rolled the Bonanza up into a ball.
Mike, I feel your pain too. Losing a plane like Draco is a loss to all aviation. But you, my man, are that, and the lessons you have taught everyone—-in retrospect—Draco served a purpose, and so have you.
I can feel your pain Mike! Thanks for your honesty and teaching piece. Some pilot, somewhere will learn from this, keep it in the back of his head when he’s tempted to do something similar and live to fly another day…
Every pilot everywhere should learn from this
What a stand up guy! We can all learn something from this video. I’m so impressed with how he is not making excuses and how he’s taking full responsibly. You can see how much this plane meant to him. So sad but hopefully others can learn from this… not only to avoid high x-winds but what to do after you screw up! What a great video.
Looks like turbulence in wind shear
No, just a strong crosswind.
Having a public prop strike was embarrassing for me .. I can’t imagine Mike’s 3am reminders. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Once he makes peace with the lessons learned, laughter is definitely the best medicine.