Crane drops restored A-4

After taking a couple years to restore. A A-4 Skyhawk was being put back on its pedistal in Alameda. The soft ground gave way under the crane. Video taken off KRON 4 NEWS
Restored A-4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmuukBjhU_w

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• crane
• accident
• A-4
• Alameda
• plane
• crash
• crashes
• Skyhawk

[ProChoiceJesus]

At first I was alarmed about the soft, cushy grass, and the fact that the crane was on grass at all, but it appears that it was sitting on the street before toppling. Am I wrong? Why would you put a crane on grass, anyway when there's a nice, hard street?

[dwcobb43]

@ProChoiceJesus the grass area around the pedestal is pretty wide circle which made for a long strech. There was a disagreement between the property management company and the restore team and crane company on which grass area the managment company was suppose to not water that week. They watered this side of the base. But I still think the crane operator has the final say of if and how he's going to do this lift

[islandcerts]

Never mind the entire lift was a disaster from the planning to the end result, why couldn't the camera operator get the crane in the picture instead of zooming in on the A-4?

[22bernd1957]

In my opinion, the mast is boomed out much too far.

You would be surprised how little could be lifted with the boom out this far.

Yes, he was able to lift it off the truck, but when he was SWINGING (turning) the load,

the dynamics may change very much, I have seen this before.

This lift I believe should never have taken place like that.

You ALWAYS try too get as close to the load as possible, never mind the damn grass.

[84LikeThor]

There goes his job

[justforever96]

@TIMSTQY Sorry, I wasn't presuming to educate you on airworthiness requirements. I'm not sure what my point was, actually. Anyway, I was just asking because I'd be curious to see a step by step of how they did it. I find restoring old airplanes fascinating, like artwork sometimes (MAAM's P-61 was quite incredible, but that started as a WWII era wreck). For starters, how badly was it damaged? And did you use spare parts from another A-4, or make your own pieces, or what?

[repairdroid77]

Yep, perfect time for a lunch break.

[TIMSTQY]

@dwcobb43 There was no disagreement at all ...they just turned off the wrong area...where do you get this information from ....a cracker jack box ?

[TIMSTQY]

@justforever96 I am well aware of airworthiness limitations...I am a certified aircraft mechanic/inspector/quality auditor.

What I am saying is that all repairs done were to "airworthy standards" not that it is an airworthy airframe or will ever be again...it was retired in 1969 for "high time"

I do know that it will now be up on display for another 40+ years because of the work that was done.(complete corrosion control)

About where you would get more info on it... ask me I did it

[justforever96]

@captainkmanOFP857 Yes, quite strange, actually. (I was mostly worried about that poor pillar, myself).

[justforever96]

@TIMSTQY Not saying that it's easy, but repairing an aircraft to a condition that looks good enough as a piece of decoration is not like repairing one to put back in the air. I'm guessing some people get the two mixed up. Still, doing it in a bit less than 3 months is quite a feat! Do you know where I might read more about the operation and how it was done, perchance?

[justforever96]

@horse294 You think they should take a lovely, flying condition A-4 Skyhawk and pop it up on a pillar somewhere as a display instead, sitting out in the weather 365 days a year? Sorry I can't agree with that. I'd find one somewhere that was already grounded, at least, preferably in hopeless condition, and use that instead. For all the good one does up on a pillar like that, it might as well be a fiberglass mockup instead of a real plane.

[horse294]

They could always ask the NZ Govt for another A4. They still have a number in flying condition

[bobilator1]

Realy small crane and bad spot for wire .