# What in the world could have happened to this airplane???? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 22, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707 "2003-05-22T01:32:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/1 "2003-05-22T01:32:15Z")
See this picture: [wrecked airplane](http://www.angelfire.com/tx2/lgmsband/images/airplane.jpg) My sister sent this picture to me as a part of bizzare insurance claims. All the other pictures in her email were strange, but I could see how they happened. But this one. What in the world could have happened? All I can imagine is that a jealous wife went out to the airport and yelled “You love this plane more than you love me!!!” and fired up the chainsaw. So what do you think? Any pilots out there who might have some ideas? This picture really freaks me out! ---
**Author:** ![ski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@ski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ski)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/2 "2003-05-22T01:35:31Z")
Another plane ran into it, coming from the right rear. The propellor gradually tore up more and more of the plane, as you can see in the picture. The deepest damage is toward the front. That’s my guess. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/3 "2003-05-22T01:37:25Z")
[The story.](http://users.senet.com.au/~colton/Interesting_Stories.html) (Interestingly, my first thought when I saw the OP’s photo was that someone had driven by–just a bit _too_ close–with their prop spinning.) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/4 "2003-05-22T01:37:37Z")
My guess is that this is a deliberate design – some kind of art piece. ---
**Author:** ![Zunite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/51bf81/32.png) [@Zunite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zunite)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/5 "2003-05-22T01:38:37Z")
A propellor was my thought too. ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/6 "2003-05-22T01:39:15Z")
Slice and dice from another plane’s prop? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/7 "2003-05-22T01:39:36Z")
I don’t think so, **ski**. Those slices are far too narrow and clean to have been made by a prop, IMO. My guess is someone literally _did_ take a chainsaw to it, possibly to cut it up for scrap. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/8 "2003-05-22T01:39:46Z")
**ski** ’s not too far off the mark: [http://anthonyjhicks.com/ajh/weblog.nsf/l/CA5E57CF90DA1D98CA256CB60039D6DF](http://anthonyjhicks.com/ajh/weblog.nsf/l/CA5E57CF90DA1D98CA256CB60039D6DF) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/9 "2003-05-22T01:42:08Z")
[I stand corrected. I can’t say anything about the veracity of this site, but here is a claim about the plane.](http://anthonyjhicks.com/ajh/weblog.nsf/l/CA5E57CF90DA1D98CA256CB60039D6DF) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/10 "2003-05-22T01:42:36Z")
Nevermind, I just read **tomndebb** ’s link. Color me shocked. ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/11 "2003-05-22T02:25:23Z")
A THOUSAND THANKYOUS TO YOU ALL. This picture has been bugging me for weeks. It all makes sense, now. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/12 "2003-05-22T02:31:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tomndebb \* > \*\*[The story.](http://users.senet.com.au/~colton/Interesting_Stories.html) > > (Interestingly, my first thought when I saw the OP’s photo was that someone had driven by–just a bit _too_ close–with their prop spinning.) \*\* The story is incorrect that it was a University of Adelaide airplane. The plane is owned by the [University of South Australia](http://www.unisa.edu.au/), as correctly stated in later links. ---
**Author:** ![samboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@samboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samboy)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/13 "2003-05-22T03:55:48Z")
WooHoo thats my Uni. UniSA all right. Thats their logo on the Sliced up plane. I remember when this happened and was on the news. I could not believe those pictures. It looks just like a sliced loaf of bread. Interestingly enough this happened at Parafield Airport and my campus of the Uni of South Australia is right next door and runs an Aviation degree. It would have made a great story if it was some student who caused it. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/14 "2003-05-22T04:07:40Z")
It’s pretty typical of prop damage when two planes trade paint on the ground. I used to keep a few pictures of taxi accidents involving prop aircraft, and they always have this kind of damage. We had a guy here at MBT who let a hand-propped cub get away from him. He grabbed at the tail to try to stop it, but instead deflected it towards his car. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/15 "2003-05-23T00:25:54Z")
Ina the interest of completeness, I emailed the webmaster of the OP’s link to find our what happened to the unfortunate pilot, and today, he emailed me back. In part: > [@](#): > > The Court , non aviation, Adelaide Magistrates Court, legal saga of the sliced plane has come to an end as far as the person who did all the damage > " Dr Isabel". He must be breathing a sigh of relief ! > > Direct Quotation from the Adelaide Advertiser ( Main Paper ) 9-5-03 > > CRASH " SIMPLE MISTAKE " > > A $350.000 plane crash at Parafield was found to be a simple and reasonable mistake. > > Dr Luis Isabel, 50, of Wattle park, discovered his single-engine Piper Saratoga had a flat battery on August 26, 2001. Satisfied the handbrake was on, he climbed on to a wing to hand start the propeller but a " Huge Surge of Power" as the engine started caused the plane to hit five other planes. > > Magistrate Richard Brown dismissed charges saying it could not be proven it was not a mistake. > > END OF STORY In short, he was found not to be held accountable for the accident, which likely caused him to heave a huge sigh of relief. What it boils down to is, he got lucky, because no one could _prove_ he was negligent. There’s more, but that’s the gist of it. If anyone is interested in seeing the email in its entirety, please contact me and I’ll be happy to pass it on to you. ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/16 "2003-05-23T01:05:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\* > In short, he was found not to be held accountable for the accident, which likely caused him to heave a huge sigh of relief. What it boils down to is, he got lucky, because no one could _prove_ he was negligent… \*\* I know this is off the subject, but I find that incredible. Does this mean he’s not responsible at all? Does Australia not hold people accountable for their mistakes? If I drive my car into someone else’s car, I’m responsible, even if it was purely an accident. Does this doctor, or his insurance, have to pay for the damages? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/17 "2003-05-23T01:07:24Z")
Anyone who hand-props an airplane without A) another person in the cockpit, or B) having the airplane firmly tied to the ground, is guilty of negligence. The guy got off because the judge didn’t understand aviation. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/18 "2003-05-23T01:15:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*The guy got off because the judge didn’t understand aviation. \*\* As I said, he got lucky. As to the question of insurance, I am not sure. The email says at one point: > [@](#): > > Maybe it is a case of the Adelaide University also being awarded compensation from the insurance company for the damage and everybody is happy. > > No one was killed or injured and maybe it¹s a case of let sleeping dogs lye and perhaps rightly so because the only people do benefit from any further development would only be the lawyers. But the point isn’t very clear. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/19 "2003-05-23T01:39:47Z")
Fer _darn_ sure it didn’t happen in America - here everyone would have gotten sued. And I agree - handpropping without a competant pilot at the controls and proper tie-downs IS negligent ---
**Author:** ![PhuQan\_G\_Nyus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f14d63/32.png) [@PhuQan\_G\_Nyus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhuQan_G_Nyus)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707/20 "2003-05-23T01:50:29Z")
by “not responsible” they mean notnegligent to the point to warrant a suspension of his license. He still is responsible for monetary damages (or his insurance is). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-world-could-have-happened-to-this-airplane/176707.md?page=2)