c/n 1270, N5538G

[Doug Johnson]

12 pictures check your albums. Please do an internet search maybe you'll come up with one I couldn't find, I need all the help I can get.

Previous posts about N5538G or anything click on  http://flyhelio.com/smf/index.php?action=search  Enter ?

c/n 1270, built 08/67 as U-10D s/n 66-14368 for USAF accepted 08/67, t/n “14368” USAF CA ANG 129^th Special Operations Group Hayward CA 11/74, storage MASDC Davis-Monthan AFB AZ declared excess 01/77 released from storage 03/79, as N5538G to SC CAP placed in experimental category and covered flaps with fabric returned to Aluminum and 1 of 15 converted to trigear sold '84, Thurman Cecil Jr & J. B. Glenn SC sold '88, Larry McGregor Brookville, OH estate probate '15, resolved '17 Beverly McGregor OH, destroyed by tornado at Brookville OH 05/19, Basically destroyed some parts were salvaged














The End for c/n 1270

[Doug Johnson]

added 4 pictures

[Doug Johnson 1]

4 current photos posted by Evan McGregor I resized them and opened them above

link to Evan's post http://flyhelio.com/smf/index.php?topic=1416.0

Really sorry to hear that the next pictures of N5538G will be the last, but glad that you and your family are well.

I'm sure the parts vultures are already hovering around your airport.


link to history paragraph http://flyhelio.com/smf/index.php?topic=998.msg4234

[N5538G]

Thank you so much for finding and sharing these old photos of #1270.  I'm going to look through some more of his photos and send them your way!
One more thing, The plane is technically owned by Beverly McGregor of the same address and I believe she still needs to contact the FAA regarding the change.

[N5538G]

I found more pictures of N5538G taken over the years.

[N5538G]

And a couple more.

[Doug Johnson 1]

Last photos in the queue.

will open them above

[Doug Johnson 1]

Found what will be the last photo in the gallery.

Maybe a few parts will be salvaged but doesn't look like they are really trying.

[RCarter]

Darn shame.  Too bad they didn't do a better job salvaging parts.  I would have though there were some things worth keeping.  Flap brain box, tomahawk, engine core, prop hub, and it looks like a fold up cargo door. 

Then again I am drawing a lot of conclusions from one photo, and I am sure the owners didn't make their decision lightly and certainly had more info available than I do.

Sad to lose a plane to something out of anyone's control.

[paullapoint]

Anybody that would handle an aircraft (let alone a Helio) like that with an excavator, should be worked over with a baseball bat

[Doug Johnson]

If I needed an engine, I wouldn't waste any time, getting to Brookville OH to talk to Evan McGregor about buying the aluminum scrap pile.

[paullapoint]

I had offered to bring an excavator down and help with the cleanup free of charge and got no response. Paul

[N5538G]

Hi all.  I feel bad for not posting until now.

I understand your frustration seeing photos of the wreckage being extracted from the hangar.  Believe me, it was excruciating to witness.  As a result of the tornado, the hangar had collapsed onto the aircraft.  The steel rafters folded and fell onto the wings, crimping and tearing them in several places.  The fuselage was being pressed down onto a 8" thick concrete retaining wall and the main gear was bound with the steel structure of the frame of the bi-fold door.

To be clear, the majority of the damage seen in the photos was done by the collapse of the hangar as well as the contents (several tractors, toolboxes, Class A Motorhome, etc) being tossed around by the EF4 (~180 MPH) tornado.

The aircraft insurance proceeds covered the cost of the plane and the homeowners insurance covered the basic demolition and removal of the hangar.  We would have preferred to extract the plane without damaging it further but it would have taken several more days and an additional $16k to $20k to complete all with no guarantees.  This cost would have likely exceeded the value of the salvageable parts and therefore we decided to follow the original plan of demolition. 

Make no mistake, this was a difficult decision but we refuse to throw good money after bad and I'm sure, if in our shoes, many of you would have done the same.

With that said, please send me a message if you are interested in salvaging parts from this plane.  If you need any specific photos, i'll do my best to accomodate.

Many thanks, Evan McGregor

please text me at 1(937) 706-0706

[Doug Johnson]

I received an early color photo of c/n 1270 as taildragger.

I will open it above as #2 in the queue.

[Doug Johnson]

Added a picture #3 in the queue of c/n 1270 shortly before it was sent to Dean Tramaine and Ken Noe Factory reps to be converted to trigear for the CAP.