Rod Lovells story

[onetrack]

I was surfing Gumtree when I came across an airport tow tractor for sale in S.A. Curious, I examined the ad, and saw the sellers name - "Rod Lovell". I thought to myself, "I know that name! Where have I heard it before?"

After an hour of brain racking and doing searches, it all suddenly fell into place. Rod Lovell frequented the Historical Commercial Vehicle Club forum about 10-12 years ago, and I did for a while, too.

I knew he had some antique machinery such as a Chamberlain tractor and a 1960's B61 Mack truck (a very nice restored example, I must say) - and I also dealt with him over the 'net, and sold him some large wheel studs he needed.

 

He struck me as a fairly decent bloke, and I knew he'd been a pilot - but I knew nothing about his life story. Then yesterday, when I was doing searches on his name, up came a book he's written - "Hero to Zero".

Basically, Rod Lovell was PIC of the DC-3 (VH-EDC) that ditched into Botany Bay in 1998, as a direct result of an EFATO. However, in the accident investigation, Rod claims he was made a scapegoat for the crash, and he didn't deserve it.

 

Essentially, the company that Rod was working for, were a bunch of cowboys, anyway - and the old Dakota was a badly maintained 40,000 hour pile of junk, that had had no-one in charge of its maintenance.

The engines were being run on condition, with the CAA allowing a 100 hr run extension over their overhaul limit time - even though a recent engine check had shown up port engine distress, which the CAA hadn't even noticed.

 

In addition, the co-pilot was not properly licenced to fly the DC-3, had a minimal level of training and experience, and had never been checked through a full DC-3 EFATO procedure.

But the CAA and ATSB came down hard on Rod for not weighing every single item that went on board, and taking off nearly 600kgs overweight - and for not ensuring his co-pilot was properly trained and licenced and run through an EFATO test.

 

One of the things that amazed me was that no Australian flight manual had ever been produced for the DC-3. Everyone with a Dakota just utilised out-of-date American versions of flight manuals - which all varied.

Rod is obviously very bitter that the CAA destroyed his life and his piloting career by suspending his pilots licence and blaming him entirely for the DC-3 crash. Many pilots seem to be in agreement with Rod.

 

Rod sees himself as another Chesley Sullenberger - a hero who crash-landed a crippled aircraft into the drink and saved everyone on board. Only the hostie was injured and that appears to be because she hadn't fastened her seatbelt.

I personally believe the truth is probably a little more nuanced. I believe Rod has been poorly treated by the authorities and he doesn't deserve to be the solitary scapegoat for the crash.

The investigation showed up some serious CAA deficiencies, with safety oversight failures galore - including not knowing that the company had sacked its chief engineer some 12 mths before the crash - and which basically left no-one in charge of repair work.

 

However, I believe Rod has to accept a degree of responsibility for the crash - particularly taking off overweight - and also not carrying out the many important flight checks demanded of a PIC.

I don't know if his book will assuage his bitterness or change anything. I think he's simply got to live with the fact that he made some costly errors, but the authorities response was quite unfair.

 

We've all got our stories of being unfairly treated by those with power over us - be they employers, official authorities, banks, bad judicial decisions, whatever.

I think one dear old Auntie had a good saying, that I try to follow - "As you age, you either get bitter, or you get better." Getting better is more desirable than getting bitter.

 

http://www.vividpublishing.com.au/fromherotozero/

 

https://fromherotozero.com.au/wp/

 

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1994/AAIR/aair199401043.aspx

[rgmwa]

Only about thirty seconds from cleared for takeoff until they hit the water with the PIC have taking over from the PF late in the piece. Not much time to make decisions, and plenty of blame to go around following the lengthy investigation. Being the captain, he was ultimately responsible for the safety of the aircraft when it took off so he got most of the blame for what happened while he was in charge, which I suppose is what you might expect. Luckily nobody was seriously injured .

 

[onetrack]

I think it was probably highly fortuitous that VH-EDC crash-landed right after takeoff. I would have to opine that it wouldn't have made it to Lord Howe Island, anyway - and a ditching far out to sea, would have had a much worse result than ditching off the end of the runway into the smooth waters of Botany Bay. 

[willedoo]

3 hours ago, onetrack said:

I think one dear old Auntie had a good saying, that I try to follow - "As you age, you either get bitter, or you get better." Getting better is more desirable than getting bitter.

That's a good saying, and very true I recon.

[old man emu]

I'm sure that EDC ended up at Camden Airport around 2010 until it was purchased by a movie company to use as a setting for something they were filming. Don't know anything more of its current whereabouts or the movie.

[spacesailor]

Made my wife & I duck our heads, as it came at us !.

Still wonder about the number of power boats, that appeared from nowhere, dozens of them making huge bow waves.

spacesailoe

 

[Rod Lovell]

On 4/4/2022 at 3:45 PM, onetrack said:

Rod sees himself as another Chesley Sullenberger - a hero who crash-landed a crippled aircraft into the drink and saved everyone on board. Only the hostie was injured and that appears to be because she hadn't fastened her seatbelt.

I personally believe the truth is probably a little more nuanced. I believe Rod has been poorly treated by the authorities and he doesn't deserve to be the solitary scapegoat for the crash.

The investigation showed up some serious CAA deficiencies, with safety oversight failures galore - including not knowing that the company had sacked its chief engineer some 12 mths before the crash - and which basically left no-one in charge of repair work.

 

However, I believe Rod has to accept a degree of responsibility for the crash - particularly taking off overweight - and also not carrying out the many important flight checks demanded of a PIC.

I don't know if his book will assuage his bitterness or change anything. I think he's simply got to live with the fact that he made some costly errors, but the authorities response was quite unfair.

 

We've all got our stories of being unfairly treated by those with power over us - be they employers, official authorities, banks, bad judicial decisions, whatever.

I think one dear old Auntie had a good saying, that I try to follow - "As you age, you either get bitter, or you get better." Getting better is more desirable than getting bitter.

 

http://www.vividpublishing.com.au/fromherotozero/

 

https://fromherotozero.com.au/wp/

 

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1994/AAIR/aair199401043.aspx

Hi onetrack.
Your handle does ring a bell from decades ago, but I can't remember. Perhaps you may wish to pm me.

On reading your appriasal, I get the distinct impression that you have not read my book and therefore have only the (wrong) "official" side which is complete disinformation.

I have never seen myself as another Chesley Sullenberger. Why would I? I have referred to his accident once or twice. That is all.

 

"Rod has to accept a degree of resposibility for the crash". Yes, I accept full responsibilty for converting a potentially tragic accident potentially killing all 25 people onboard into a highly successful ditching with all lives saved.

 

"taking off overweight".  By law, aircraft must be re-weighed at regular intervals (3 yearly) and at that time had to be weighed twice to confirm accuracy.

Unbeknown to me, when the aeroplane was last weighed in October 1992, it was weighed on Road and Traffic Authority (RTA) truck scales, not approved by the CAA.

The aeroplane was weighed in the open, in the tail down position instead of the level flying position as required by the CAA. This process should have been conducted in a hangar.

The aeroplane was weighed in a non-approved environment, in a non-standard position and on non-approved scales. 

The empty weight and centre of gravity for the aeroplane were unknown. It was certified by an authorised Weight Control Authority officer of the CAA.

It is quite probable that this re-weigh was highly inaccurate. It is highly plausible that the basic weight of the aeroplane would have been in error, therefore the BASI calculated final MTOW would also be in error. They accused me of being an amount overweight to the exact kilogram. How can that be when there were so many dubious statements concerning the weight? Another interesting fact of this weighing in 1992 was that the resulting figures from both weight records were identical—8158 kg. Each of the three jack-point figures showed identical weight readings as well—what are the chances of this?

 

I personally witnessed BASI weighing the passengers’ baggage while it was dripping wet, on a set of analogue bathroom scales on a hangar floor and then they ‘factored’ it.

 

The fundamental mandate of an ICAO Annex 13 investigation and its subsequent reports is strictly to prevent future accidents and incidents.

On 25th September 1996, (two years after my accident) the Dutch Dakota Association, lost their DC-3 (PH-DDA) which crashed into the Wadden Sea about 35 miles north of the Dutch capital, sadly killing all 32 people on board. The crew had reported

engine problems five minutes after take-off from Texel Island on return to Amsterdam, 89 km away. They too shut down the left engine and its propeller also mechanically failed to feather correctly, flying at an altitude of

around 500 ft they tried to position the aircraft for an emergency landing but lost control and crashed onto a flooded sandbank covered by just chest-deep water, around nine minutes after take-off.
Sadly, 32 people died. Why?

For those who want to know, the left engine failed after takeoff and the right engine was not producuing rated power. I proved in the simulator it was only producing about 70% of rated power. No wonder it was not going to stay in the air.

 

"As you age, you either get bitter, or you get better." Well, I'm nowhere near as ANGRY as I was 32 years ago. BUT I will not let these pathetic public servant bureaucracy get away with their deceit.
I will fight for the truth until the day I die.

I'm more than happy to answer any questions, however, before you criticise me or my actions, I suggest you read my book.

Thank you.

 

[facthunter]

Are you related to Arthur Lovell who was in Ansett?  Nev

[onetrack]

Hi Rod, thanks for your input, and much additional information. No, I haven't read your book, but I do sympathise with you, as I stated. I too, have had similar dealings with powerful people who destroyed my life and all my hard-won assets - they're called a Bank, and they are run by despicable people who are prepared to crush customers in favour of intransigent and ruthless bank decision-making.

 

So I do understand how you feel about people with virtually unaccountable power, and little recourse against blatant injustice, unless you want to spend decades in the courts, and spending millions you haven't got.

 

Yes, you have had dealings with me many years ago, via a historical truck forum. I sold you some large diameter studs to suit your Chamberlain tractor. I trust you're keeing well in your advanced years.

I find it better as I age, not to dwell on past injustices that one can do little about. Hold your head up high, that you know in your own mind, that you have no regrets about what you did.

[Rod Lovell]

A funny story... Whilst in the RAAF in the 70's, I did an interview for TAA and one of the questions was, "was I related to Arthur Lovell?"
Very naively and innocently I answered, No!
Wrong. I should have answered "Uncle Arthur, how the hell is he?"
I never met him but aware of his fame for bringing Ansett's first B727 to Oz.

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Rod Lovell

[facthunter]

He was their DC-6 Type specialist when I met him about 1967. OTA. Nev