Mike Brannigan:
If any of you have been catching the weather situation in California, you might have seen Corona Municipal Airport — now Corona Municipal Lake. My understanding is that the waterline was up to the eaves of the hangars, and that all of the planes are now sitting on the side streets — too cool.
I haven’t seen the damage yet, but assuming that my Sundowner was partially or completely submerged, what is the typical insurance procedure? I’m still relatively new to Aviation insurance. I can only assume that a submerged aircraft’s engine, airframe, interior, and avionics are now suspect? I’m driving out tonight to galosh over to find my tail in the puddle, but if anyone has any insight as to what to expect in the coming week, I would greatly appreciate it.
Willis Cooke:
If your airplane has been submerged, I would expect it to be totaled without question. I hope that it was insured for enough to replace it. If it was submerged in salt water or polluted water, it is even more certain. I had two cars totaled from salt water flooding in 1998. Only the floorboard and rocker panels were wetted with salt water. The airplane had water up to the hubs on the wheels. The insurance company paid for new Cleveland wheels and brakes and bearings for the front wheel without even looking at the airplane. They only asked for a photograph. We also had a Tiger go into the bay in about four feet of water a few years ago, and the insurance company totaled it. So, I would start thinking about what to do with the insured value.
Bob Swaim:
I deal with salvage, and find it an odd message that drowning airplanes is “cool”, so I won’t go there. The point is that the damage and insurance are two separate subjects. You need to immediately look hard at whether you are under-insured, because whatever went into water will have to be totally disassembled and
inspected or is going to be sold as salvage. If the water never reached the belly, it may be possible for a mechanic to get the gear off, disassemble it to the individual parts, clean, inspect, corrosion-proof, and re-assemble. Do this ASAP. If the water got to the skin, you’ll never get the fertilizer/salt/etc. out of the seams. If under-insured, you have to have a heart-to-heart with your AI about what he thinks, because every one of these is different. If the water got to wiring, replace those harnesses without question. Corrosion leads to resistance, creating heat, leading to fire.
As for the insurance, you have to assume you’re going to be “totaled,” so get out any personal items before reporting it. Understand that this means anything personal that is removable/portable, and that you can’t just go in and strip out any usable avionics or instruments. If it is shown in a photo of the panel that the insurance company already has (or may get), or is recorded in a logbook, weight/balance report, or in an equipment list, don’t remove it. Do try to be there when the adjuster comes, bring receipts, and up-front be able to document the value of the airplane and the things in it. It will help him and you.