Cardinal Pictures

This was tough to do..... I have been trying to brush the memories of our beloved Cessna Cardinal from our minds, since the incident of April 26, 2002. After 3,000+ hours in an aircraft, it leaves you with a warm spot. I had N177DP for 14 years before I could finally paint it to my liking. Then, a short 3 years later it is scrap metal. Haven't flown since. Seems like a foolish statement, but I do not know if I could trust another plane, as I did this one. I came to know every little noise and quark, which made flying comfortable. It takes 100's of hours (at least for me), to develop that relationship. A little embarrassed, but as I went through these pictures it brought tears to my eyes (this is a lie... I actually cried). I have had to keep my wife out of the room as I paste these pictures (I do not want her to see my sensitive side).

Draining the remaining fuel.
By the way, this is how the Cardinal looked prior to the accident. This picture was taken in Memphis during our trip last July.
The beginning of the dismantling.
The final flight path. You can see the many 3" steel pipes, and a 6" steel pipe (far left), bent over by the impact.
Dave (passenger) and his wife Kathy. My wife, Sandy, daughter, Wendy, and son-in-law, Jun.
The wing remained intact. Dented, but not bent.
It may be a wreck, but it did get us to the ground in one piece!
Feeling very fortunate about walking. The incident could have hurt
The wrecker was treating the Cardinal as a "Trophy Fish".

	Thank God this was not our final "Angle of Attack"!
	This picture shows how the windshield posts bent backwards during impact. Again, this entire incident could have hurt!
	Every thing in this picture sheared during the incident. Not at the hands of the dismantling process.
	This pictures of my beloved Cardinal is causing a little welling up.
	The "End is Near".
	Call us "Lucky".
	The day before the accident, I would have beaten anybody up who treated the stabilator like these guys. Oh Well... That was yesterday!

Incidentally, if anybody thinks I am joking regarding the tears, I can assure you that they are not a pilot, that's owned an aircraft for over 15 years.