Mike Ivey's Arm

Please tell what happened and how it might have been avoided. Names should be ommitted. This forum should help others learn from mistakes that caused or nearly caused a mishap.
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MikeI
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Mike Ivey's Arm

Post by MikeI »

Not to be outdone by OP, i collided with the windsock pipe on landing sunday. Result was a pretty nasty fracture of right humerus. Had surgery to put in a rod on Monday morning, and and as of Monday night I'm still at Holy Cross.

Doing fine, still don't have cast, but expecting to get discharged Tues or Weds. Thanks a ton to all the pilots who helped. Especially Caitlin and Kathy for the ride to the hospital. BTW Rob, they still have me in your sling.

Xrays to come.

Edit 5/31

So here's more detail on the flight. The LZ was pretty turbulent, so i came in with a lot of speed. It was the fastest landing approach i had made on my sport so far, and I was worried i might overshoot. I got popped by some turbulence on final, and turned toward the windsock. I was able to correct the nose and get it down, but did not make a course correction bavk to the right at the same time. I touched and began running out the landing a few feet before the sock, and began to flare, however, I could not flare enough to slow the glider down before it hit the post. The control bar hit very near the bottom at the spring, and didnt absorb much energy, since i was still trying to flare, my arms were still on the downtubes. The left downtube broke where i held it, the right did not.

Overall it seemed like a buildup of several smaller things that resulted in the crash. The failure to turn back to the right, having more speed than expected, and not correctly bracing for the impact after it was too late.

Before and after Xrays are below.

ImageImage

Mike
Last edited by MikeI on Thu May 31, 2012 3:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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JD
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Arm of the Week Club

Post by JD »

Mike,
I wish you a full speedy recovery!
Thank you for stepping up and reporting. Hopefully this will help someone else.
Cheers,
Jonathan
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Tom C
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Post by Tom C »

Heal fast Mike. Hope to see you soon.
Tom
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skygeek AKA Seabass
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Post by skygeek AKA Seabass »

Mike I have the video of your accident you can totally see your arm break. I did not want to post the video unless you say its ok.
MikeL
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Post by MikeL »

Sorry about the accident man, hope you recover quickly!

- another from the 'Mike' crew

MikeL
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OP
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Post by OP »

There's a video of my wack too. i haven't seen it yet. from what i'm told its a boring, run of the mill wack.

Get well soon friend, i feel your pain:
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MikeI
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Post by MikeI »

Ouch OP, that does look bad. Hope you get well quickly too. Maybe we can do our rehab flights together.

Can you send me the video Sebastian? I don't think I'd have a problem worth it being posted for others to learn from, but I'd like to see how dumb it makes me look first ;).

Also, I added what i could remember about the flight to the first post. Since the edits on that post didn't quite work, and the site is erroring when I try to fix it now, the before and after Xrays are also here:

ImageImage
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skygeek AKA Seabass
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Post by skygeek AKA Seabass »

PM your email so I can forward it to you.
jcflies
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Post by jcflies »

How many screws, boys? I have 13. Somehow I think OP may have more. His zipper looks longer. Once you're on the Team, you have to fight hard to stay there...
janyce

"You HAVE to make it..."
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OP
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Post by OP »

I had them set it without surgery in mammoth. I could have gone the cast route, but the bone docs gets thirsty when they find out you don't smoke and aren't diabetic. They want to cut on the young meat. I walked around with a broken arm for a few days and saw 3 surgeons before going with one. They all gave their best pitch why they $hould have the opportunity to do the procedure.

The big zipper on mine was to put a screw on the back side without cutting muscle.

6 screws (I think, might be 8 ) and a plate. A week from the operation I'm completely out of a cast / splint and can juggle.
vannoppen
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Broken arms

Post by vannoppen »

Mike I'm sorry to hear about your accident. I never thought that pole was so strong but given the Santa Anna's I guess it needs to be. I tried to poke fun at OP regarding his recent misfortune but got no posts after I posted thinking it might be humerous?guess I was wrong. I imagine some of our creative pilots must be formulating a new nickname for you with your recent encounter with the pole, pole dancer perhaps. Am I going to hell now or just setting myself up for some god awful wack where van apple bobben sounded good. Heal fast,safety first, by the way I SLEDDEd today and I think I lost 20 lbs it was so hot
jcflies
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Post by jcflies »

good news, OP, glad you escaped a front zipper! I dithered for for a fully OPiated week as to whether or not have surgery. Chris Wills was kind enough to look at the x-ray and advise me. I listened. I think the Gods of SPring Air have been appeased. Nice of you both to step forward.
janyce

"You HAVE to make it..."
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Jim
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Post by Jim »

Hey, Steve, take me off the mentor list. My results are not so good and are apparently on the negative slope for sucess:

1st - Don Banos thermals with me once on radio and is unable to land a glider for the next few years.

2nd - Malury follows me toward the 1500, lands at the dam.

3rd - Mike follows me to 1500, lands with "exploded" humerus.

Heaven forbid, I should ever mentor Opie or Janyce.
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Steve90266
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Mike'sarm

Post by Steve90266 »

Your points are well taken, Jim. Consider yourself off the list!
Steve Murillo
vannoppen
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Jim mentor

Post by vannoppen »

Your funny,keep it up
vannoppen
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Jim mentor

Post by vannoppen »

Your funny,keep it up
jdevorak
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Post by jdevorak »

janyce- 13 screws? you must be counting double for the loose ones.

jim- you only get half credit for mike because i was with you on that trip to the 15.

mike- you've ruined my theory that it's safer close to the ground.

op- there's no words for you!
eat right, exercise, die anyway!
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Steve90266
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Mike's Arm

Post by Steve90266 »

Jim, in that case, you're still on the list! I'm assigning Julian to you!
Steve Murillo
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MikeI
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Post by MikeI »

Thanks Jim. Actually that was one of my best flights in a long time right up til the landing.
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Jim
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Post by Jim »

Steve90266 wrote:Jim, in that case, you're still on the list! I'm assigning Julian to you!
Actually, Steve, I thought you were next...
Any last words?
:twisted:
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