doggscube

My Feedback: (1)

I crashed my LT yesterday afternoon.

The wind was not high at all for most of the time I was there. On the takeoff, there must have been a gust, and the plane lifted off sooner than I am accustomed to. Since I was still holding up elevator, the plane was vertical before I could react. It didn't have any airspeed to speak of, so full down elevator didn't do anything. I quickly changed to full up to try to loop it, but it struck the ground pointed straight down.

While talking to the other members, including my former instructor who was in the next box, the only thing I did wrong was not to give it down elevator as soon as it started to pitch up, but I didn't have time to react anyway. I could not have rolled it out at the top of the arc, and doing so might have pointed it toward the pits. I just have to rebuild the fuselage forward of the wing LE. Carb and back plate removal show that the engine is OK, and most of the radio gear was working properly right after the crash. I don't know if I tried moving the throttle servo.

Unfortunately the crash also means the loss of the 12.25x3.75 prop that I had for all of two days. It definitely is a great prop for this plane.

-Jeff

a65l

My Feedback: (17)

I'm sorry for your loss, it's harder when it's your trainer and first plane. But I have to ask, why were you holding full up elevator? Do you fly off grass where you need to get the nosewheel up to gain speed?

Andy

doggscube

My Feedback: (1)

My LT is a taildragger, and we fly off a grass runway.

-Jeff

ICE_MAN

Sorry about you're crash man. It's a good thing you didn't roll out and point her towards the pits!

egor

Sorry about your crash. The damage looks a lot worse than what it is. I've repaired these time and time again. Seems like the more glue there is in it the better they fly. Had one that was rebuilt 8 times and four people learned to fly with it. Suggest that you check the leading edge of the wing in the area around where it meets the fuse. Probably just some minor surface damage, but just to be safe check real close if there is a hole in the sheeting check for internal damage. Just a saftey thing these planes take a real beating.


Egor

Rebuild that thing and go flying

doggscube

My Feedback: (1)

The wing damage looks to be a dent in the leading edge from the rubber bands, but I've only given it a brief check. I'm going to inspect it closely. Since I have white Monokote I might take some of the covering off to check it out. Maybe I'll get some fiberglass and do the joint at the same time.

I've started the repair. I'm only at the point of straightening one of the fuse side panels. I think I'll straighten those and the bottom sheet, and then start dremeling out the old glue and broken wood. Once I have the firewall fixed and ready, I will install plywood doublers, then one fuse side, the fuel tank floor and the firewall, then the other fuse side. The damage was such that it will not be difficult at all to retain the original dimensions and thrust angle. When it's all done, I think the only evidence will be the ugly covering seams and/or patches.

-Jeff

antslake

My Feedback: (1)

Split open like a can of peas.

Hey you could have got to the top of the arc and flew upside down, then roll back upright.
Practice that move on the sim.

Sorry for the lose.

doggscube

My Feedback: (1)

I didn't have any airspeed at the top of the arc. Also, at that point it was pointed at the end of the pits (where a beautiful P-40 sat), so trying to roll out in that direction would have been a very unpopular decision.

Incidentally, I've been told that a ground loop is when a taildragger gets turned around while trying to take off. Mine did a standard loop, into the ground. One of the members called it a ground loop.

-Jeff

stang

My Feedback: (1)

I'd like to make a suggestion on your take-off procedures that might help. I usually hold full !QUOT!up!QUOT! elevator for only the first few feet of the take-off run. As the model picks up speed I neutralize the elevator and let the model roll on the main wheels. When I am ready to rotate I put in just a touch of !QUOT!up!QUOT! elevator and let the model fly off the ground. I find that small, gentle corrections work the best.

Hope that helps.

doggscube

My Feedback: (1)

That is what I do. The plane lifted off much earlier than previously. So, it went to 45 degrees up before I could react, and it was all over at that point. The big wing was just picked up and blown back by the wind.

My takeoffs always favor airspeed over altitude. I let it lift off by itself, not really giving it much up elevator until the main wheels lift off.

The wind had been picking up immediately before my takeoff. There was a clumsy bipe landing right before I started up, and two trainers had clumsy landings as I was picking up the pieces.

I know this is a learning experience. I'm just glad that it's fixable and that the engine is clean.

-Jeff

bubbagates

My Feedback: (32)

I had a very simialiar thing happen to me this weekend with the same plane (taildragger conversion), same prop on an OS46ax. The takeoff roll looked good but just after the mains left the ground a good crosswind snatched the left wing and blew it up and to the right. I tried to correct with both left rudder /aileron, but there was just not enough control throw left and instant cartwheel. Love the Lt-40 but those huge wings can be a problem at times.

We had been having the occasional crosswind gusts all day. I had flown my 4* 40 in them on and off all day. Everyone that saw it agreed that there was just no way to recover. From first wing movement to impact was probably around a second maybe 2 seconds

Damage was limited to 2 broken nylon wing bolts, a damaged prop and a broken wing tip. All control throws have been increased and all control surface gaps are now sealed. Between that engine, prop, increase in throws, gap sealing and taildragger conversion, the LT-40 takes on a whole new life. [sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

doggscube

My Feedback: (1)

I would increase my throws, but my wing joint isn't fiberglassed, and I don't want to fold it in flight. I do have a lot of fun with it, just minimizing stress on it. On my 2nd day training a guy was flying his modified LT-40 (dual wing servos, modified elevator and rudder) like it was an Extra and tore off the horiz. stab.

I spent a good portion of yesterday evening putting the fuse back together and installing the engine. It's about only a couple of hours away from engine and radio testing.

I just like how the taildragger looks. On the flight line with the other trainers, it is so distinctive.

Question: can I reattach the covering? It's separated at about the first former, about 12 sq. in. per side.

-Jeff

bubbagates

My Feedback: (32)

You can reattach the covering if it is torn roght above a rib. I would suggest rmoving the covering up to the next good rib and then iron on/shrink a new piece. Doing this creates a seam and a seam shoulb always be ironed onto something solid

I used UltrCote white and it was a perfect match

doggscube

My Feedback: (1)

This is the fuse side, so it's all solid. Can I use any form of glue to just reattach it?

bubbagates

My Feedback: (32)

Sorry,

I misread your post. I was able to use thin CA and get mine back down but if you have any covering you can just lay it over that area and iron it down. I had some high spots from epoxy but I was not worried to much about it. Sometimes, if it is not fuel soaked you can even iron the torn stuff down.

I would also like to suggest if you have a balsa triangle stock to add it along the bottom of the inside of the fuse on both sides and up against the former on both sides and bottom that is in front of the servo tray under the LE of the wing and at the former at the TE of the wing. (Basically at the formers in the front and back of the wing saddle or what some people call the big hole in the fuse where the wing sits ) Makes the whole area stronger and adds little weight if you use CA. (I used thick CA to get a little stronger bond)

RC Havoc

My Feedback: (-1)

Well, Look at it this way, the next time this happens, youll know how to react. Ive crashed MANY planes before I could come home everyday for 2 years and still have the same plane. A lot of repairs, but still in one piece...

iowanspctr

That's not really a ground loop, it's what we call a "perfect figure 9".

doggscube

My Feedback: (1)

Yeah, I corrected myself, but the thread title remains. It was indeed a "perfect" figure 9 in that it only broke the front of the fuselage and nothing else.

I'm getting the hang of my Spacewalker (and really enjoying its characteristics) so this plane will be out of service longer than I originally planned. The fuse is now complete, the CA-ed covering looks horrible. I might just patch it using Monokote, even though the decals would then be obscured. I'll probably just rip them off the fuse altogether. I'm going to remove the wing covering around the joint, inspect the LE, and glass the joint.

-Jeff