Close call, lesson learned! Will never do it again!
OK, I'll admit to my most stupidest thing I've done in my heli flying. Hopefully others will not repeat what I did.
Last week I was flying my Raptor 50(OS 50SXH, 600mm SAB glass blades) in the late afternoon. I finished the flight and was hovering (hover-taxi) back towards the pits. I usually stop about 150 feet away or so. I noticed that I was almost out of fuel (30% cool power) and decided to just run it out of fuel and do a hovering auto. Now I've done this many many times before so I expected the engine to rev up a little and then quit as it runs out of fuel. Saves me from draining the tank.
Well, this time the engine did not react the same way. It leaned out alright, but didn't quit. It kept getting leaner and the head speed went thru the roof!
As I was thinking " wow, the head speed is way too high, I'd better shut it down" by the time I finished that thought, Yep, the heli went "BANG" and the blades flew off, (as did the flybar and misc other pieces)
I stood there stunned (I knew the high head speed was not good for the mechanics, but I didn't think it would throw the blades) and thought "OH GOD, THANK YOU FOR NOT LETTING THE BLADES HIT ME"
I don't know what RPM is considered redline for this heli, but I would guess that it was spinning somewhere between 2500 and 3000 rpm. If the blades hit me standing only 15 feet away, I would be in a hospital or WORST!
I've heard on occasions where helis would throw a blade during some wild manuevering but this is the first time I've witnessed it. The whole thing happened in just a few seconds and luckily there was only one other person at the field. (he jumped as one of the blades was headed his way, but the blade lost the energy and stopped about 30 feet from him)
Another reason not to fly alone! Sometimes things happen before you know it.
LESSON LEARNED: NEVER OVERSPEED THE ROTOR. IF YOU HEAR THE REVS GOING TOO HIGH, IMMEDIATELY TAKE ACTION AND LOWER THE THROTTLE OR HIT THE THROTTLE HOLD SWITCH.
It only took a few seconds, but I could've been seriously injured or killed.