David,

You must have been reading my mind. Since the whole plate is off now, I plan to use 1 piece of 1/4" or 3/8" ply for the plate. Before I do that though, I will add tri-stock in the places I couldn't get to properly earlier. Then build a shelf out of tri-stock and put the plate back in. I will be using larger nylon bolts (probably wing bolts) and tap and thread the plate. While I was at it tonight, I got to looking at the firewall. Pretty thin if you ask me...3/16". This will get a nice coat of 60 minute epoxy all around front and back with all of the covering removed. Hopefully it will harden out good. Just paranoid I guess. The whole fix should not take more that a couple of hours and I'll be ready to go. I pick up a 91 on wed or thursday, so I'll be back to the field no problem for the weekend.

It's funny, the "crash" was more like falling off a log. I mean I was THAT low and slow. It was 100% my fault. This plane is designed to land with some air moving over the wings and I just didn't do it. Still surprised at the plate though.

Sam,

I am not an aeronautical engineer, but what you and I experienced were similar in that we both "snapped". My nose did not drop because I input opposite rudder and softened up the line. It was not violent just evident. In your case I wonder if you may have throttled back in your surprise, allowing the plane to continue until one of the wings stalled and the nose dropped? I think David covered it though. Keep in mind, many sport planes will do this. What accentuates the snap is weight....which affects the wingloading. My plane admittedly is too heavy so the wing loading was higher making it more prone to this. Even with a lighter engine and less load on the wing, it will still occur if too violent stick action is used. I would suggest pulling up into your vertical lines smooth and graduating to a steeper angle until you find where it happens. Then 1. you will know the flight envelope and 2. you can anticipate when it will happen and correct with a little opposite rudder and aileron.

Miloh,

As stated above, it was not violent just there. I think the weight issue was a major contributing problem and a reduction will correct most of the problem. One guy out at the field has a 35% Carden Edge and his will snap if he gets too violent too. So yeah, I think things will be fine once I get the other engine on. I didn't buy this plane to hover and torque roll......just work on the IMAC sequences and become a better pilot. It's gonna be GREAT for that. Knife edges will improve greatly I'm sure.

I will keep everybody posted as the next set of flights develop.

John