RE: Your first crash? I want to hear about it...
It was a year ago last August. I had just bought my first plane - an LT-40. I go out to the field, and decided to wait for someone to show up to take it up, trim it out, etc. Well, after an hour of twidling my thumbs, I said 'screw it', and decided to taxi around. Well, being inexperienced and all, I ended up with my idle setting a tad to high. The LT takes off at a little more than an idle with a K&B 40. I didn't panic, but I started to sweat. I immediatly chop the throttle with it 20 feet in the air. I curve it around, and it disappears over an irrigation ditch. I start the dreaded walk. I find the plane, intact, and safe. It landed in a stubble field 100 yards away from me.
Sos I get on the phone. I call a friend who flys. He shows up, trims it out, and hands the controller to me. I buzz around for a while, and (with my friend close by) come in for a landing approach. I land it. I fuel up, my friend leaves, and I take off. I flew all day, probably doing 100 take offs and landings. I caught on right away, and that's the story of my first solo.