While we are on the subject of secured connector, I have a sad note to pass on. I lost my C-130 due to a failed battery connector. I had more than a dozen flights, most uneventful on the airplane. Performance was great. But at the last air show of the season and the first better cold day in northern Oklahoma, the 130 went down. After four laps around the pattern, I lost control signal and it flew another 200 yards rolled over and sprialed into the ground. The fuselasge broke into three pieces and the center section of the wing was distroyed. Maybe I can rebuild it, I still thinking about it. After evalulting the crash, I normally top off my batteries before flight at these air shows and the battery would not take the charge. I pulled to wing off and removed the battery and connected it directly to the changer. I found that the problem was at the connection on the charge not the airplane. As I was pluging in the battery to the charger I noticed that a pin on the connector had push out. I reset the pin and reinstalled the battery. Prior to this all my connectors were taped and secured. So I belive that when I plugged in the battery connector into the switch harness maybe the pin did not seat correctly.
We have been flying these air shows for more than five years and you are always rushed, tensed and stressed out. This does not make for a good flying day but the spectators love our performances.
I have the crash pictures posted on our club web site www.okbarnstormers.com on the C-130 project page. Oh well, the other guys are coming along well with their projects so we will have at lease one in the air show.
Check those connectors!