This is copied from an email that I sent out to some members of NSRCA Ditrict 7. The incident is posted on the website and you can get to it following the below link. My only reason in posting this here is to hopefully prevent somebody from doing something as stupid as what I did today. I know there is the saying of "There are those that have, and those that will..." but I hope nobody makes the stupid mastakes that I made.
In case any of you haven't read what happened earlier today, check out the District Website :
http://www.nsrca.org/d7/ (check out the first story on the page regarding my Focus on SuperBowl Sunday)
It wasn't pretty, and I fully own up to all of it. Just a dumb move, and I did one thing, or rather didn't do one thing... that I never have before... not check the controls before takeoff. It cost me an absolutely wonderful airplane, and as it turns out, the contest at Hollister next weekend. Not saying I was going to win, far from it, but I could have gone and had fun with all that showed. Instead, I'm pondering my next move.
Why not get the ol' Impact going? Funny you should think that... it's toast too. I got home, fixed a couple of things that needed fixing on it prepping it for getting programmed in my back up radio (primary radio is at Radio South), and I start the programming session. For some reason getting the dual elevator servos working properly is becomming a problem... Okay, pull out the manual... while doing that, one of the servos is full deflection... no biggie... next thing I hear is a constant whine of the servo motor on said servo... The gears stripped... No big deal, i just happen to have a half dozen 9650s laying around doing nothing now... It go to pull the detachable stabs apart... No movement, and I mean NONE! Screws are out, nothing should be holding it back... no movement... push one way gently, pull the other gently... nothing. The damned thing will not budge. It's impossible to cut the servo out because of it's orientation (located in the stab sideways so the horn protrudes vertically out the bottom) and the direction of the screws... in from the root. So I progressively pull and push, and pry harder. Finally it cracks and it's all over. Paint, thread lock, glue... something got on that rod/tube and is preventing the stabs from coming off. The tail is cracked and ruined, and the plane is done. I am now without a pattern plane at all... lost two in a day. Since it was done and final, I tried with all my might to get the stabs apart, and the carbon fiber tube simply shredded... ends are still in the stabs.
Moral of the story? Be sure to "Focus" on your airplane assembly, do not get destracted and always, always, ALWAYS!, do a pre takeoff control check... i don't care if it's the first, or seventh flight of the day. How long does it take to move everything and check the direction? I always did it myself... except for this morning because I got distracted. The fact that i got distracted is my fault, and I own up to it... So in the coming months, and various contests, if you talk to me while I am putting my plane together in the morning, or getting ready for flight... and I don't talk back or respond in anyway, please do not take it personally... I am trying to make sure I don't pull a 'Messer'.
What next? I have an old Eclipse that is primed for an electric conversion, and an Abbra due in a few weeks. I will also be selling my back up radio the 9C probably, and purchasing something new. Eclipse could be flying in a couple weeks, and the Abbra will be ready for the Richmond contest. But Lancaster is not to be...
Hope all your planes are well, and you have enjoyed this Super Bowl weekend.
Rum is killing the pain.
Sincerely,
Tom Messer