RE: Death of a Patty Wagstaff
Of course I was not there to see the curcumsances leading up to this catastrophe but by looking at these pictures tells me that this was an elevator induced snap stall. The pilot likely had other choices for a set down location (the tall grass on the far side of the feild) but felt he could make it back to the runway. The damage could have been significantly reduced. We are all guilty of cranial flagalence from time to time and I know how hard it is to let up on the elevator when things are going bad. Who has never done that. I bent a plane today due to reversed ailerons which is a lot more dumb then what your freind did here. So if he is frustrated, I understand. I am in no way trying to "flame" your freind here or call him stupid. It's a lot easier to think about what I should have done after the fact than what I should do now as it is happening. Been there, done that. Busted a few planes in the process. There is one of these Wagstaff's at my feild to so I know how nice it is, so I am glad to hear that it will be repaired and flying again. I hope the repairs go quickly for your freind.