ORIGINAL: Mr67Stang
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.
The plane had to much airspeed to set down in the tall grass and it is downhill(hard to see to avoid the few trees that are
down there.Had enough airspeed to get to runway,just not enough to turn into the wind(several gusts)and land.Yes I did have other choices,I made the wrong one.could have been worse,though.Very little elevator input,to much rudder input trying to get it to turn so I don't hit parked vehicles or people behind me.Yes I said I should have done this or that,but I did what I did.I would rather crash my plane than hit someone or damage their vehicle,so what I did was not wrong nor stupid.So I did not have cranial flagalence,I just used
my best judgement at that time in a bad situation.Although it was not good for me or my plane.Fuselage will be rebuilt,repair inside trailing edge of both wings,new wing tube(bent)and clean dirt out of engine and carb.She will fly again.
Roy