I sort of relied on a 'good smoke trail' when flying to determine if it was running rich enough. The club pro's, however, told me that this is not necessarily the way to check if it's rich or lean. The best way is on the ground before putting it up in the air, and this should be taught by a competent instructor.. someone that knows what is going on. Nothing in the original post said that it was checked or that it was running rich, nor was there any mention about a smoke trail.

Probably a lesson well learned here.. to learn how to tune the engine prior to flight and make sure it IS running with the proper mixture. I tend to run mine a tad bit rich. They all have plenty of power and get the proper lubrication.. and the wing gets nice and wet.. [:@]

CGr