I flew my
Great Planes Reactor 3D EP Performance Series today on its first flight. I took off, flew to altiude, turned to low rates, trimed the plane out, and then flew an emmelman at about half power. I heard a crack and the plane was no longer in trim. I slowed down to land and overshot the field as I was stunned to see what had happened. I went around again and gently landed. The elevator had factured in two! This plane has about two to three minutes of flight time. It had a structural failure at slow speed, half throttle, without any sign of flutter prior to the failure. It is very clear that there is either a design or construction flaw. Have other people had this type of failure? Is this plane fundamentally flawed or is there a retrofit to strengthen the elevator?