Something Extra crash!
 

Hey. Had a bad day i guess. Was a beautiful day today in Iowa. 30deg. and no wind with the sun out full force. Thought I would go flying at the local ball park. Been itching every day since I started flying in Oct. I brought my Pt-40 trainer and my brand new sig se today. I took out the trainer first and flew that once. Had a shakey take-off but flew wonderfull and had a nice landing. So I thought i would try the new SE. Started her up and tuned it well. Running great. Taxxied around the field for a few min to get the feel of the plane. So I thought what the hell. Lets take her up. I throttled her up and away she went and the right when she was going to pick up the rear wheel hit something and brought the front end down to where the prop could hit the ground. So prop hits ground and rips whole front of fuselage off and the thrust of the impact smacked the left wing very hard shattering the whold l.e to pieces and the wing tip. Oh. even the whole tail assembly busted from the fuselage. this sux. I didn't get mad. Just reminded myself this is part of the hobby. ***** happens. but 75 bux for the kit down the drain.. I can repair most anything. but i'm going to call this totalled. maybe a sig four star next or another s.e. who knows. i have a hog bipe, super sport and a suhkoi for backups. plus my trainer..

I was going to go home after that but it was so nice. I ran 2 more tanks of fuel thru my trainer. No problem with that baby. anyone have a fuse and left wing for a s/e. jk.. later

RE: Something Extra crash!
 

wow.... bad day, no pictures?

RE: Something Extra crash!
 

I just built a SE....is there anything I can do to lessen the chances of what happened to you? Thanks, Andrew

RE: Something Extra crash!
 

sorry for your loss, was this your first tail dragger? I didn't see the crash but it almost sounds like the tail got away from you.... some tail draggers refuse to lift the tail without some coaxing others will jump up and MUST be controled or exactly what happened to you results. honestly I've never seen a scale like take-off with the SE, most guy's just fire wall it and yank full up elevator:D on most all tail draggers I hold a bit of up until the tail fly's and give it more or less as needed untill lift off, this can be a bit tricky though....to much up and you could lift off before you have enough speed.... stall... snap.. dirt nap. not enough up.. the tail can rotate to high and nose the plane over.


John

RE: Something Extra crash!
 

yeah. maybe thats what happened. too much tail up and over she went. It happened so fast though. You learn from mistakes though. I will go on. This won't be the only time i have a crash. There is more to come. Look at it this way. I can now tell my wife I need to get another plane to replace this one. She gave this one to me for my birthday. I felt bad though since it didn't even see any air time. what can u do though.............

RE: Something Extra crash!
 

do like I did... ditch the tail wheel... it dont need it for grass and its a poor design as it is.

also for any tail dragger... keep a little up elevator when on the TO roll. (how much depends on the plane.)

RE: Something Extra crash!
 

Tail draggers are way easier than those darn trainers. Ever since I got into tail draggers, take offs have been much easier. I hold full up while I'm taxiing. Then right when I raise the throttle, I go to center on elevator and wait for the tail to rise. Just touch of up, and off it goes. I admit that sometimes I forget to let off the full up elevator...but I realize it and let off. Maybe you had full elevator and hit a bump? We have some nasty bumps at our field. A few times they sent me airborn before I was ready. It happens.

Joe

RE: Something Extra crash!
 

Let the pain of the moment pass. Then get the plans and pieces out. Find out what you need to repair or replace and fix it. Don't let the darn thing beat you. It's you and the SE. Wade into it and don't let it come out the winner!

Enough of the pep talk. Seriously you built the first one. You can sure repair it. This is a nice plane. You deserve to fly it. It will also score brownie points with the Missus. She will feel better that you cared for the gift enough to repair it. Lots of luck.

Mark Shuman