Receiver Battery Failure on Laser 4
 

Mike,

We are doing a Crash Investigation and I would like your help.

A new person was flying their trainer with a buddy cord and an experienced pilot. The trainer has low time having flown for the first time the previous weekend.

The first flight of the day did not go well. The new person was having a lot of trouble controling the airplane. The plane was landed and the linkages and control surfaces were checked. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

On the second flight of the day, the plane started to "snap" with very little up elevator input. The experienced pilot rolled the plane over onto it's back and did several succesfull loops. The plane was then rolled back over and the snapping problem returned. The plane was then put in a gentle aileron turn. The plane proceded to roll into the ground from a height of 300 feet. At this point, neither transmitter was able to affect the airplane with any control input. The buddy cord was removed from the pilot's transmitter in plenty of time to save the airplane, but there was still no response.

The radio was a stock Hitec Laser 4.

Would a dying receiver battery pack produce similar results?

I've landed a person's trainer (with a Laser 4) with a low battery pack and did not get results like this. What happened to this plane is the control inputs got real sluggish and had a slow response.

Receiver Battery Failure on Laser 4
 

Sorry to hear about the problem. :( A dead receiver battery could have caused such a failure. It's impossible to say what the cause was. Send in the equipment and we will check it out.

Mike.

Receiver Battery Failure on Laser 4
 

Mike,

Thanks for the quick response.

The way the plane behaved was similar to a low/failed battery pack with the exception of the "snapping" of the airplane when up elevator was applied. I've never seen an airplane with a low battery pack behave with an "up elevator snap".

I'll pass the information on to the owner of the airplane. I'll also send him the information on how to send the radio in to Hitec.