Interference or Failure?
 

Lost a plane last week. I think the last signal it got from me was full throttle at take off. It just quickly rose, turned over and then carved a ditch into the ground.

My question is: Does this sound like interference, it is not the glitchy stuff, or does this sound like receiver failure (reciever had about 30 flights)?

In a related question, there where some workman in the area, and I had heard that sometimes badly tuned Walkie Talkies will blead into the 72 spectrum. Should I avoid flying if workmen are around?

Thanks in advance for your replies,
Larry

RE: Interference or Failure?
 

Hard to say.

There was a giant concrete pump working near a field I used to fly at. They have remote/radio control units so that the operator can get down off the truck and see where his nozzle is pointing.

Turns out they are on 72mhz or close enough to it, that the comcrete pump was causing problems. The truck was about 3/4 mile away. We lost several planes on different radios and different channels while that pump was working. Wasn't untill AFTER he left (a week or 2 later--big building) that we realized what had happened and someone looked into it to satisfy our curiosity.

DOH!! It was most likely the pump.

It's hard to say what happened to your plane. Could have been the battery. Could have been a loose crystal. You DO tape your crystals in don't you? Could have been interference.

It just took off and then rolled inverted? Augered in?

Did you have the ailerons reversed?

RE: Interference or Failure?
 

I am comming to the conclusion that it was interference from the workmen. I reconnected it all and range tested it, and it seems ok. I think I will invest in one of the devises that monitors frequencies. Is there only one brand, or do you guys have a recommendation?

Larry

RE: Interference or Failure?
 

couls have been interference or a snaproll from a stall.even a high speed stall from too much elecvater input will cause a wing to drop and snap just like at slow speed.

RE: Interference or Failure?
 

Sounds like the ailerons were reversed.

RE: Interference or Failure?
 

My experience and observation is that the radio is considerably more reliable than the operator. Now that is just my experience and you are not being accused of duffing it.

I have a Mustang that will always turn over on throttle up if the speed is too slow. I had two different Cubs’ that would unexpectedly turn over on take off. Believe it is called a snap roll and it happens in half a heartbeat. I have been known to take off with the wrong airplane set at the transmitter. I rebuilt a trainer three times one winter because the ailerons were backwards. Got one flight for each rebuild.

It is important to find the problem and avoid it the next flight. A test pilot is suggested. Another head and mind is often valuable when diagnosing problems.

Bill

RE: Interference or Failure?
 

Could 've been an interference on your fingers?

(now serioulsy...) Seems to be an interference from hte workmen...

RE: Interference or Failure?
 

Do not over look the radio on/off switch. Me and a friend of mine had a problem with his airplane once, that when you did your range check it would be ok. But once you had the engine running the on/off switch would be intermittent. He crashed that aircraft twice before we found the problem. He even sent his reciever and transmitter in to be checked, but not the on/off switch.