Concentration-consecrated

[Henderson,Eric]

  I said farewell to my CONCENTRATE a.k.a. FOCUS yesterday. I dodged a bullet yesterday when the elevator-stick-spring snapped during the 1-1/2 horizontal snap. An after market spring that I had shortened and must have weakened. The week before my buddy Earl stopped me taking off without the Jesus screw in the wing. I had the engine running and he spotted the wing gap. But every plane has an expiration date on it and mine came due.

The P-03 schedule has 3 1-1/2 snaps in it. I was trying to master them when I, and the guy next to me, heard a "clunk!" coming from the plane. I rolled level, throttled back - but wait nothing! The plane was still at 3/4 throttle. It flew very straight for a while. Then started a slow turn over the DMV a mile down the road. then I could not see it anymore. THEN it came back into view performing a VERY slowly diving left turn. It almost made it into the open are behind the field. Them it went below the tree line.

The OS 1.60 was running strong and then was gone. I searched for an hour and came back and load up the van to drive around and further back. Just about then the police arrived with a few pieces and a report of an upset home owner. To cut a long story short they had called the police when it tore through five tree tops behind their house. There was debris in the tops of five trees.

The fuselage, or 3/4 of it, is still up there. Later in the day, Michelle and I visited the home owner and gave them a fruit basket for any concerns we may have caused them. They seemed OK, especially the wife, and they understood that this was a very rare occurrence. I'm going back there today to use a line and weight to try and dislodge it if the wind has not done so already.

The police were amused and very helpful in picking up the hundreds of pieces. I only hope the home owner does not get militant.

It was clear that the battery had come loose. There was no fail-safe action telling me that there no power was reaching the on board radio system. The pack was in the rear of the fuselage about 10 inches behind the wing. I had taped the connectors together but the moment of the continuous snapping must have eventually disconnected the pack. I must say this was the most helpless feeling I can remember.

Regards,

Eric.
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