Concentration-consecrated

[s.vannostrand at kodak.com]

I guess its been DILUTED.  Very sorry for your loss.
--Lance





"Henderson,Eric" <Eric.Henderson at gartner.com>
Sent by: discussion-request at nsrca.org
04/16/2003 07:47 AM
Please respond to discussion

 
        To:     <discussion at nsrca.org>
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        Subject:        Concentration-consecrated



  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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