Joe, So sorry to hear about your bad morning. At least you were not airborne - I once found my canopy (in a previous Dragonfly) undone on downwind during a test flight after getting a "little bit of air" too. Fortunately, it had a safety catch; however, I had to hold it secure with one hand while landing with the other, juggling throttle and stick. It was a side opening canopy. Scared the bee-gibes out of me!
Of course, while the budget (and mental) impact is definitely a drag, it is SO GOOD that you didn't flip and get hurt! I'll light a candle for you. Ben Benjamin F. Copeland IV just2...@together.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joseph H Horton" <joe.kr2s.buil...@juno.com> To: <corvaircr...@mylist.net>; <kr...@mylist.net> Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2007 9:14 AM Subject: KR> really bad morning > Well it was bound to happen I guess, We were suppose to have rain > all day and I woke up to clear blue and light north wind. So off to the > airport for a morning flight that I love so much. They have been working > on the site development for the past 2 months and in doing so had to put > 4 storm lines across the runway which was done at night and patched with > blacktop. The patches had not been to bad but this past week I noticed > that they were getting a little rougher. I taxied to the departure end > and had to wait awhile for warm up when I was waiting I had opened the > canopy a little bit for some air to move through the cockpit. When then > engine hit temps I called departure and headed down the runway. Soon > after hitting full throttle I remembered the canopy latches and reached > over the lock and quickly changed my mind and decided to abort take off. > I reduced throttle and started applying brakes ( probably@ about 50 mph). > All this at just about the same instance that I hit the first pipe > crossing. There was a loud bang and bounce up on the nose and then the > sudden nose drop to the pavement with the prop disintegrating instantly. > Throttle was already at idle and brakes already applied. There was the > loud grinding as the plane slid to a stop ( about 75 yards), I was > certain that it was the bottom of the new cowl sanding itself down. I > shut off fuel and master and then ignition switch al befor I had stopped. > I am not positive if the engine quit at prop struck or was still > running. I think running because I seem to remember some shaking. > There was not a soul around so I got out and pulled her off the > runway. I ended up only a few feet from the turn off. As it turned out > the nose wheel busted completely off shearing the pivot bolt off clean at > the weld. The nose strut failed and folded at the vertical bend directly > above the nose wheel but thankfully it kept the cowl, spinner and exhaust > pipes off the ground. The visible damage is limited to the strut and > hardware and the nose wheel fairings. > I don't know how long I will be out of commission. This just was > not in the budget for the summer. > Have to go back to the airport now , I just got a call from the site > contractor, actually a good friend so i guess someone saw what happened. > This probably means a report to write to the authorities. > > Joe Horton > Coopersburg, Pa. > joe.kr2s.buil...@juno.com > > _______________________________________ > Search the KRnet Archives at http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp > to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@mylist.net > Post photos, introductions, and For Sale items to > http://www.kr2forum.com/phpBB2/index.php > please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html
