Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

[Yellow Duck]

Knew one day it may happen, but was hopeing to go through my full flying career without one.

Had an incident this morning. Instructing for over 46 yrs and this is my first. Studen pilot, me rt seat,T-Craft, strong X winds, gust caught us as we were landing 90 deg X raised the rt wing and ever so slowly turned into the wind off the ground about a foot or so in a ditch next to the runway. Wiped out rt gear, caught the porp and stopped. At idle, but never the less a prop strike. Figured one day, well today was my day. Feel sorry for my student. He blames himself, even tho I told him it was my fault, which it was. Shit happens.

PS: pictures to follow soon

[Yellow Duck]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

Forgot to say, need Right gear leg assembly, plus. Also will need to tear down the engine. So maybe an 85 or 0-200 ? Anyone have any thing i might be able to use. Will ck,Univair and ? The factory ? That should be interesting. Also see what the insurance will say (Avemco) FAA shouldn't be much more than a written report, hope.

[mhorowit]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

Lee - sorry to hear this. Hope you're up quickly - Mike

[Robert Lees]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

Sorry too, Lee...At least you are pragmatic about it...I'm still "one day it will" waiting.

At least no-one was hurt.

No gear legs, sorry.

Rob

[crispy critter]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

Lee,
I might have a right leg laying around but I will need to look(since Mike left here with both my left ones.lol). Really glad to hear no one was hurt....I hope your student will keep trying and not quit after this.

[Len Petterson]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

They say it is two kinds of taildragger pilots:
The one what is going to groundloop and the once what dune it.
You are ok whats the main thing.
Len

[dedrekon]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

Sorry about your bird, Lee.......it's happened to a lot of very good pilots. Jimmy Doolittle did it several times. I'm glad no one was hurt and no major damage was done. I don't have a spare right landing gear, but I'll keep my eyes open for one.
In the meantime, Have a great Easter!

Vincent

[Taylor Maid]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

Sorry to hear about your incident. Loop happens....

[VictorBravo]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

Sorry Lee. We still love you

[Armstrong]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

Yellow Duck ,can the gear be repaired?
I had a guy ground loop my Champ while showing me how to wheel land. It was on grass ,so we just went around and no damage. It did gallop like a horse while it was going sideways though.
I also had a freind( who I was teaching to take off )stomp full right rudder at about 35mph and full throttle. I never knew a plane could do a sharp 90 degree turn at full throttle and at that speed. We ended up about 20 feet into a mature corn feild, no damage to the plane anyway( my freind owned the corn feild), but it took awhile to get all corn husks out of the grill.
Rob

[Yellow Duck]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

No the gear can not be repaired.Folded it completly under the belly. The attachment point will need repaing however.Would you believe the wheel pants were not damaged ? Go figure !

Funny how accidents happen. It was windy, but we had made two X wind landing already. I have replayed this landing a hundred times since. We were doing wheel landings, came in good, right wing down, left rudder to keep us straight down the center line. Hit on the right tire, pushed foward on the yoke, made one small bounce, then the wind picked the right wing up and started turning to the right, ever so slowly. Full right aeliron and left rudder, and more foward stick, but nothing would reverse the turn. From that point on we were only in it for the ride.

I have had a couple of ground loops with students over the years. Once in a Steerman, and once in a PA-11. But no damage, just the normal "round you go". First time it has becane an incident.

If that damn ditch (a cross drainage ditch off the side of the runway) had not been there. Only one in 5000 ft of the runway. How about that for frgging luck ? Guess I was lucky tho, had three large 4 or 5 ft culverts that we missed ( that would have surely ruined our day, big time) And no one hurt.

The engine was at idle and when we hit the ditch, everything came to a very quick hault, including the engine. Prop not even slightly bent. Only a little dirt on one blade.

Gonna call Avemco, and FAA today. Never had to write up a repot or file a claim.

Still looking for an engine and right gear leg assembly.

[crispy critter]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

Lee,
I have a right gear leg up here but it has some light pitting on it and I'm not so sure you would want to use it without replacing the axle. I also know a guy that has an 0200 pretty cheap. Call me later on my cell.(606)-434-4065

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

OOOPS , Stuff happens . I have a real nice one, got to check right or left back into gear on Tues. back from SNF, taxes done.. Easter over, rolling done. Grass to mow , what a great life. Real sorry to hear about bending the ship , no injury good deal there! bye Forrest

[FlyingGourmet]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

Sorry Lee! Here's the link to the poem posted by M JONES back on 10-18-2005 entitled "The Taildragger"

http://vb.taylorcraft.org/showthread.php?t=1972&highlight=The+Taildragger

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Cross winds and Ground Loops; Need Rt. Gear leg.

Make sure to file a NASA report ASAP. I think you have 72 hours. It can be a "get out of jail free" card if the FAA finds you at fault and attempts repremands. I may have a RH leg too. I will have to look though.

Mike