Bad Luck with Stardusters,Shit Happens

[crispy critter]

First was my partner in our Starduster II and exactly 2 months to the day was me in a friends Starduster I. Both airplanes had Lycoming 0290's,both were dead stick,both had the EXACT same damage when the dust settled....go figure . The good news in that the damage to both airplanes are very light and in both cases we walked away without a scratch
Take a look and laugh if you like. Even though we both feel really bad it's good to be here to laugh about it all and the way it happened to us both in the same type of birds,with the same damage,with the same engines,on the same day 2 months apart,and using the same damn pair of ear plugs is a little funny.....the ear plugs were put in the trash before we got back in our C-170 for the return trip home .

[48fordnut]

Re: Bad Luck with Stardusters,Shit Happens

Wow!!!imho.

[Len Petterson]

Re: Bad Luck with Stardusters,Shit Happens

We have fellow with a Starduster 2 in the club.
Could you tell me exactly what happend and why, I would not want to see this happend on a paved runway,like he flyes from.
Len Petterson

[M Towsley]

Re: Bad Luck with Stardusters,Shit Happens

Kevin,

Glad everything went alright. Do you think you might stop flying Stardusters for awhile? I think you're jinxing them. Glad you can laugh about it, though!

Cheers,

[jgerard]

Re: Bad Luck with Stardusters,Shit Happens

Glad you're both still with us. I thought you had enough work to keep ya busy with out having to make any more for your self

[Robert Lees]

Re: Bad Luck with Stardusters,Shit Happens

Seems to me two classic cases of "FLY THE AEROPLANE" came to a safe, albeit dusty conclusion. Well done.

We have a Starduster II at our field that had a similar mishap two years back. The looooooong throttle cable kinked, so preventing throttle advancement (a simple "P" clip securing the cable came undone). It took them a year to rebuild one wing and the gear.

[crispy critter]

Re: Bad Luck with Stardusters,Shit Happens

We have fellow with a Starduster 2 in the club.
Could you tell me exactly what happend and why, I would not want to see this happend on a paved runway,like he flyes from.
Len Petterson

Len,
The orange Starduster II belongs to Alan Oldfield and myself(both of us in the second photo,I'm on the right and Alan on the left). Alan blew a jug and siezed the engine.
The Starduster I had a carberator problem,the engine started loading up heavily, and fill the cockpit full of gas fumes then finally qiut. It had 2 11gallon tanks,one in the top wing and one over the pilots feet in the nose. The owner always flew the airplane on the wing tank and never used the main(nose tank). He sold this airplane and as a favor to him I somehow got talked into delivering it to New Jersey.10 miles east of Elkin West V. the engine loaded up and qiut. I managed to get it within 3.5 miles of the Elkins airport before I had to pick a field and that's where the trip ended....for now .

[crispy critter]

Re: Bad Luck with Stardusters,Shit Happens

Glad you're both still with us. I thought you had enough work to keep ya busy with out having to make any more for your self

Your very right Jason.....If your looking for a Job I might be hiring.LOL

[birdlegs]

Re: Bad Luck with Stardusters,Shit Happens

Kevin,great job blending with mother earth,looks like the side loading was exessive on the left gear leg but hell! The dirty side is down........ Your struts are ready to ship by the way and welcome back.
Brad

[Len Petterson]

Re: Bad Luck with Stardusters,Shit Happens

It looked like the 2 planes hade gear failurs and I was conserned over what.
Thanks for the expalanation It was good to hear it was not any structral failurs.
What happend to you is bad enough!
Len

[crispy critter]

Re: Bad Luck with Stardusters,Shit Happens

Len,
It really wasn't anything structural with either. On the orange Starduster II it was a combanation of tall weeds and 4 strands of high tinsel strength electric fence(if not for the fence it would not have damaged anything).With the Starduster I it was a very,very short,short field,dropping in between the trees,maybe a little too much speed,very sidling ground going up hill and trying to steer hard to the left to get up on the flat where I stopped.