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Crashed? Discussion and Photos > If I didnt have bad luck,
 
 
mlucia
Senior Heliman
Location: VT

I wouldn't have any luck at all.

This week sucked bad! First, I got the 90se flying great. This was a used heli and was on the 4th flight. I came in to check the fuel and noticed the vertical fin was vibrating like mad. Kicked it out of idle up to land it and the tail fin (in slow motion) starts rotating up and to the left. Then, yup, tube disengaged and piro'd slowly down. Hit throttle hold but was only 10 feet above the ground. The head of one of the long bolts that hold the tail case and fin on severed off causing the tail box to spin and therefore disengage. The kicker is that I replaced the tail section the week before since it was a used heli and felt some parts looked worn (bearings, tail case etc.. The only thing I did not replace was the 2 long bolts :-)

That was saturday morning. To top it off, last night I was flying the trex450 and the damn belt snapped. Yet again causing tail failure! WTF!!

I should change my screen name to "Losttailagain".

Anyone else feel that crap luck chases you down from time to time? (and always wins)
09-05-2007 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
Rafael23cc
Key Veteran
Location: Junction City, KS

Quote 
The head of one of the long bolts that hold the tail case and fin on severed off causing the tail box to spin and therefore disengage.

I have test flown a heli WITHOUT these 2 bolts, so I highly doubt your conclusion. Did you install the boom the correct direction? Did the worn parts include a worn tail case where the two circular tabs that engage the tail boom were worn off to the point of allowing rotation of the tail case? (don't ask me how i know this one)

Those are two possible scenarios that are much more probable that the sheared long bolt suggestion.

Rafael

Keep your feet on the ground, but your eyes on the sky.
09-05-2007 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
mlucia
Senior Heliman
Location: VT

Hi Rafael... let me tell you my best guess. I do understand what you say but should elaborate I guess.

What I think happened is that after that bolt head sheared off, vibration (from the now loose vertical tail fin) loosed the tail case enough that it actually started to eat away at the "Circular" tabs (that go into the tail boom). Those were actually shaved down as well. Therefore allowing the tail box to spin, loosen and disengage.

Now, I'm a pretty anal builder and maintain things well. Everything was tight and there was 0 vibration on the tail. Like I said, that is my best guess what happened. I will try to post pics tonight of the tail box tabs that were eaten away, the boom where you can see the marks from eating the carbon as it was turning. Strange, yet my only explanation.

To answer your question, yes, the whole tail assembly was new and installed correctly. The worn parts I replaced did show signs of the back bearing possibly being spun in the tail box. Otherwise, the circular tabs were fine.
09-05-2007 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
ZXXflyer
Key Veteran
Location: stone mountain, georgia, US

I spent the last two weeks getting a glitch tracked down in my new Quick 60 Pro.... This heli is SWEET, and I check everything twice on it! I have only hovered it 6-7 times in the driveway to get initial radio, gyro, and mixture settings before the glitch showed up..
And yesterday I HOT started it due to a dumb A$$ mistake! I had my 9C set to the wrong model, and when I fired it up it fired up on the first bump and proceeded straight to 100% power..

I had hold of the head till the tail swung around at lightning speed and struck my huge field box. I was trying to throw the starter away when the mains started to spin, and they caught the starter cord by some luck, so they only rotated 3/4 of a revolution. By then I have yanked the line off the carb and it dies. It only ran for 5-6 seconds but felt like a year and a half!

total damage:
$50 metal tail (darn my solid wood field box!)
$14 boom (half a$$ boom strike)
$2 servo horn for rudder servo
$60 glass blades (now have damaged roots from blade grips)
$4 clutch liner
$8 flybar
$6 tail shaft
$12 tail shaft bearings
$priceless dmage to ego
-two days for complete tear down, cleaning, and rebuild.
I hate to add it all up seeing as it never even spun the mains or tipped over! I hand a hand on it the whole time.

Will be posting pics next Monday...
Dang that O.S. .61 SX-H WC is powerful!!!!


Believer in Weston motors!
09-05-2007 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
mlucia
Senior Heliman
Location: VT

Bummer ZXX... sorry but I had to laugh out loud since I had a hot start a few weeks ago and in a similiar "Spastic" fashion
I ended up having to replace the clutch since it broke when I LANDED it on the next flight ... lucky
09-05-2007 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
ZXXflyer
Key Veteran
Location: stone mountain, georgia, US

luckily the clutch is fine or I'd be out another $50 on top of all that. It didn't even run long enough to make anything hot, but looks like I went through a massive dust storm.

Believer in Weston motors!
09-05-2007 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
Rafael23cc
Key Veteran
Location: Junction City, KS

Quote 
What I think happened is that after that bolt head sheared off, vibration (from the now loose vertical tail fin) loosed the tail case enough that it actually started to eat away at the "Circular" tabs (that go into the tail boom). Those were actually shaved down as well. Therefore allowing the tail box to spin, loosen and disengage.

I guess that could be a possibility, but I've never heard of it before.

Rafael

Keep your feet on the ground, but your eyes on the sky.
09-05-2007 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
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Crashed? Discussion and Photos > If I didnt have bad luck,
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