yrags
Heliman
Location: Boise, Idaho
| They say wisdom is knowledge gained through experience. I believe it! Anytime we do something stupid and learn from the experience we have gained something. If we get away with not hurting ourselves or someone else in the process we are also Very Lucky.
 I was test hovering my Concept 30SX for only the second time after the installation of my new RD8000 radio. Like I've done many times before when making these hover tests I do it on my driveway in the front yard. I was dialing in the REVO mix on my tail rotor and on the 3 hop had the heli suddenly yaw 90 degrees to the left. I corrected for it and then it went about 80 degrees to the right. I set the heli down and left the rotor head spun up. I checked the tail rotor control and all seemed ok. I assumed I was hit by a gust of wind.
I popped my heli into a hover again (Big Mistake!!!) and suddenly found myself with a tail rotor that had a mind of its own. Remember, I'm a beginner, so I fought valiantly to maintain control. The heli yawed, this way, then that, all the time drifting closer to my garage door. Suddenly it did about 4 piroette's to the left and the rotor blades hit flag stone supports between my garage doors. CRRRAAAAKK!!! I remember putting my right arm over my face and turning my back to the heli just before the rotor blades hit.
Pieces of my woodies flew everywhere, the heli fell about 3 feet landing upright on its skids with the engine still running but the rotor head jammed and not turning. I hit the kill button but nothing happened so I reached down and pinched the fuel line and killed the engine. I then noticed that my receiver and battery were laying on the ground completley unplugged!. No wonder the kill switch didn't work.
I found splinters of rotor blade over 30' away behind me on the front lawn. How I didn't get hit by flying splinters I don't know.
I haven't figured out what went wrong yet but I started thinking how stupid it is to hover in my front yard. What if it flew away and hit some else's house, or a neighbor, or me. The liabilities are staggering and I really lucked out that nothing bad happened other than a broken heli.
I'll NEVER hover in my yard again.
Fly safe everyone and use good judgement.
Gary  |
