Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

I don't start many threads, but tonight, after surviving my own stupidity and thoughtlessness, I figured I'd share my tale in the hopes that someone will read it, heed the warning, and prevent some possible REAL horror stories.

For a variety of reasons, I had the cowl off on one of my gassers, and found a throttle servo that had some bad spots in it's travel. That was easy enough to remedy, as I had a replacement same brand, so everything would match up.

Installed the replacement throttle servo, checked the travels, set the throws, set the direction, and took it back outside.

In the midst of fueling, checking prop, needles, switches, etc..... I neglected to secure the tail strap/restraint.

Choked the engine, put throttle at idle, turned it through per my normal procedure. Set the prop just before TDC, per my normal habits, then "ignition ON", choke OFF. Flip the prop.

It fired.

At full throttle, the fuse shot forward into the gas jug, which splintered the prop, but the engine kept running. As it shot past, I was quick enough to grab it by the top of the turtledeck, then get a knee in front of the stab, while I reached back to the TX and hit the kill switch. Thank GOD I install kill switches!!!!!!!!!!

The prop cut completely through the plastic 1 gallon HD fuel jug as it shattered. Had the jug not been there, the fuse would have shot across the yard, aimed straight for my oldest sycamore trunk, and it would have seriously destroyed itself.

The lesson - when distracted because of troubleshooting, parts replacement, adjusting..... NEVER make ANY assumptions ( I perceived the servo was REVERSED, and had reversed it's direction in my TX, when it was NOT reversed), and after doing that I did NOT watch the carb butterfly as I moved the stick to make sure stick forward was more throttle.

This could have been far, far worse, had I been in FRONT, instead of off to the side, as is my normal stance. Truly fortunate, very lucky, and thanking God for blessing this Fool.

I saved the splintered prop, have made a reminder sign, and hung the prop on my workshop wall so I will be constantly reminded to not get complacent. I hope none of you EVER have anything similar happen. This could have been so bad......

tande

My Feedback: (48)

AMEN!---Should be an AMA rule for ALL gassers---
I'm happy for you that all is OK---

Rfabbre

My Feedback: (6)

Great post Bob. Good lession for all of us. Glad your OK, too.

New subject---the emails I send you keep bouncing. Anyone else reporting trouble?

Thanx Rich

bubbagates

My Feedback: (32)

Bob,

I'm sure glad it was nothing more than a broken prop, torn up gas can and maybe you cussing yourself out for a while and probably shaking like mad. I really hate coming to hospitals to visit people.

Had something simliar happen to me afew weekends ago. I was showing a guy the proper method for starting a ZDZ Super 80 using the 5-5-1 method. I had never met him before as I was a guest at the club and everyone said he was a good pilot and a decent builder. Anyway, the plane was tied down and when we got to the "1" part it fired right into full throttle. Thankfully it was tied down and the owner was standing in front of the stabs so nothing more than a bruised ego on the owners part. You guessed it, he had the throttle reversed and got distracted and forgot to check.

One thing I taught myself to do is make sure I have a way to get out of the way in a huge hurry and always expect the engine to start on any flip and assume it could go right to full throttle.

Thanks for sharing your story, hopefully it will help someone

EDIT: Just saw Rich's post so I'll send you a test message and you can let Rich know if mine gets through

Safebet

My Feedback: (12)

Aerobob: I'm so glad nothing but your feelings was hurt. Thank you for sharing that incident. It should be a reminder to all of us.

Don't get distracted and check everything twice.

God, truly did bless you.

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

Nope - getting typical stuff like always.... you trying the @cox.net ?

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

Thank you!
The $27 prop is a little hurt.... compared to what the price could have been. This was about as scared as I've been in a long, long time.

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

Jim - the *really* weird thing about this, is that I *did* check and verify the throttle servo direction when I changed it. I just didn't remember that I had moved the carb arm to full OFF when I setup the linkage, and I *never* looked down the carb throat to visually check the butterfly moving.

A whole series of stupid errors, culminating in a near-disaster.
How can we make our BRAINS "fool proof" ??????? []

Rfabbre

My Feedback: (6)

Bob,

Yes, @cox.net. Here is what I get:

"Hi. This is the qmail-send program at qsmtp1.mc.surewest.net. I'm afraid I wasn't able to deliver your message to the following addresses. This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out.

<*****[email protected]>:
Connected to 68.6.19.3 but greeting failed.
Remote host said: 554 fed1rmimpi03.cox.net IMP 66.60.130.145 blocked by ReturnPath..."

I added the ***.

tkg

My Feedback: (1)

Not my bad, but this happend near here recently.
1. Place plane in restraint
2. Over choke an engine and get it really flooded good
3. Realize what you have done, so you open the throttle wide open to help clear it.
4. Hold on to the plane with the other hand so you can get a real good flip on the engine. Maybe you push it back a bit
so you move forward a bit so you can still get a good flip.
5. It starts at WOT
6................

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

TKG - *please* tell us that your report is not of an actual incident.... but if so, what was the outcome?

tkg

My Feedback: (1)

Its real, 4 fingers gone.

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

I don't think we can and the older we get, the worse the situation becomes....[]

Guys at the field occasionally make fun of me as I've had several little goofups that could have had some bad consequences including the one where I forgot to change the model from the previous one and it started at WOT. Fortunately it was restrained as I was taught that early on and still use a tail restraint on all my models.

Being a full scale pilot, I'm used to using checklists. I keep threatening to write one up for my models, but have actually developed a mental checklist for right now. If I get interrupted while going through that by one of the guys talking to me, I stop and start over again. Some of them still think it's funny, but others have seen me catch stuff I would have missed had I not re-done the mental checklist. A habit I've formed if you will?

Glad your model escaped damage, but it's even better that you escaped undamaged. Thanks for sharing...[8D]

BaldEagel

The story's one hear's, My own is, I was the CFI on site at our gliding club one day (full size) and was in my car having lunch when a guy arrived to rig his Skylark 4, I watched with interest as he went all through his ground check's but noticed that the panel on the centre section of the wing had not been opened, he proceeded to the aerotow line, I got out of my car and asked him to pull off line, when we checked the aileron linkages had not been connected, two simple push pins not engaged, he had relied on one of his ground crew to do them up, but they had been distracted. The connection is by a bar and lever, so on the flight line when checking the controls with the cursory up down left right, the ailerons moved, I have always done the checks myself, and I am sure he does after that.

Never ever take the word of anyone else when its your safety at risk, check, double check and then for good measure check again. I am not going to embarass myself here with a list of the mistakes I have made, but they have been plenty.

Mike

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

I am actually thinking of "placarding" the transmitter with a short checklist.... when I worked nukes about a zillion years ago, EVERYTHING was placarded, some procedures had EXCHANGE Placards/checklists... this one has "scared me into it", I think.

Rfabbre

My Feedback: (6)

Bob,

I spent so many years using checklists while flying that now I miss them. They definitely give you an advantage when you really commit to them. Placarding the transmitter is is good idea.

rmh

On another forum--I mentioned that a DX2 system using Model Match, was a good safety setup -in that one can not accidentally link up to wrong model.
Got flack from ex spurts who said: "If you have to rely on safety devices like Model Match -you shouldn't be flying models ."
a typical quote from someone who simply has not YET had a accident.

Bob Pastorello

My Feedback: (198)

Yeah, I read that one, Dick. A real disappointing reply.... one of the main reasons I will upgrade to the "native" JR9303 X soon is *exactly* that feature of "Model Match". Even though I take pains to setup each airplane with the ailerons and elevators in the same channels and going the same directions.... "Stuff" can still happen, that's for darn sure.

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Now I hadn't thought about that, a checklist on the tx might be worth exploring...[8D]

But speaking of placards, I've also got A&P licenses and some habits are hard to break. Since all the full scale stuff has placards all over it, my models all have the battery switches marked on/off and the type/voltage of the batteries labeled using a P-Touch. I finally got all my "stuff" to start playing with Dick's favorite batteries so maybe that can go down the road in a bit, but in the meantime it sure helps when you've got two different voltages and three different chemistries between all my models (seemed like a good idea at the time....).

SitNFly

My Feedback: (54)

I always wonder if there will be a time when I say I'm too old for this hobby. Every time I forget to do something insignificant, a little voice in the back of my head says there may be a time when I forget something not-so-insignificant and lose a finger or other valuable appendage. So, as you observe the spinning scalpels on the front of our machines, the debate continues on whether you should be flying or maybe just watch. I have lots of lists for things, but what if you forget to bring the list? Unfortunately, being on the far side of the half century mark makes you wish you had those tequila damaged brain cells back!