Apprentice Crash !

[apprentice1]

Dang............21.1 hours on her and it happen, I new it would sooner or later. It was windy, my wife told me I shouldn't have flown. I just wanted to see if I could do it. The winds were a direct x-wind of 15 mph and my runway is 21 ft wide with nasty things on both sides. On takeoff I gave it full throttle and she's up, ok no prob. I flew for 30 min. BTW my longest flight yet with anything. Batt. volts where 11.23 volts after the flight, that to me is amazing. Ok it's time to land, I was counting on the winds to calm down after sunset but it's not happening.

Final approach is good but then I get down below the tree line and the turbulence gets bad I'm trying to make her to stick on the runway but I didn't get opposite rudder in soon enough and it headed for the mail box. I give it full power to try and go around but hit, it missed clearing the mail box by inches. So here's the damage so far:

Prop
Cowling
Motor (i think)

And then, when I was disconnecting the battery the deans connector made contact with the landing gear and the sparks went flying !! I'm going to wrap the gear with black tape to keep that from happening again.

The motor is hard to turn and the plastic housing on the front of the motor is cracked. Any recommendations on a replacement motor ? Here's a few pic's:

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd42/park_018/DSC03121.jpg
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd42/park_018/DSC03126.jpg
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd42/park_018/DSC03122.jpg

[kirch]

And then, when I was disconnecting the battery the deans connector made contact with the landing gear and the sparks went flying !!

I think this is why everything I am reading says to never have exposed contacts on the battery side. It is too easy to short the battery pack. Only put sockets on batteries. It is a lot harder to accidentally short them. Maybe it would be better to switch the deans connectors around?

You are very lucky the LiPos did not explode when they shorted. I think the Apprentice manual says to put the battery aside someplace safe and fireproof for 45 minutes or somesuch after such an incident to ensure they don't erupt into flame.

[WJCJR1]

Well first of all good accomplishment on your flight time and with 11.23Volts Post-Flight you most definitely had time left.

Now to your crash, bummer man, I say get the original motor replacement throw it in and get flying again ASAP. You could get a real E-Flite Power 15 for a bit more zoom, I believe it would require swapping out the ESC though due to higher current draw. I did not research that but was told this information somewhere along the line. Additionally if I were to get a larger ESC I'd likely go bigger than the Power 15, I like to have some punch behind the stick.

ALWAYS female end on your battery! If the battery shorts somehow during storage, transport whatever and you do not recognize it Keeerbblueee.

I find landing on windy days with a crosswind to be much easier if you carry a good deal of air speed thus you are cutting your path rather than fighting the wind as much.

Sorry to hear of the crash but you should be up in no time once parts arrive.

Wayne

[apprentice1]

Yes you guys are right, I think I'll swap those connectors around. I put those connectors on but can't remember why I did it that way? My other plane has it the safe way , the battery has the female connector.

Thanks Wayne, I'll go with the stock motor.

[apprentice1]

Now I remember why I put the male deans on the battery, the charger has a female connector.

[apprentice1]

She's all repaired and flying again !

[WJCJR1]

Good Job, what was your decision on the motor, Standard replacement or upgrade?

Glad to hear you are back in the air.

BTW somewhat related to how this post began, I had a crosswind today for 30 miles on the motorcycle. Wind was blowing sustained 32 gusting to 44mph with occasional higher bursts. Power poles came down, some trees blew down. Kept the motorcycle on 2 wheels but boy there were several times I felt like I was carving a serious corner just trying to go straight at 60mph.

Back to business, once more GOOD JOB and glad to see you are back flying.

Wayne

[apprentice1]

I went with the standard motor. I did a 30 min. flight yesterday, batt voltage was 11.18 !

I thought I would try NO washers between the motor mount and firewall because of the better fit with out them. I notice no problems at all.

Be carful on that motor cycle !

[ATIS]

One thing I would do is add the washers between the screws and the motor mount... this will help spread the force out over a larger area on the mount and should reduce the likely hood of any stressed induced cracking.

[WJCJR1]

Yes agree about using the washers between the bolts and motor as well. I do however believe what Ken is referring to is he did not put on the washers that go inbetween the mount's 4 outer corners and the firewall.

Wayne

[ATIS]

Wayne,

I agree with thats what he stated but after the post on cracked motor mounts I wanted to add that using them between the screws and the mount would spread the stress and hopefully prevent any cracking from stress. Dont for get to use loctite when mounting the motor to the mount... the vibrations can cause them to back out!!

[apprentice1]

One thing I would do is add the washers between the screws and the motor mount... this will help spread the force out over a larger area on the mount and should reduce the likely hood of any stressed induced cracking.


That's a good idea, and I should check and see if the motor screws are tight.