Can you recover from a tail stall?

[SixPapaCharlie]

First, is the only way to tail stall to accumulate ice?

And then let's say it happens at a high altitude. Can / How do you recover or is it game over?

Assume it happens with no flaps deployed as I understand reducing flaps is one way out.

 

[CTLSi]

Tail Stall
The tailplane (empennage) stall. Sharp-edged surfaces are more susceptible to collecting ice than large blunt surfaces. For this reason, the tailplane may accumulate ice before the wings, and may accumulate ice faster.
Because you cannot readily see the tail, you may be unaware of the situation until the stall occurs. Few pilots have any experience recovering from tail stalls.

Tailplane Stall Symptoms
Tail stalls usually occur during an approach when flaps are at full extension and/or the aircraft is being flown near the upper speed limit for flap extension. There may be few or no symptoms prior to flap extension. Symptoms include:

• Abnormal elevator authority, vibrations, and or/effectiveness.
• Sudden uncommanded nose down pitch
• Autopilot performing excessive pitch trimming.

Recovery from Tail Stall
To recover from a tail stall, you must take actions that are almost completely opposite from those required to recover from a wing stall. If flaps are extended and you experience lightening of the controls, difficulty trimming, or buffet in the control column, immediately retract the flaps and maintain or reduce thrust -- in other words, undo what you just did.

• Pull yoke back (opposite to action for a wing stall recovery). This reduces angle of attack of the tailplane and moves it away from the critical angle.
• Retract flaps.
• Maintain or reduce thrust.

 

[poadeleted20]

First, is the only way to tail stall to accumulate ice?

No, but you'd probably have to be out of cg to do it otherwise. And CTLSi's post was a cut-and-paste from http://www.aeroinstructor.com/2009/06/tail-stall-detection-and-recovery/ -- credit where credit is due.

 

[dans2992]

Is there any difference with a Piper-style stabilator instead of a standard tail?

 

[JHW]

Is there any difference with a Piper-style stabilator instead of a standard tail?

Yes, they suck. A pa32 in particular will experience stab buffet with very little ice.

 

[Sac Arrow]

A tail stall isn't a BFD as long as you're loaded within limits. If you stall the wing, you end up in a nose down attitude. If you stall the tail, you end up in a nose down attitude.

Now, in contrast, if you manage to stall the main wing of a canard, you could be in some deep doo doo.

 

[MAKG1]

Yes, but you recover from a tail stall by pushing the nose down further.

 

[gismo]

Yes, but you recover from a tail stall by pushing the nose down further.

????????

 

[nimdabew]

A good video on tail stalls. I saw this first in aerodynamics

http://youtu.be/_ifKduc1hE8

 

[MAKG1]

????????

Agreed. I don't know what I was thinking. Bass-ackwards.

 

[nimdabew]

Yes, but you recover from a tail stall by pushing the nose down further.

Full back on tail stalls. It is the opposite of a wing stall which is why it can be dangerous if you don't know how to recover from it or recgonizw that it is a tail stall.