Just Saw a Groundloop in Person

HighFlyingA380

HighFlyingA380

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Jim F.
Just got to work, and as I was walking to the door, a Cub kitplane groundlooped and nosed over. Surprisingly more violent than the others I've seen on video, probably because he's got a pretty big radial in there, and weights on the tail to counter that weight. Also caused a fuel rupture, so the fire department came out to isolate it from ground water contamination.
 
I bet that was exciting!

Hope he was ok. I haven't witnessed anything in person, but definitely have seen plenty of videos.
 
I suspect it's an Rotec R2800, 110 HP. Big only compared to the Rotax 912 they come with by default.
 
flyingron said:
I suspect it's an Rotec R2800, 110 HP. Big only compared to the Rotax 912 they come with by default.
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Yeah, I'm definitely not up an that type of thing. From the FAA N-number registry, it says the engine manufacturer is Bombardier, and the engine model is "Rotax (All)"
 
Only thing we've witnessed was a prop strike on a Husky.

The pilot 'Dad' was letting his daughter in the front seat start the plane, and she had the throttle wide open and I guess the brakes were locked.
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
Yeah, I'm definitely not up an that type of thing. From the FAA N-number registry, it says the engine manufacturer is Bombardier, and the engine model is "Rotax (All)"
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Did you actually see the radial's cylinders? Kitfoxes with the Rotax usually have a round cowling with bumps, to look like a radial.

The Rotec radial is considerably heavier than the stock Rotex. Might have made the difference, with the noseover.

Ron Wanttaja
 
wanttaja said:
Did you actually see the radial's cylinders? Kitfoxes with the Rotax usually have a round cowling with bumps, to look like a radial.

The Rotec radial is considerably heavier than the stock Rotex. Might have made the difference, with the noseover.

Ron Wanttaja
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Yeah, I did see (and hear) it. No doubt a large radial. That's why he had weights attached to the tail. They came off in the wreck, just not sure if them coming off caused it, or if the wreck caused them to come off.
 
That's one of those things where once it reaches a certain point you're just along for the ride. Sort of like backing with a trailer and having it start going the wrong way.
 
Art VanDelay said:
That's one of those things where once it reaches a certain point you're just along for the ride. Sort of like backing with a trailer and having it start going the wrong way.
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You can solve that with brakes. Hard to stop a ground loop once you let it start.
 
I got myself into one once in a Cub. No damage, but much embarrassment. I also had to pay to fix the grass.

-Rich
 
Great, and I'm starting tail wheel training on Wednesday......
 
I had a nice gentle one during a solo training flight in a 120. A little bit of crosswind and too complacent on the rudder and suddenly I was fish-tailing down the runway. I ended up pretty slow by the time the tail wheel popped into freewheeling mode and the tail just came around.

Then I hear on the radio: "19V, taxi to fuel. Monitor Ground point 9. Thanks for the show!"

My response: "Taxi to fuel, ground point 9. 19V. That show was free, the next one'll cost you."

Tower: Laughter

That one event taught me more about landing a taildragger than any amount of ground schooling - The landing's not over till the wheels stop turning!
 
I saw one yesterday! Aeronica or something CA e in on the grass strip at Hardington, NE. Just spun around no damage. A real old guy got out and need a cane to walk. Some guys just don't know when to quit. :no:
 
N2124v said:
Great, and I'm starting tail wheel training on Wednesday......
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Don't let these guys scare you. Groundloops are actually rather rare. There would be very, very few old taildraggers still around if they were that common, considering the extensive damage that can happen.

The key is to avoid complacency once you're checked out. Complacency bites far too many people. We get to thinking we're pretty hot, pretty special, pretty good, and then a groundloop (or spectacularly bad landing) reminds us that we're just full of ourselves.

Dan
 
Geico266 said:
I saw one yesterday! Aeronica or something CA e in on the grass strip at Hardington, NE. Just spun around no damage. A real old guy got out and need a cane to walk. Some guys just don't know when to quit. :no:
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Maybe a few should quit, but one of the best taildragger pilots I knew was well past 80 and couldn't hear even with both hearing aids turned up full and feeding back. But he sure could handle his Cub. It takes some of us that long to learn how to do it right.

Dan
 
Geico266 said:
I saw one yesterday! Aeronica or something CA e in on the grass strip at Hardington, NE. Just spun around no damage. A real old guy got out and need a cane to walk. Some guys just don't know when to quit. :no:
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Maybe that was just his landing style.

-Rich
 
Dan Thomas said:
Maybe a few should quit, but one of the best taildragger pilots I knew was well past 80 and couldn't hear even with both hearing aids turned up full and feeding back. But he sure could handle his Cub. It takes some of us that long to learn how to do it right.

Dan
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Have to agree with you. I know a 94yo guy in a small MO airstrip that gave me a ride in his 1938 J-4 that he restored. On the ground, his hands are shaky, he needs a cane, and can't hear you unless you yell, but in the air he's as precise as it gets.
 
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