Spin Gone Bad

[Colonel Sanders]

Eric just forwarded this to me:



I know that many people here maintain that spins aren't aerobatic,
but ...

PS I don't see it as being a flat spin. Can't tell for sure - I don't know
precisely what angle the camera is mounted at - but it looks more like
an accelerated spin to me. It would be interesting to know what his
C of G was. An aft C of G can make a spin interesting, like this one.

Also, it would be interesting to know his polar moment of inertia. Two
aircraft with the same C of G can spin very differently, with different
polar moment of inertica.

Also, it would be interesting to know the flight control positions. Too
many people stuff the stick forward to try to recover from the spin,
and depending upon the type, can wildly accelerate an upright spin if
it is done too early (ie before the yaw is stopped with opposite rudder).

Think of a figure skater spinning in place, and pulling her arms in -
it's called radius of gyration.

Anyways, the video's worth a watch. Note to homebuilders - install
a battery and an electric starter, even if you don't have an alternator.

[FenderManDan]

I heard of this, believe British gentleman PPL pilot there is an intrview with him on YT about the experience. Glad that he is ok and still flying. Search for the "flat spin" on YT

[Beefitarian]

Am I seeing things or did he not flare at all. Looked like he hit pretty hard. Also was that a tree pretty much in front of him before touch down? Good to hear he made it through.

[cgzro]

Ouch - I had an engine stop in a spin a number of years ago. Fortunately I was right over the downwind of an airport and it was not too tricky to glide back. Turned out to be a mixture problem. I had recenently overhauled the fuel injection system and the idle mixture was too rich and the idle RPM was too slow. While a slow idle RPM may be ok most of the time, for spins, especially to the right you can end up with a stopped motor. Tail slides are bad too, this is why we recommend for aerobatic planes to add a couple hundred RPM to the idle.

Oh, in my case the idle mixture leaning wheel was full lean which is why it was not leaned further, however turned out the arm geometry could be adjusted for further leaning which solved the problem.

Of course jamming the throttle full forward out a spin did not help and in retrospect if the engine dies when you jam the throttle forward retarding it and advancing slowly would be wise. However at 1000AGL with a runway right there I just landed. Of course the engine fired up right as I went over the numbers and instinctively retarded the throttle

[appilot]

Am I seeing things or did he not flare at all. Looked like he hit pretty hard.

In the interview I saw with him he said he hit a barbed wire fence that he hadn't seen from altitude.