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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!irwin
From: irwin@uiucdcs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Control surface failure
Message-ID: <7900028@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Dec-84 00:45:00 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.7900028
Posted: Thu Dec  6 00:45:00 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 30-Nov-84 07:26:46 EST
References: <348@ihu1e.UUCP>
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Nf-ID: #R:ihu1e:-34800:uiucdcs:7900028:000:1106
Nf-From: uiucdcs!irwin    Nov 28 23:45:00 1984

I grew up in northern Michigan, and I can remember the crash of a J3 Cub,
due to aileron failure. The cable snapped, and the ailerons fluttered so
badly that control with rudder to keep the wings level was impossible.
The J3 went into a grove of trees beside a lake where I was in a boat
fishing. I quickly rowed to the shore and climbed the bank up to level
ground. I could see the plane in the grove, and ran over to it. There
was no fire, the plane was on the ground, did not end up in a tree. I
helped the pilot and passenger who were badly shook up, to get out of
the plane.

There was some cuts and bleeding. I ran about a third of a mile to my
car, came back as close as I could and got them off to a hospital. In
my conversation with the pilot, he said the flutter was so bad that he
could not keep it level. They were doing takeoffs and landings in a field
across the road from the grove. The plane did a left bank into the grove,
which he could not correct with rudder. They had just taken off and were
at about 200 feet in a mild climb when the cable gave out.

I hope this is food for thought.