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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!mhuxn!houxm!ihnp4!phoenix!brent
From: brent@phoenix.UUCP (Brent P. Callahan)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Control surface failure
Message-ID: <937@phoenix.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Dec-84 09:03:53 EST
Article-I.D.: phoenix.937
Posted: Thu Dec  6 09:03:53 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Dec-84 02:12:19 EST
References: <348@ihu1e.UUCP>, <207@terak.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems, Lincroft NJ
Lines: 26

Some years ago I witnessed an amazing escape from elevator &
stabilizer failure on a Cherokee six.  The aircraft had climbed
to 8000 feet with a load of skydivers.  The first to exit the
aircraft made a bad mistake: he pulled his ripcord as he left the
doorway.  His pilot chute deployed his parachute across the top
of the stabilizer as he fell away.
   Fortunately, the parachute deployed OK although the left stabilizer
was bent down vertically.  The aircraft entered a steep spiral
dive with the rest of the skydivers struggling against building
G's to escape.  The pilot was also wearing a parachute.  His
escape was blocked by a terrified lady observer who had no 
intention of using her emergency chute.
   The pilot abandoned his bailout plans.  Although the elevator & trim
were completely jammed,  he managed to exit the dive and brought
the aircraft in to land with careful use of power and C of G
adjustment by moving the lady up and down the cabin.  The
bent stabilizer marked a furrow along the grass runway.
No one was injured and the aircraft was airborne again a 
few weeks later.

-- 

			Brent Callaghan
			AT&T Information Systems, Lincroft, NJ
			{ihnp4|hogpc|pegasus}!phoenix!brent
			(201) 576-4439