Lost Plane

Where Are We Today

“The Ridge”

Priceville, Ontario

Last Sunday, July 30^th while flying at our club field, I lost my J3 Cub model airplane. I have had this plane for about 20 years, it has a 6ft. wing span and was powered by a Saito Golden Knight FA 82 four stroke engine.

Take off of the fatal flight

Not sure what or why, but lost control and it went straight down. My very first thought is that it was in the bean field across the road, but I was not 100 percent sure as I was quite away from our flying site. Others thought that it had gone down in the corn field on our side of the road.

Three of us set off down the road and entered the corn field where they thought approximately it should be. We also scanned across the top of the corn, hoping that it might be sticking up but no such luck. The corn currently is 8 ft. tall or higher, we decided to come back the next day with my drone and fly over the corn field in hopes of spotting it. We also had a quick look across the bean field, just in case.

Returning Monday, we had no luck with the drone, which meant it had gone down through the stocks. We also started walking the rows of corn in hopes of finding it that way. After a couple of hours, we had to stop and head back home as company was arriving.

On Friday, Ken and I headed back to the field with the drone to search in a different area, still no luck.

Search Area

On Saturday, August 6^th.  I returned to the field and along with 4 other club members we started a search by walking, 5 rows part, down the rows of corn from the end closest to the flying field to where we thought the farthest it could be. Some discouraged and one with allergies after some time gave up and headed back to the field. I was determined to find it, if only for the fact that I didn’t want it going through a piece of farm machinery and causing damage.

Thought walking 5 rows apart was to much, so I went back to the start and every two rows from the north end of the field, south to where we thought it should be. After covering 20 rows, I had to leave, only to return Sunday August 6^th  to continue the search.

Returning Sunday, I picked up where I left off, walking the rows. I missed my cut off point and ended up walking all the way to the south end of the field. I continued to do this until I was even with the flight line of the flying field, this was as far in that it could be. Just to be thorough, I went back to the first 20 rows that I did the day before and finished walking the rows all the way to the south end. Nothing!!

Cub crash site

I am really discouraged by now but thought I would walk across the road and walk the edge of the bean field just in case.  About half way back, there in the long grass between the ditch and the bean field was my plane. It had come straight down breaking apart with the motor half buried in the ground.

Had to pry motor out of the ground

I picked up the pieces and carried it back to the field, where I took all the servos, receiver, and battery out of it and disassembled the rest. Bringing it home where I will dispose of the wreckage, clean the motor and safe the useable parts for another plane.

Wreckage

Sad that it is beyond repair but very happy that it is found and will not go through any farm machinery.

Thanks for stopping by, comments are always welcome and read. Until the next time, take care.