Piper Comanche - Sudden Loss of Control and Crash

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TonyW
Airman First Class
Posts: 70
Joined: 03 Jan 2016, 17:22

Piper Comanche - Sudden Loss of Control and Crash

Post by TonyW »

Hi,

I wonder can someone propose an explanation for a crash in the Piper Comanche? I was doing a short flight from Bristol to Exeter (UK) at 3,000 feet when the aircraft started banking wildly to the right. No amount of turning my Saitek Controller to the left or rudder pedal input could stop the aircraft eventually banking right over and crashing to the ground. With less than 3,000 feet AGL there was no time to even try to work out what was happening. I had been flying on autopilot but had switched AP off a couple of minutes earlier to manually fly the aircraft. At first I thought it was turbulence, but I've flown through turbulence before and always managed to more or less maintain heading and altitude.
When the flight was reset after the crash I checked the workshop and various damage was reported – although this is not realistic as the aircraft would have been totally destroyed – but none of the damage referred to an aileron problem, although when I turned the controller only the right aileron responded. This was very disappointing as I had logged over 30 hours and was doing a virtual tour of Southern England having started off from my “home airport” in Ireland about 6 months ago.

Regards,

Tony

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LZ-WIL
Master Sergeant
Posts: 1370
Joined: 23 Jun 2015, 13:59
Location: LBSF

Re: Piper Comanche - Sudden Loss of Control and Crash

Post by LZ-WIL »

Hi Tony,

The loss of control you describe, could be caused by many things: accu-simmed failure, severe weather by your weather engine or failure in your actual input controls. I do not have the Comanche, but it sounds to me like an accu-sim failure. I had similar experience in my C172, where the culprit was a failed left flap. The aircraft wanted to veer to the right. Did you have any indication in your hangar about an issue to look for?
You can check our friend from the forums Eirk (Medtner) story here about a similar experience.

Cheerz,
Will
Bonanza, Skylane, Skyhawk, Cherokee, Cub, Texan, Mustang, Warhawk, Spitfire, Flying Fortress

alan CXA651
Senior Master Sergeant
Posts: 2438
Joined: 15 Mar 2016, 08:23

Re: Piper Comanche - Sudden Loss of Control and Crash

Post by alan CXA651 »

Hi.
If an aileron failed in flight , you should still be able to control the aircraft with the other aileron and rudder inputs , did you have flaps out to any degree when this happened , because if one flap failed partially down and the other was up , that would certainly account for the uncontrolled roll , untill both flaps where at same setting , as this problem hit me on a touch an go in the p51 , with no time to rectify , it rolled straight in .
regards alan. 8)
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pilot37
Senior Airman
Posts: 101
Joined: 06 May 2010, 05:18

Re: Piper Comanche - Sudden Loss of Control and Crash

Post by pilot37 »

Hi

I had a similar problem last night.

It turned out that I had left my Fanatec ClubSport pedals plugged into a USB and they were joining in with my CH Pro!!

I just pulled the USB and all was well apart from a trashed prop and crankshaft :-/
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TonyW
Airman First Class
Posts: 70
Joined: 03 Jan 2016, 17:22

Re: Piper Comanche - Sudden Loss of Control and Crash

Post by TonyW »

Thanks for the replies. I looked at Eirk's post re the C172 and my experience seems similar except that he was much higher so much more time to check what the problem was, but at my 3,000 feet it all happened too fast! I was in cruise when it happened and flaps and landing gear had been raised much earlier, and no indication of any flap (or aileron) problems during the walk around.

One odd thing I find with FSX - and this happens with any aircraft - is that although I set the weather to be favourable (FSX default weather) and set for low winds, less than 8 kts and no turbulence I frequently get turbulence at random but usually I can maintain heading and altitude reasonable OK as the turbulence usually lasts less than a minute.

Tony

mmaclauchlan
Airman Basic
Posts: 4
Joined: 02 Apr 2015, 13:03

Re: Piper Comanche - Sudden Loss of Control and Crash

Post by mmaclauchlan »

Sigh.

I was doing my second flight in the Comanche last night - already my favorite FSX aircraft - and suffered the same. Uncontrolled right bank while accelerating to cruise speed at 6500ft. Came here to see what bug could possibly cause this.

I'm the bug. Looking back, I remember raising the gear. Not the flaps. 😖 I love accu-sim!

No, I'm mistaken. 3rd flight. 2nd flight was also buggy - randomly lost engine power. Me being the bug again. Carb icing.

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Lewis - A2A
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Re: Piper Comanche - Sudden Loss of Control and Crash

Post by Lewis - A2A »

Good to hear its still surprising people. It means the realism is working :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

thanks,
Lewis
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