Its a short video and it shows what happened at the end. I throttled up and the motor made a funny noise and stopped. Before the plane hit the ground you can hear the motor making beeping noises. Due to insufficient airspeed I do not know If I had any aileron or elevator control. When I picked up the plane everything was working normal and I threw it back up and it was fine for the rest of the flight. What would cause this?

Radical RC Mini Stick 4 (0 min 55 sec)

sounds like the controller loosing sync with the motor its a timing thing adjust your timing a bit see if that helps

looks like the battery was low, or is a bad battery maybe.

Well, it fell out of the sky because it stalled, you probably did lose control of the ailerons, but it was going in no matter what without power because there was no room to recover from the stall.

Not sure about the motor, but turbored may be onto something.

Well I am well aware of why the plane hit the ground. Some times when you play close to the ground you pay. I got lucky and nothing happened to the plane. I dont think even the best pilot could have recovered from a power loss during a 60 degree climb 3 feet off the ground.

I dont think it was a low battery because I picked up the plane and flew it for another 5 minutes. Maybe a bad or intermittent battery connection.

Probably more along the lines of what turbored21 said based on the strange noise the motor made at throttling up.

Tony

One of the perks of flying electric is the ability to practice real deadstick recovery and flight- but there's limited time for recovery when low, of course.

I like to get a bit of altitude, perform my usual maneuvers, then at the worst point cut the throttle and see what can be done to recover.


Dave

Why would you put the plane back in the air after an unexplained power failure? Sort of makes the rest of your post a moot point. If it happens once it will happen agin until diagnosed and corrected.

Originally Posted by robbthepilot

Why would you put the plane back in the air after an unexplained power failure? Sort of makes the rest of your post a moot point. If it happens once it will happen agin until diagnosed and corrected.

Because when I put it back up in the air the second time I maintained sufficient altitude and avoided any potential stall attitude in case it happened again. Whether it fuel or electric, motors can and do cut out, sometimes without reason. Usually just a matter of simply landing the plane if it does happen.

Tony

Originally Posted by robbthepilot

Why would you put the plane back in the air after an unexplained power failure? Sort of makes the rest of your post a moot point. If it happens once it will happen agin until diagnosed and corrected.

On second thought. You are 100% correct. I should have grounded the plane. Thirty years of flying and I never learned a thing. How long you been flying for? Any Vids?

Whether it fuel or electric, motors can and do cut out, sometimes without reason.

In the several years I've been flying electric planes with thousands of flights I have never once had a motor cut out for no reason. Except for once, and the next time I flew it the ESC burned to a crisp! If your motor is cutting out in flight you really should ground the plane till you knows what's wrong.

I myself would probably put a light, durable foam plane that did not have a lot invested in it back in the air after a quick checkout... how much diagnostic work can you really do?

My champ or UM T28? They'd be right back up.

A more expensive or fragile plane, probably not.

Dave

Originally Posted by liam2317

In the several years I've been flying electric planes with thousands of flights I have never once had a motor cut out for no reason. Except for once, and the next time I flew it the ESC burned to a crisp! If your motor is cutting out in flight you really should ground the plane till you knows what's wrong.

I think some people think I made this post because I crashed my plane. I dont lose any sleep over wrecked planes. In the last 3 years I have not wrecked a single plane. Yes I have had minor mishaps. I thought this would be a good topic for discusion. Instead I'm being criticized. I guess I'm the only one who has ever had their motor cut out.

Let face it. A lot of this stuff, Lipos, ESC's, and what not is all junk. Lipos, even good ones, age and weaken without warning. I cant afford the best. If you have never had a motor cut out, or go into LVC unexpectedly, prematurely or abruptly then you are better than me or can afford better stuff than me.

CNY mentioned the the ultra micros. I have flown just about every ultra micro and they are notoriously unreliable and variable as far as motors cutting out in flight or their LVC characteristics even right out of the box. I must be just unlucky.

Back when I started in this hobby planes were all fuel and weighed 5 to 10+ pounds. Engines were always stalling - not just mine. Landing a 10 LB "deadstick" was a handfull. Landing a 5 ounce dead stick is a piece of cake - childs play to me. As the title suggests it just happened at the worst possible moment

This is a hobby guys. Have fun.

Tony

I'll relate a recent experience for what its worth.

About three weeks ago I bought the UM pole cat. My first flight with it was in moderate wind. About 3 minutes into the flight I seemed to lose a lot of altitude. I thought it was because of the wind and my unfamiliarity with the plane. I gave it a little more throttle and she seemed to climb a little but eventually I got into a stall situation but was high enough to handle it and landed it on the far side of the field. When I got to the plane I held it in my hand and hit the throttle. Seemed strong so I threw it. Lipos bounce back a little. The plane climbed a little but then just floated down. I know! I should have grounded it and taken it home and analyzed it. I have tried that battery in other UM's with the same result. Defective right out of the box.

Also for what its worth. The UM pole cat is a fantastic plane. Easy to fly and relaxing but yet wild and fun. Mine needs more aileron throw but I'll wait till I christen it before I slice it open to increase it.

Tony