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Asheboro, NC
This particular home built aircraft was equipped with an 'aileron reflexer.' This modification allowed the pilot to change the faired setting of the ailerons, above or below the normal neutral position. Reportedly, this adjustment would affect the lift of the main wing and would load or unload the canard. The net effect of this was for the pilot to be able to fine tune the aircraft's flight and landing attitude for various weight and center of gravity conditions. While the pilot/owner was waiting for his instructor (CFI), he made several high speed taxi runs on the runway. During these runs, he had positioned the reflexer full up. After completing the taxi runs, he returned to the ramp to meet the CFI, but left the reflexer in the up position. Both crew members reported that the aircraft lifted off prematurely and the pilot overcontrolled during the climb. A witness stated that the aircraft climbed to 75 or 80 feet, then veered right and went into trees. With the reflexer full up, the trailing edge of the ailerons were approximately 6 degrees above normal, providing minimum lift to the wing.
THIS PARTICULAR HOME BUILT ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN 'AILERON REFLEXER.' THIS MODIFICATION ALLOWED THE PLT TO CHANGE THE FAIRED SETTING OF THE AILERONS, ABOVE OR BELOW THE NORMAL NEUTRAL POSITION. REPORTEDLY, THIS ADJUSTMENT WOULD AFFECT THE LIFT OF THE MAIN WING & WOULD LOAD OR UNLOAD THE CANARD. THE NET EFFECT OF THIS WAS FOR THE PLT TO BE ABLE TO FINE TUNE THE ACFT'S FLT & LANDING ATTITUDE FOR VARIOUS WEIGHT & CG CONDITIONS. WHILE THE PLT/OWNER WAS WAITING FOR HIS INSTRUCTOR (CFI), HE MADE SEVERAL HI SPEED TAXI RUNS ON THE RWY. DURING THESE RUNS, HE HAD POSITIONED THE REFLEXER FULL UP. AFTER COMPLETING THE TAXI RUNS, HE RETURNED TO THE RAMP TO MEET THE CFI, BUT LEFT THE REFLEXER IN THE UP POSITION. BOTH CREW MEMBERS REPORTED THAT THE ACFT LIFTED OFF PREMATURELY & THE PLT OVERCONTROLLED DURING THE CLIMB. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE ACFT CLIMBED TO 75 OR 80 FT, THEN VEERED RIGHT & WENT INTO TREES. WITH THE REFLEXER FULL UP, THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE AILERONS WERE APRX 6 DEG ABOVE NORMAL, PROVIDING MINIMUM LIFT TO THE WING.