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e-E-Flite Blade MSR SR CP CX MCX 400-3D > Blade 400 3D Catastrophic, Mid Hover, Failure
 
 
Wolfpackin
Senior Heliman
Location: Avon, CO

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		I'm a little shaken right now as this just happened about 30 minutes ago.

I recently had a crash in which I broke both main blades, stripped two servos, bent the flybar and feathering shaft.
I made the repairs and flew two packs last night with no problems. Actually it was better than ever.

Tonight on my third pack of the night I was in mid hover, that's all I can do, when for no apparent reason something failed. It was a spectacular mid air explosion.
The main blades shattered and the landing gear separated from the main frame before it ever hit the ground.
The damage looks extensive: one bell mixer arm and main blade grip is broken and I think that is where the failure may have been. In addition to that the tail boom is bent at a 45 degree angle where I think the blades hit it. Landing struts broke off the main frame, tail boom support rods both broken, pretzel shaped flybar and bent feathering shaft, broken horizontal stabilizer fin, bent tail pushrod and 1 bent pushrod on the head. And both main and tail blades broken.
The cyclic servos seem OK, not sure about the tail servo because everything is bound up with the tail boom being so bent.

The thing that concerns me the most is that the fact that the rear tabs on the main frame that the landing struts screw onto are both broken off. I'm horrified at the thought of having to take the entire heli apart and rebuild with new main frame halves. That may be beyond my capabilities.
These are very small tabs.
Any chance CA or epoxy would hold on those?

I guess I'm looking for some moral support and thoughts on what could have happened.
02-05-2008 Over year old.
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Wolfpackin
Senior Heliman
Location: Avon, CO

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		OK, you can add a stripped main gear, cracked canopy, bent tail rotor shaft and possibly a bent main shaft.

After looking things over it is apparent that one of the main blades struck the tail boom and both main blade grips are broken where they attach to the bell mixer arms. I don't know what happened first.
That's some pretty amazing physics, a balsa wood blade denting and bending an aluminum shaft!

Is it possible for the blades to hit the tailboom without something on the head breaking first?

Also, now that I see the main gear is stripped and I know I didn't cut the throttle until after it hit the floor (it happened only 3-4 feet in the air),what are the chances that the motor and ESC survived that?

Looks like I'm not getting any sleep tonight.
02-05-2008 Over year old.
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davidg51537
Senior Heliman
Location: Omaha, NE

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		It is possible, but it is more likely you had a blade grip fail. It may have been cracked from the preivious crash and you just did not notice it.

Take you time, this is not so bad. Check evrything out including the bearings.

The motor ESC probalby are okay, but you should check them out as well. Maybe run them up and check temps on the motor. If it overheats, you have a problem in the speed control.

You might check with HH, they may help you a bit with parts but seeing as you already had a previous crash, that is unlikely.

David
02-05-2008 Over year old.
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macsgrafs
Senior Heliman
Location: Barnstaple, Devon, UK

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		You might find it's easier to buy a new heli, how about this for a Blade 400 copy www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=24341
Everything installed except the RX...cant go wrong for £135.

Regards
Ross

Seems to me that ALL heli's beat the air into submission
02-05-2008 Over year old.
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RPMATLANTA
Senior Heliman
Location: Cumming GA

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		LET THE FUN BEGIN!

Wolfpackin sorry to here about the incident! I have notified the NTSB they should arrive shortly! LOL!! Dont sweat it! From the sound of it you experienced one of the most horrifying episodes that you can encounter piloting an rc helicopter! What a helpless feeling you must of had as you watched your helicopter as it began to mysteriously try to eat itself as it fell from the heavens! If it makes you feel any better I too lost a rappy 90 last october while I was minding my own business casualy doing agressive pitch managment during tick tocks at about 75' when I had a boom strike! observers claimed it was the most incredible thing they have ever witnessed! Now here I sit as I start to reserect the 90 from a new raptor 90 3d kit that I picked up this past friday! Like you I am venturing into new territory because it will be my first attempt to build a heli from kit form. IT WILL FLY! Becaue if it doesn't Im selling everything and getting out! NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! I just want to encourage you to get the parts you need and take a deep breath and put that thing back together! YOU CAN DO IT! LOL! GOOD LUCK!
02-05-2008 Over year old.
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ARMSMASTER
Veteran
Location: spokane, wa

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		I was flying a Hawk Pro a few years back and threw a main blade mid flight. You want to talk about explode!!!! Thank god the motor finally stopped running about 10 feet off the ground. Oh, that must have been when the inside of the OS 37 exploded. The cool thing is that the heli looked like it got hit with a SAM missle. Parts went everywhere. Just wish it would have been caught on video.. Best most fantastic crash I have ever had. The entire heli was destroyed. Lost just about everything. Just bought another one and never used wood blades again... At the time I was just doing basic loops and rolls. Nothing hard... PLus the heli had not been crashed before so no stressed parts. Good luck on your rebuild. It does get better....

Caution or the Earth will Swallow you Up!
02-05-2008 Over year old.
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rudderman
Senior Heliman
Location: Hopkins s.c.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Wolfpackin sorry about your crash.But you can get it back in no time the blade 400 is very easy to work on.Just take your time.And you have a ton of online buddies here waiting to help ya get back in the air.

Don't talk to me you will make me crash
02-05-2008 Over year old.
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Wolfpackin
Senior Heliman
Location: Avon, CO

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Thanks guys, I needed that!

Funny, not really, but a friend was watching me fly at the time and the first thing he said was "Too bad we don't have that on video, that was amazing!"

The thing that is really bothering me are those tabs, on the main frame, that hold the landing struts.

Do you think I can glue them back on?
02-05-2008 Over year old.
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davidg51537
Senior Heliman
Location: Omaha, NE

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		They will never be as strong as new. You should probably just go ahead and replace the frames. If I remember right, they were only $12. You will be fine changing them out. Just take your time and go slow.

David
02-05-2008 Over year old.
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Wolfpackin
Senior Heliman
Location: Avon, CO

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		WOW, Horizon

Again, I want to thank you guys. You really lifted me emotionally.
I was down and almost out.
You have to understand that I'm going at this on my own.
I have no LHS, the nearest is about 100 miles away, and I don't know anyone nearby that flys these things.

Anyway, I listed out the parts I know are broken, there are about twelve totaling $65. That's not including some parts I already had and right now I'm not replacing the cracked canopy. This was about a $100 crash and that bummed me out a little.

So, for the heck of it I decided to call Horizon.
I was completely open and honest about what happened and the previous crash repairs. I even stated that I didn't think they would be able to do anything for me. After a fairly long and pleasant talk Horizon decided to send me half the parts on my list, and they were most of the more expensive parts. Needless to say I was shocked. So much so that I called back and spoke to a supervisor to tell him how happy I am with Horizon and the tech I spoke with.

Too bad they can't come over and help me rebuild this thing.

Expect a post regarding how to remove the main shaft and get all of those confusing head parts off of it in the very near future.

Thanks guys, I'm starting to feel a little better about this.
02-05-2008 Over year old.
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davidg51537
Senior Heliman
Location: Omaha, NE

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Wow, That is great. Makes me a believer in the purchase I have made.

What parts did they give you?

David
02-05-2008 Over year old.
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RPMATLANTA
Senior Heliman
Location: Cumming GA

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Hope this makes you feel even better

The raptor 90 crash I spoke of cost me $1000.00
02-05-2008 Over year old.
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Wolfpackin
Senior Heliman
Location: Avon, CO

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		David,

Horizon is sending: Main Blades and Grips, Tail Boom, Tail Boom Supports, Main Shaft and a support bracket (don't remember exactly what it was called).

RPM,

Quote 
The raptor 90 crash I spoke of cost me $1000.00
If that was me...I'd be divorced.
02-05-2008 Over year old.
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otto975d
Heliman
Location: Long Island NY

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Hey Wolf, sorry about crash. Just to let you know I am a newbie and now I am more afraid then I was 10 minutes OK but I am still going to buy one any way ,"still saving for the blade 400 a little over half way there" My friend flies airplanes and I have seen him crash a few times, he said he use to freak out but now no biggie just the money hurts a little

Don't Sweat the Little Stuff
02-06-2008 Over year old.
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Wolfpackin
Senior Heliman
Location: Avon, CO

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		As is often said in this hobby, "Crashing is part of learning".

My anxiety comes from the fear that I will never get the heli back as good as it was before the crash. But in reality that has never happened.

I'm new to CP heli's but I felt the same way in the beginning with the CX2. Boy that was silly. I can repair and fly that thing with my eyes closed now.

Don't forget to save some money for parts too.
02-06-2008 Over year old.
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e-E-Flite Blade MSR SR CP CX MCX 400-3D > Blade 400 3D Catastrophic, Mid Hover, Failure
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