On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 22:40:13 GMT, Maule Driver
wrote:


Different aircraft. I've never flown a Luscombe (and would love to) but
I think it is a much lighter aircraft than the Maule. Plus it is
simply different.

I've seen a Luscombe stand on its nose when the owner's spouse used
both brakes at once. After the A/C was repaired, I got checked out in
it and the owner/CFII taught me to apply the brakes alternately.

I put about 60 hours on that plane until I wrecked it. Gusty X-winds.
(The point of the flight had been to practice X-winds, which I was
pretty competent at handling.) Got 2 wheels on the ground and it
started to weathercock as the tail was coming down. (I was taught to
follw the tail down with the stick.)

I applied power for a go-around (plenty of runway), but with the gear
unloaded, I got blown sideways into the dirt off the side of the
runway before I could establish a slip or crab to counter the X-wind.
Left wheel fairing (a pointy one from a 172, not a stock Luscombe
fairing) hit a hummock and the plane pivoted horizontally around that.
Bent the fuselage aft of the cabin structure.

The controller in the tower said he'd thought I had it made. Less
than a foot more of altitude and I would have. Or I could have
accepted the lesser damage that would have accompanied a groundloop.

What would the right decision have been?

Don