So if the fuel was exhausted and the engine quit, there would be a
pitch forward, until the pilot re-trims?
snip

I personally don't know, I will ask my friend in Canada who is flying his
and find out the -engine out from cruise- trim adjustment. I would presume
that there is still some upward pitch if the engine is cut.

If there were 2 people on board, what is the likelyhood that the plane
was aft CG? It sounds like with 2 on board you're at or close to the
forward CG limit. snip

No, the aircraft empty, with one 160 lb pilot, is at the aft limit. Most
put lead in the nose to balance the plane to this condition. As people and
baggage are added it moves forward till at gross it is nears the fwd limit.
My speculation was that if the anchor, one of the batteries, or any other
ballast at the front of the aircraft was removed, AND they loaded up the aft
baggage compartment (which is slightly aft CG), or, being a homebuilt
something else over the years was done to shift the CG aft without the
proper W&B being re-worked, the aircraft could be loaded such that it was
close to the aft CG limit.


No matter what else and investigation shows, it indicates the extreme
caution with which a buyer of a homebuilt must approach his first
flights. There are surprises in every airplane. If they're bad,
they're really bad.

Roger that. The plane was being sold for the widow of the builder (natural
causes). It is unfortunate that the builder was not available to
familiarize the two gentlemen with that particular A/C.