Some damage to my horizontal stab
Some of you have asked about the damage to my stab this past week. Well this should give you a better idea as to what happened. I have had damage from rocks in the past on the stab but nothing like this. While doing some take offs and landings on the in field (between the pavement and taxi ways) at Nervino I took a piece of rock / concrete on the leading edge. I had made several landings and take offs that morning on the short 330′ section (I land there almost daily) and the 660′ section. On my last “attempted” take off I rolled into the very long (over 1500′) section to depart. As I was rolling and gaining speed I heard a very loud bang. Having a lot of field to go I immediately throttled back and slowed down to taxi speed and pulled off and onto the taxiway at the far end of the airport. I shut the aircraft down and stepped out only to notice that my horizontal wasn’t what it should look like…:( I think the photo will explain that one. As said above, I have had rock damage in the past but then there is rock damage. This was almost unreal. Anyhow, thought I would share. The reports have been filed and the photos will speak for themselves. Thankfully I had a couple witness flying in their own planes to see all of this go down. My new stab and the other needed parts are in route from Skywagon city. Hopefully I will be back in the air in the next two weeks or so. Trying hard to make Johnson Creek and the fly in. Fingers crossed…
Now I am thinking about getting some mud flaps…not that it would have helped me but…



Wow that is crazy. That must have been a huge rock or chunk of concrete. Good thing you could keep it on the ground. Good luck getting it fixed, I really like the older 180’s. I am hoping to earn my tailwheel endorsement by the end of this summer. I am enjoying going through your blog!
Good luck on your endorsement! It will change your outlook on flying. Thanks for your time here Daniel!