Sean Tucker Mayday

[gforce]

Glad to see that Sean's ok,He is one of my favorite show's to see.Really gonna mis that Biplane.

Dave

[Aerotech]

Hello,

Glad to see that hes fine. Sean is the man for sure.

Best Regards

John

www.aerotech-rcmodels.com

[Kiwi]

You know I bet he near autographed his own underpants in that little event. Getting tangled up in the tail as well. How danged lucky can you be.

Glad the man is safe and for sure he's gonna be back on the horse real soon.

Kiwi

[3dav8r]

Hears the latest, Sean's neck is a little sore but he is OK. It happened during practice while pulling out of a maneuver, he was in level flight just starting a high G pull to vertical when something broke in the linkage going to the tail. He was able to get it to altitude using the trim. He stayed with the airplane for approx 15 min then got out. He has a back-up airplane. a highly modified Pitts S2-S that should be ready in about a week and a half. Sad to say, but the Challenger will fit in the back of my truck.
He still plans on the Sun and Fun but will only be putting on a demo in the Columbia. I will post more as it comes in.

[Texx]

Thank God Sean is alright! I have seen him fly countless times and have a huge amount of respect and admiration for his flying and who he is as a person. That must have been a terrible feeling when that control cable or bracket snapped! Too bad about the Challenger...but no loss in comparison to Sean getting back down alive and well!

[jack01]

That's awesome that he made it out OK! Planes are replaceable, pilots aren't. I'll bet he set the world record for the most prayers in 15 min..... I know I would have.

[why_fly_high]

That is one lucky dude! If that things breaks on a pull-out on a downline he is toast. As low as he flies he would not have time to use the trim to pull-out. Lucky man!

Dan

[Rocketeer]

This posted at the rccanada.com forum site


...yesterday morning at about 10:30 Sean D. Tucker was practicing a routine in Red River Parish, La., when the airplane had a problem, and he had to bail out. Expected to fly the Columbia 400 at the Sun 'n Fun this weekend, at least one early report said Tucker "flew out of the Red River Parish Airport to practice his routine for a weekend air show." The same report identified the crash aircraft as "the Challenger Aerobatic Bi-Plane." According to early reports, Tucker experienced a loss of elevator control not long after takeoff. He was able to establish a climb with trim and troubleshoot for about 10 or 15 minutes. Once the decision was made that a safe landing wasn't possible, he "flew until it was empty," according to Karl Koeppen who was quoted by local news as a spokesman for Tucker. The performer abandoned the airplane at about 8,500 feet over an uninhabited area. Tucker's exit wasn't smooth and he momentarily got hung up on the tail of the airplane but freed himself and landed safely under canopy. The airplane was destroyed when it crashed into a cotton field but nobody on the ground was hurt. The landowner witnessed who witnessed the event said, "I just saw the dust when the plane hit ... and a few miles away I saw him parachute down." Tucker regularly flies a his Challenger biplane. He is scheduled to perform at Sun 'n Fun Thursday through Sunday this week and also is scheduled to debut a new routine in a Columbia 400, demonstrating upset recovery techniques. At our deadline, there was not yet confirmation or cancellation regarding his plans to fly this weekend.

[50%plane]

WOW I'm glad Sean's ok. Sux about the plane though.



50%

[Ion01]

That is crazy!! I am glad he got out and is okay cause he is one of my fav's! So, how do you get hung up on the tail without it killing you or something? (this is a serious question by the way)

[E-MO]

An outside snap would have thrown him clear for sure.

But in a real as real gets moment like that he kept a kool head.
worked the problem to get him and his aircraft safely away
pilots dont go and huck like this without a contingency plan.
unless it goes to hell in a hurry

[ShortBus]

Glad he is OK.