Well, apparently the time has come. I havent had anything more than just a small or minor issue in quite a while... until today. Even at that, I still got awfully lucky.

I had an encounter with a tree with my MXS today. Its my first gasser, purchased used from a friend. I have been flying it a lot this spring and summer, nearly every time I go out it comes with. I have 6 others, but this is my go to plane. Easy and fast field assembly, and just all around has been trouble free. Not necessarily my best flying plane, but it just always works.

Anyways, I was coming around to land in a direction I wouldnt normally come from. I was over a pretty tall tree line and thought I was past it and started to glide down to the runway. There was a moment I questioned it, but then I thought for sure I was on this side of the trees... Nope, all of a sudden my plane started to disappear. I gave it full throttle and pulled up. I almost cleared the tree. I mean a couple more feet and I would have missed it entirely.

I thought we were going to have a new decoration hanging in the trees to look at for a while. It went into the very top of the tree, about 75 feet up. It hung there for a couple seconds and surprisingly just dropped. It fell straight down went through some brush and landed right on the spinner. Very minimal damage considering what happened. It broke the firewall, busted some sheeting on the leading edge of both wings, and cracked the cowl in a couple spots. And the prop, obviously. Ill have it fixed and ready to fly for the upcoming weekend.

Just thought I would post as I noticed there hasnt been anything new in the crash and burn section in a while... and Im not afraid to show my mistakes. I dont really know what caused me to think I was past the trees when I wasnt, but I can say I flew right into it 100% my fault

Sometimes pilot error crashes are the best because you actually know what caused it! dumb thumbs!! Lame none the less bud! Thanks for being honest and sharing your mishap... especially with a photo!

There are certain types of trees that can change location after you take off.

Glad it wasn't worse.

Your pilot has a guilty look on its face.. ..

Always bad when that happens , But your lucky it came down.
It's really tough when they don't
I've spent several hours 3 different times getting my planes out of trees
Once almost left it there because I really weighed the difference between the cost of the plane and the hospital bill

Originally Posted by Extra nuts

Your pilot has a guilty look on its face.. ..

It was entirely his fault!

Even at Joe Nall they put them in the tree's .....don't feel too bad

Sounds familiar......human depth/perception ain't what it's cracked/up to be! .......