I put the Sky Pup through her paces at Franklin Field on Sunday. Just a few feet up and runs down the runway. Things were more exciting on the taxiway though. About half way back the Pup started pulling to the left. I started putting in more and more right rudder to compensate. About three seconds later the landing gear failed, the nose went down and the propeller shattered against the tarmac. The damage isn’t to bad, but the gear is pretty integral to the fuselage and will take some work to replace. The entire plane will need a pretty good inspection.
Glad to hear that you are alright!
No bruises? No bones broken? I trust you are whole and well.
The aircraft looks stable in flight, although we only have the still picture, so it’s hard to say for sure. The gear collapse confirms your wisdom in constant testing and re-testing, and waiting for the proper parachute. Now is an opportunity to design a more durable gear system, perhaps one that is better suited to dry lake bed terrain and winds. Lots of aeronautical knowledge in your own experience and in those around you. We should be able to devise a lightweight, strong, versatile, and durable system.
[...] See: http://jpaerospace.com/blog/?p=1581 [...]