AN L2K EXPERIMENTAL PLT RPTED A GRADUAL LOSS OF ACFT CTL DURING A MANEUVER TO DISSIPATE STATIC ELECTRICITY NEAR FARMINGTON; NM.

Date: 2003-01 · Aircraft: Amateur/Home Built/Experimental · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|deviation-altitude-excursion-from-assigned-altitude|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|inflight-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control

Synopsis

AN L2K EXPERIMENTAL PLT RPTED A GRADUAL LOSS OF ACFT CTL DURING A MANEUVER TO DISSIPATE STATIC ELECTRICITY NEAR FARMINGTON; NM.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING MY EXPERIMENTAL AT FL210; WHEN I NOTICED A GRADUAL LOSS OF RADIO COMS. I COULD STILL HEAR ATC AND OTHER ACFT WITH THE SQUELCH TURNED OFF; BUT THEY COULD NOT HEAR ME. I HAVE HAD THIS PROB INTERMITTENTLY IN THE FLT LEVELS; AND I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT STATIC ELECTRICITY ISSUES IN ACFT. ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT I HAVE READ IS THAT A CHANGE IN AIRSPD CAN DISSIPATE THE STATIC FIELD. WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED; I REDUCED THROTTLE. UNFORTUNATELY; I FAILED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THE AUTOPLT IS PROGRAMMED TO AUTOMATICALLY RECOVER IF IT SENSES THE AIRSPD DROP BELOW A PREPROGRAMMED MINIMUM. AT ABOUT 100 KTS; THE AUTOPLT ABRUPTLY DOVE TO RECOVER AIRSPD; AND IT TOOK ME 500 FT TO RECOVER BACK TO FL210. LESSON: I COULD HEAR ATC; AND COULD AT A MINIMUM RESPOND TO THEIR COMS WITH AN IDENT. FLIRTING WITH STALLS IN THIN AIR IS UNWISE IN THIS ACFT; AS IT HAS VISCOUS STALL CHARACTERISTICS; EVEN AT LOWER ALTS. I WAS ABLE TO REACH ATC WHEN I FLEW DIRECTLY OVER THEIR RECEIVER; AND I REQUESTED 17000 FT. AT THAT ALT; THE RADIO PROBS DISAPPEARED. EVEN WHEN I WAS HIGHER; I COULD REACH ATC BY TALKING TO OTHER ACFT WHO COULD HEAR ME. THERE WAS SIMPLY NO NEED TO TAKE THE RISK.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.