Tech Tips Volume II 1980-1983
ATTENTION: ALL STEPHENS-TYPE MONOPLANE PILOTS
By Kermit Weeks
Photos by John Ford
As most of you know Jerry Thomas, one of our top Unlimited competitors, lost his life least year in the crash of his Stephens-type monoplane. It was a tragedy for all of us who knew him well, as Jerry was a fun-loving guy and a very dedicated pilot-builder and aerobatic enthusiast.
The day of the accident Jerry climbed into his monoplane and took off for a routine practice flight. The weather was good with a light breeze as he headed for the box. We practice over the X-roads in the very edge of the Everglades about 10 miles SW of Tamiami Airport. It is uninhabited, other than an occasional target shooter who comes out to practice.
An eyewitness, who himself was a charter pilot, watched Jerry practice for about five minutes, and then returned to shooting his gun. With his ear muffs on he heard what he described as "a loud resonant sound, similar to a snap-roll but 10-times as loud". He looked up and observed the aircraft in a near vertical dive at around 700 feet. Pieces of wood and fabric were fluttering down as if the wing had "exploded". The right aileron was in trail and the aircraft hit at an angle of about 60 degrees, wings level. Jerry was killed instantly.
Read the full article attached and the results of testing conducted by Leon Tolve from Atlanta, Georgia who was recommended by Curtis Pitts because Leon was well reputed in his field as the World's leading authority on flutter.
