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Wind Shear causing a spin?

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23 Oct 2024 17:32 #1 by Ronald Raty
Replied by Ronald Raty on topic Wind Shear causing a spin?
I have had this happen with a power on stall, where I am trying to counter torque/p-factor with ailerons (since I don't have rudder pedals) and then the left wing only stalls, but I have never experienced it in a power off stall. Power-off stalls are usually pretty benign, if they happen at all. I suppose a freak gust could have caused the left wing to stall although it might have just been turbulence. If the left wing does stall and you try to lift it with aileron, that increases the angle of attack of the left wing, maintains the stall, and delays the recovery. It will recover, just slower.

A properly rigged Ercoupe will not spin, and is reluctant to stall. If you do manage to stall just the left wing, it will start a spin entry, but then the nose drops (you have limited elevator so you can't stop the nose from dropping), the AOA is reduced, and the plane is flying again. You might be in a spiralling descent, but you are flying. I have tried doing everything wrong and keeping the spin, but it just refuses to stay in a spin.

When practicing power on stalls, when the left wing stalls first and drops, if I quickly reduce power and reduce the pitch to get the wing flying again and THEN apply aileron to level out, I can recover at an altitude higher than when I started the maneuver.

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22 Oct 2024 15:00 #2 by RPJ
Wind Shear causing a spin? was created by RPJ
I was practicing power off stalls yesterday. Just as I stalled the plane spun towards the left and downward as it started a spin. It was a bit shocking since I have never had this happen before. About a quarter into it I instinctively turned the ailerons in the opposite direction and was able to essentially fly out of it. If I had turned the yoke to the left I'm pretty sure the spin would have developed more. I'm assuming the design of the airplane would eventually stop it before it became too intense. I was confused as to how this happened and can only conclude that it was wind shear. There were gusts up to 15kts in the area. 

This all raises the question of getting into a spin and how to get out of it without rudder pedals. If the spin fully developed Im not sure just turning in the opposite direction would stop it but curious as to others thoughts here. Also, are there any documented cases of spin accidents?

 

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