Adam Quennoz: What a day!! I showed up at our little slope with my Taboo. Steve Goulet showed about half an hour later. In the time I was waiting it was obvious the wind wasn't high enough for good sloping. Steve showed up and quickly agreed. We packed up and headed for the field. We assembled our big birds and I laid out the hosemonster. As soon as all the batteries were topped off Steve hooked up first. He's going for his 15 minute TD task for Level 2. First launch was right into lift.  He's climbing strong so I go off and start working on the club lawn mower. I told him "No playing and don't come down until I tell you." Then I went to work on the mower. It wasn't long I heard him say something. I looked to see him on final to land. 4:28. I didn't even get started on the mower. Hooked him back up and let ' er rip. A push up wind and he found good lift. This time I stayed there and helped talk him thru the climb to altitude. Nice and high he went. Nine minutes in he was high and way down wind. So he pushed up on the other side. Thermal hopping up wind he made his way back to where he started. He found himself in a sink cycle and began scratching to find something. A bump here and there but nothing to send him back up. Soon he was too low and headed back to the field. Lined up on the runway he set his Sharon down. "I guess I'll have to try again." he said. I smiled and flashed him the watch. 15:35. He made it. Good job Steve!

Once the moment had been absorbed I hooked my Satori. The clouds were rolling in and the air began to cool. I found a few bumps but nothing strong enough. I tried a few more times. Steve hooked up his Sharon and let it go just before I walked to the point where chute usually drops. I saw the line go up in front of me, then over my head. I was wondering what he was doing. Just as I got turned around to see what's going on...BAM! His big Sharon 3.7 was sticking up out of the top of the club house. It drilled itself right thru the sheet metal roof. All but the rudder was still wiggling. Once we got climbed up there we found the canopy was destroyed....and that was it!! The rudder horn broke from the sheet metal impact. The entire plane was unharmed. Once the plane was out of the roof we could have a good laugh about it. So to say the least it was a fairly good day of flying. Very exciting too.

Adam Q

Robert Samuels: But what caused the "roof dart" event?  Inquiring minds want to know.   Was it mechanical equipment failure?  Was it mental equipment failure?  Was it flying buddy failing to watch what the hell Steve was doing failure?  What?

El Roberto

Steve Goulet: Robert, haven't got a clue the Sharon launched flawless all day straight up the line like it usually does. I stretched the hosemonster back let her go was going straight up and all of a sudden it took a left turn and no matter what stick i wiggled no response. Just before the impact i did manage to get the flaps down so thankfully it wasn't such a hard hit. It's baffled me all night what went wrong, once i returned to my shop i pulled the RX out everything looked fine, no loose connections no problems found, so who knows it could have been operator error, stupid thumbs but ya gotta admit it made a good picture i should have sprayed a circle on the roof and used it for my LSF landing task.

Steve