EAA Sport Aviation

stick & rudder
flight advisor
When the Strut Breaks...
Fly the plane
CRAIG RODBERG, EAA 452480

It was the first nice summer day after a cold wet spring, and I was taking my 4-year-old son, Grant, flying in my 1966 Citabria. I’d logged a few hours over the winter and spring, but this was the first time since the previous fall that the weather was nice enough for him to sit in the drafty, unheated copilot seat. We strapped ourselves into the truck and departed for the airport. Oops, turn around…forgot the booster seat that fits into the Citabria. With it, Grant can see out the windows, and he’s safer, as well.

The plan was to depart Flying Cloud Airport (FCM) in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and fly to St. Paul Downtown

Airport-Holman Field (STP) for a pancake breakfast and to visit our aviation friends. Then it would be on to South St. Paul

Municipal Airport-Richard E Fleming Field (SGS) to see more friends and the aircraft at the Minnesota Wing of the

Commemorative Air Force.

We enjoyed the sunshine and light southwest wind as we prepped the Citabria.

I did a few cleanup tasks to make the airplane presentable at the fly-in. Fuel was full, windscreen clean, and oil level good. We finally closed the hangar door and mounted up. The airplane popped right up, making the putt-putt sound of the O-235 that brings it to life. We checked the gauges, radio, brakes, and then taxied to where the tower can see us and called in for our taxi clearance. Grant even remembered not to talk while there was chatter on the radio.

We taxied to Runway 18 to perform our run-up. All was well; the Citabria just as ready to go on this fine day as we were. “Run-up is done, Grant, are you still buckled in and ready to go?” I asked before calling the tower for takeoff. A moment later I had a clearance and was on the runway. Stick back and to the right, power up, tach good, gaining speed, tail up a little and stick back toward center a little.

I felt a slight wobble on the wheels and added some more right stick, waited for another 5 or 10 mph, and we were off!

Three-Four Victor, You Have a Problem

As we climbed past the tower I heard over the radio, “ Three-four Victor, looks like something’s wrong with your landing gear.” A thought went through my stunned head, “Hey, I’m a 3-4 Victor,” so I responded, “Tower, this is 8334 Victor, was that for me?” It was, and the controller answered, “Yes, 8334 Victor; it looks like your right landing gear has something wrong.”

More denial on my part, but I looked out the right window and down. I didn’t see the landing gear. I took a look out the

More denial on my part, but I looked out
the right window and down. I didn’t see
the landing gear.

left side; there it was, right where it was supposed to be. Back for another look out the right window, yep…something was wrong with that gear. The tower controller called again and asked if I wanted to fly by and have the controllers take a closer look. “Affirmative,” and I circled right to fly by the tower. They told me that my right gear was just hanging there and asked what my intentions were.

I told them I’d like to depart the area and think a little. I flew just outside the Class D airspace and started thinking of what I’d need to do. I had read a lot and knew that landing with a bad gear was not likely to injure us, as long as I continued to fly the airplane.