First: take a breath. Every RC pilot has crashed. Every single one. Most damage is fixable. This page helps you figure out what went wrong and how to fix it.
After Your First Crash
Walk calmly over to your airplane and do a visual inspection before touching anything. Look for: airframe cracks, damaged propeller, control surface hinges still attached, motor seated and spinning freely, LiPo battery not swollen. For repair techniques, see Lesson 12.
🚫 My plane won't bind to the transmitter
- Turn transmitter on before the airplane. This is the most common cause.
- Check transmitter battery is charged.
- Verify correct model profile is selected in the transmitter (if it has model memory).
- Try rebinding from scratch: insert bind plug into receiver BIND port, power on airplane, hold BIND on transmitter while powering on.
- Move away from electronics and Wi-Fi routers that may cause interference.
↖ My plane pulls left (or right) on takeoff
- Check wind direction. Even a light crosswind will push the plane sideways on the takeoff roll.
- Check rudder trim — if off-center, rudder is deflected at rest.
- Check aileron trim — if off, the plane will bank immediately after liftoff.
- Check propeller for chips or damage — a damaged prop creates asymmetric thrust.
- Check that the motor is aligned straight in its mount.
👇 My plane nosedives when I throttle up
- CG is too far forward (nose heavy). Increasing airspeed with a nose-heavy plane causes it to pitch down. Check CG per the manual. Move battery back slightly.
- Check elevator trim — if set to nose-down, center it and retry.
- Some motor designs have intentional downthrust — manageable with elevator trim.
⚡ My plane is twitchy and hard to control
- Activate beginner/training mode on your SAFE-equipped airplane.
- Add exponential (expo) — 30–40% on all channels makes it dramatically smoother around center stick.
- Reduce dual rates (D/R) to 70–80% to physically limit maximum control throw.
📡 My plane lost signal and crashed
- Check transmitter battery level before every flight — low battery reduces range.
- Don't fly behind yourself — your body can block the signal.
- Check receiver antenna placement — antennas should be extended and at different angles.
- Set a failsafe (usually cuts throttle to zero on signal loss). Consult your receiver manual.
⚠️ My LiPo battery is puffed/swollen
- Stop using it immediately. A swollen LiPo is a fire risk.
- Let it sit somewhere fireproof (outdoors, concrete) until you're ready to dispose of it.
- Follow the safe disposal procedure in Lesson 6: discharge outdoors, then saltwater soak for 24+ hours.
- Prevent it next time: use storage voltage, don't over-discharge during flight.
🔧 My control surface isn't moving
- Check the pushrod connection at both ends — if either popped out, surface won't move.
- Check the servo arm screw — if loose, servo spins without moving the arm.
- Listen for servo response. If servo tries but surface doesn't move, issue is mechanical. If servo is silent, check connection to receiver or replace servo.
📵 My motor cuts out at full throttle
- Low voltage cutoff triggered — battery was too depleted. Land and charge.
- ESC overheating — ensure air can flow over it during flight.
- If you changed to a larger prop, the motor may draw too much current. Return to stock prop.
- Check battery connector is firmly seated — vibration can cause intermittent dropouts.
Still stuck? The RC Plane Lab Discord is full of experienced pilots who enjoy helping diagnose problems. Describe your issue, include your airplane model, and you'll get real answers quickly.