by "PyramidHat" (pyramidhat)
Published 06/04/2017 at 19:52
by "PyramidHat" (pyramidhat)
Published 06/04/2017 at 19:52
Tags: Planelopnik
; Holy Shit
; Fuck
STARS: 5
Well, fuck...
Hi folks -
So I wrote last week that I was gearing up to do my solo flight, and today was going to be the day. Weather was good, winds - while a bit more than I would have preferred - were reasonable, and the plane I normally fly [N8249B] was available. Hell, even while I was pre-flighting and doing run-up, my instructor was putting his endorsement stickers in my log book. That’s where I was.
Normally when a student is ready to do the first solo flight, the instructor will ride with him/her through a handful of laps around the pattern, just to make sure there isn’t any last-minute issues to deal with. While I still have some things to work on, I was lining up to be just fine (I still flare high, but he’s not concerned about that).
So, we’re climbing out on the third lap and at about 300 feet, there’s a loud pop/bang and a couple of flashes of light under the cowling and the engine starts running rough. He grabs the plane, I verify he’s got it, and he does an emergency landing on the runway behind us. We’re able to taxi back under limited power.
My first fear is that I left something in the engine box during the preflight that somehow got sucked into the rotating parts. Then, as I had to add a couple of quarts of oil, I feared that I inadvertently overfilled it, causing the issue. In the end, it turns out that a hole was blown in the #4 cylinder jug. And that was that.
I asked him: “How many more laps were you going to have me do before going?” “Two or three.” So that was close.
Some thoughts:
At no part did I fear for my life. I mean, yes, I was scared and adrenaline was certainly going, but I was not panicking. While the instructor agreed that our lives weren’t in danger, they were close to it. It would have been a different scenario if there had been a fire.
It took a few seconds for me to comprehend what’s going on. Yes, we’ve done power-off landings, and I know that things can go to shit at any time, but there was a period of “What the fuck, is this actually happening?”
The instructor was able to turn and execute a landing on the active runway, largely because while we were missing a cylinder, we still had power. Of course, he had ATC clear any traffic. If it were me, I’d have landed straight out in the marshland northwest of the runway. But that’s what two orders of magnitude of experience does.
As we were walking back to the office, he mentioned that there’s still a little time to get another Cherokee and go back out. I told him that my head wasn’t in it, right now. That being said, I’ll schedule something for this week (Tuesday or Thursday). If nothing else, I might be doing more frequent lessons so I can catch the elusive day with cooperating winds. No plans on giving up now.
I am bummed because I really liked that plane. I know it will be back in service eventually, and that there are other Cherokee’s out there, but this one felt right.
ETA: He told me that I might have taken 10 years off the end of my life. I responded that he might be right, but those are the wheelchair-bound, adult diaper years, so they can have ‘em. That got a laugh.
Regardless, we lived to fly another day, and that’s what’s important.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
06/04/2017 at 20:02, STARS: 1
Wow, never experienced anything like that. I’m glad you’re okay, and especially glad that you weren’t scared off by this. Some people would just abandon flying.
"PyramidHat" (pyramidhat)
06/04/2017 at 20:20, STARS: 1
Thanks. Yeah, this wasn’t bad enough to scare me off. Also, as it happens, my instructor was in a crash that involved a loss of engine and even after healing a broken back, he got back in the plane. So I figure, I sure’s the hell could gut it out though this.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
06/04/2017 at 20:23, STARS: 3
Ever since I found out you can fly with hand controls, one of my dreams is to get my pilot’s license.
"PyramidHat" (pyramidhat)
06/04/2017 at 20:28, STARS: 1
Do it! (If you have the time/money, that is). I saw something about a woman that has no arms (uses her feet) that has a pilot license.
Also: Love the Cutter John avatar!
"For Sweden" (rallybeetle)
06/04/2017 at 20:31, STARS: 1
Write up the ASRS report while it’s fresh in your memory
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/04/2017 at 20:50, STARS: 2
Yikes! Glad you’re OK!
"DrJohannVegas" (drjohannvegas)
06/04/2017 at 20:52, STARS: 1
See, THIS is why I prefer my aircraft without those pesky explosions and windmills.
Glad you’re safe, sounds like, despite the shock, you got some good experience out of it.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
06/04/2017 at 20:56, STARS: 1
Thanks! Yeah, my dad’s a pilot, and I love to go up, but haven’t had too many chances living 900 miles away. If I didn’t have to be saving for college tuition for my daughter, I’d probably be taking lessons.
"facw" (facw)
06/04/2017 at 21:38, STARS: 2
Yeah, that’s a bit much. When I was doing pilot training I had two dangerous experiences:
In one I was flying with my usual instructor coming in for a landing behind a plane taking off. The plane on the runway was a little sluggish getting started so my instructor called off the landing (seemed like we’d have plenty of space to land after they took off to me, but obviously he’d know better). And he did, we tailed behind the plane taking off, and got smacked hard by wake turbulence. It was only a Beech 1900 commuter plane, but it threw my little 152 around, instantly rolling us a good deal (I’m sure it felt more extreme than it was, but it did feel pretty extreme). Instructor quickly took the controls and got us leveled out, but it was a good lesson on maintaining distance, regardless of what ATC approves.
In the second situation, I was flying a check ride with our lead instructor (spoiler alert: I was not ready to solo yet). During our preflight we noted that the transponder was non-functional, but it wasn’t required for the flight we were making so we marked it and moved on. Later in the flight things went a bit bad. We were doing a power on stall, and when the wing stalled, the aircraft dipped to the right instead of stalling evenly. This put it into a lovely spinning stall, which I did not successfully recover from. But the instructor did so no problem, except that when we pull out of it, there’s a DC-9 right in front of us. Not like 5 feet, but way closer than is ok. The missing transponder probably contributed because we wouldn’t have been on their screens, and they’d have to look out window to see us (which clearly they didn’t, though the rapid change in altitude from the stall probably didn’t help any either).
Of course neither of those scenarios was as scary as the time the plane’s door came open (latch mechanism on the 150/152 is junk). There was no risk, I was belted in and my attempt to close the door showed just how much force was required to budge it even a little more so I could slam it shut, but still a disquieting thing to happen.
"f86sabre" (f86sabre)
06/04/2017 at 21:42, STARS: 2
Hey, you are both safe and get to fly another day. The plane does too after a heart transplant. That is an epic win!
I would recommend discussing his decision to turn back around and land. I guess you still had some power, but everyone, including you it sounds like, are taught that if you loose the engine you go straight. This could be a good learning opportunity.
"PyramidHat" (pyramidhat)
06/04/2017 at 21:42, STARS: 0
Good idea!
"PyramidHat" (pyramidhat)
06/04/2017 at 21:59, STARS: 1
We did. As it happens, this was his third engine loss (the other two were compete engine out) so he was very comfortable with what he had to do, I think.
"PyramidHat" (pyramidhat)
06/04/2017 at 22:00, STARS: 1
Yeah, I forgot to set the explosions switch to “No”.
Regardless, methinks I won’t be getting any jet time, anytime soon.
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
06/04/2017 at 22:42, STARS: 0
Wow! Glad you got down ok. I never have had anything like that happen to me. I think you made the right decision to not solo in the other aircraft — too much running through your head, I’m sure.
As someone else noted, it’s perhaps a little surprising that your instructor turned back rather then landing straight ahead at 300 AGL, but I can totally understand it, given that the engine was making some power and he was very experienced. The big reason to stay straight is to avoid spinning it in as a result of overbanking.
Hope you get back in the saddle fast and get that solo done soon!! Next step will be solo cross countries! !
"PyramidHat" (pyramidhat)
06/04/2017 at 22:55, STARS: 1
Yeah, already scheduled for Thursday...thankx!
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
06/04/2017 at 22:57, STARS: 0
Looking forward to a better report on Thursday then!
"PyramidHat" (pyramidhat)
06/04/2017 at 23:07, STARS: 1
We’ll see. Instructor thinks I need an hour of failure-free flying before I attempt soloing.
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
06/04/2017 at 23:11, STARS: 2
Try not to ventilate any cylinders ok?
That’s NOT how air cooling works! :)
"PyramidHat" (pyramidhat)
06/04/2017 at 23:13, STARS: 1
Always the stickler, you...
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
06/04/2017 at 23:16, STARS: 1
Honestly although I don’t particularly want the experience you had, I think it will make you a better pilot to have a feel for what can happen, and how to deal with it and the adrenaline rush that goes with it —
"PyramidHat" (pyramidhat)
06/04/2017 at 23:27, STARS: 1
Yep. As my manager says: “Never waste a crisis.”
"PyramidHat" (pyramidhat)
06/05/2017 at 08:57, STARS: 1
Yeah, fortunately most of the planes at KPAO are approximately the same size, save for the occasional King Air or Pilatus, but I will be mindful of the wake turbulence.
I had a guy working for me that was on a solo flight in a 152 and had the door pop open, sucking out his chart (this was early 90'S). Under that stress he managed to clench his left fist and inadvertently broadcast a blue streak to ATC. They were cool about it, though..