Engine Out
The most difficult skill to teach any pilot has always been airmanship — or, to be more precise, situational awareness. Having flown for more than 40 years, in both the military and general aviation, and experienced almost every type of emergency — including hostile in-flight aircraft modifications — I was somewhat surprised to note that the first step in Alton K. Marsh's immediate action items checklist (" In-Flight Emergencies: Engine Out," January Pilot) was not "Maintain control of the aircraft."
Assuming that all pilots are constantly aware of the general wind direction and the terrain over which they are flying, the most important factor in coping with an engine failure is to get turned toward a suitable landing site at the highest possible altitude — then cope with any glide and restart procedures.
I suggest that, during every emergency, pilots must fly the airplane first — and then remedy the problem.
Harry C. Rogers AOPA 1383613
Jacksonville, Florida
Just south of Bryce Canyon, Utah, about 10 years ago, my Cessna T210 threw a rod and lost all power. From 17,500 feet, I was able to glide 28 nm to an on-field landing at Kanab, Utah.
I agree with what Marsh wrote in his article but would like to add some things that helped me out on that eventful day. When I realized that power was totally gone, my first question was, Where would I land in this mountainous area? While going through my checklist, I immediately called the nearest flight service station and told them I was headed to Kanab, where the terrain was lower. The FSS sent a fireman to the airport, which at the time was unattended. The article neglected this important point: Communicate if time and circumstances permit.
I was able to make it to Kanab, and thanks to having recently read a British book on emergency procedures ( Flight Emergency Procedures for Pilots, by Birch and Bramson, Pitman Publishing), immediately turned toward the runway opposite the numbers and before reaching the base leg, so that I would have enough glide to compensate for the situation (I had a 30-knot headwind on final).
With this safety margin, I was able to make a "normal" landing, clear the runway, and make it to the FBO building and waiting fireman, who said it looked as if I were coming in from a wartime movie scene, laying a trail of smoke.
Bruce McAllister
Boulder, Colorado
I read " In-Flight Emergencies: Engine Out" with great interest. A few years ago on a beautiful March afternoon, a friend and I were returning in a flying-club Cessna Skyhawk from New Jersey to Northeast Philadelphia Airport. Fifteen minutes into the flight, we realized that the engine did not sound normal. As the seconds passed, the engine started to run rougher and rougher. I did not know it then, but the engine was ripping itself apart.
We were at about 3,000 feet and the other pilot flying with me suggested that we try to make the Trenton-Robinsville Airport about 8 nm away. It looked as if we could reach the airport as long as we didn't lose the engine completely. I kept looking for a place to land and had a few farm fields in sight. As I passed one site I would pick the next. Then we started to get smoke in the cabin, and I said "That's it." I shut the engine down and turned the master off. A field at my 10 o'clock seemed like a good candidate. I knew that if I could set up a steep glide-slope and keep the field in the center or low in the windshield, we could make it.
As I reached the edge of the field, I turned the master on and extended full flaps. It turned out to be a cut soybean field with a few snow patches and hard ground. The landing was picture-perfect and we rolled to a stop. Pilot and passenger were OK and there was no damage to the airframeæalthough there was a paperweight where the engine used to be. Upon closer examination we discovered that one of the pistons had disintegrated and blown the jug into the cowling.
Any pilot who might be faced with an off-airport landing should make a decision and go for it early enough that you still have altitude to work with. And most important, trust your experience and instincts — your gut is the best copilot you have.
Allen Solomon AOPA 1005672
Warrington, Pennsylvania
I have found a checklist that can help both new and experienced pilots in coping with an engine failure. It's as easy as your ABCs.
- A — Airspeed. Establish and trim for best glide.
- B — Best field. Find the best suitable field and go for it.
- C — Checklist. Use your checklist to begin troubleshooting and restarting procedures.
My feeling as a flight instructor is to give a student a small memory checklist such as this one, combined with realistic flight training for emergency situations. In that way the pilot, in a time-constrained situation, can easily recall the necessary procedures and perform them.
Mike Oleszkowicz AOPA 802289
Highland, Michigan
Defying Instructions
I read with interest John S. Yodice's " Pilot Counsel: Defying ATC Instructions" (January Pilot). As an active pilot and an attorney practicing in aviation law, I am well aware of the fact that the emergency revocation process is often subject to abuse. However, I must say that in this instance, I am relieved that the FAA utilized the emergency revocation procedure against the pilot.
It has been my experience that we, as the pilot community, often exhibit a knee-jerk reaction in response to proceedings undertaken by the FAA, especially those involving emergency revocations. While our reactions as pilots may be justified, there are other instances — such as the incident described in Yodice's article — when the FAA acts appropriately and properly utilizes this authority. Indeed, to conclude otherwise only blinds ourselves to the fact that there are a few dangerous pilots among us. Unfortunately, it is the dangerous pilots who tarnish our reputation and ultimately subject us to increased government regulation.
If anyone disagrees with me, simply ask yourself whether you would like the pilot of the Cessna 310 described in Yodice's column to be flying in your traffic pattern.
Mark A. Gruwell AOPA 1242773
Sarasota, Florida
I think that the 10,000-hour corporate pilot fully deserved the emergency revocation of all his pilot certificates and ratings. The transcript of the radio communications depicts a very clear picture of what happened. I am sure that the tone of the pilot's voice during his exchange with the controller was even more colorful.
Communication is one of the keys to good flight safety procedures by all of us. We should commend the controller for doing an excellent job of working the traffic into and out of the airport. He advised the twin driver more than once of the conflicting traffic arriving at the airport — it wasn't as if the controller sent the pilot on a downwind and then forgot about him. When the pilot took it upon himself to blatantly deviate from the controller's instructions, he jeopardized virtually everyone in and around the airport, both in the air and on the ground. He was a disaster looking for a place to happen.
Jack W. Sparke AOPA 1026059
Madera, California
IMC for IFR?
Dan Namowitz's " New Pilot: IMC for IFR?" (January Pilot) was a good article. As a CFII I have pondered such things time and time again. Pilots usually get their instrument rating to enable them to fly IFR; consequently, they should at least experience the reality of instrument meteorological conditions before being let loose. Some instrument pilots are deathly afraid of IMC and would never enter it. Why? Either they have never experienced it, or a confident instructor has not shown the viability and pleasure of it all.
Perhaps a requirement for some logged IMC is a good idea and achievable by most everyone. Even in Southern California we have these training conditions from time to time. I say get up there in the soup and see how you feel; see whether it's something you want to shoot for. By all means, get the instrument rating to increase your knowledge and skills as a pilot, but if you intend to use it — check it out first.
Nathan Haag AOPA 1213901
Stevenson Ranch, California
Dan Namowitz suggests that it should be mandatory for all IFR pilots to have some actual instrument flight prior to receiving their instrument rating. While I think that is advisable if possible, I'm not sure that it needs to be mandatory.
I had numerous opportunities to fly in actual conditions prior to my rating, but found the mental crutch of having an instructor was significant. I found that crutch to be about equal to knowing that you could remove the hood at any time.
Dale E. Scholz AOPA 541784
Helena, Montana
Touching on Touch and Goes
In " Fear of Flying: First Solo, Nearly Last" (January Pilot), Tom Miller says that his instructor "told [him] to do two touch and goes and one full-stop landing." Hmm. My instructor told me that the touch and go was strictly a dual maneuver. I later passed the restriction on to my own students. It's a good policy; indeed, I assumed that it was more or less universal. A full-stop landing would almost certainly have prevented Miller's mishap. So what are the stats? How many instructors prohibit touch and goes by their students?
Newton W. Miller AOPA 814799
Redlands, California
In the short time that I've been flying, approximately two years, I have heard of several accidents involving student pilots who were performing touch and goes. The FBO that I use at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport prohibits student touch and goes while flying solo. At first I thought that this was a plan to increase rental time and revenue, but I now know that this is strictly for the safety of its clients. The relative pilot work load for a student to transition from a landing profile to a departure profile is quite burdensome.
The FAA should adopt the "no touch and go" rule for students, to prevent this very type of accident. Even though the pilot who wrote January's "Never Again" performed extremely well, I think that a majority of students — in the same predicament — would have ended up in the trees.
Robert Baker AOPA 1332411
Brook Park, Ohio
Instilling a Fear of Stalls
I wanted to say how much I identified with part of William K. Kershner's " Practice Area: From Aces to Stalls" (January Pilot). As a young child of less than 10 years old, I was riding with a family friend in a Cessna when I heard a strange sound. I asked the friend what the sound was, but he didn't answer. The next thing I knew, the airplane was falling out of the sky. He was laughing, and I was terrified. A few minutes later I heard the same sound and in spite of my "no, NO!" the plane again fell toward Earth.
I eventually learned that he had stalled the airplane. A number of years later I got my pilot certificate, one reason being to get over my deep-seated fear of stalls. To this day, although I now fully understand the hows and whys of stalls, I have a very huge dread of them. I've thought many times that if my friend had told me what he was going to do before he did it, or not done the second one after seeing how the first one terrified me, I would feel much more comfortable with them now. However, I'm still looking for the magic cure for my fear.
Ken Graham AOPA 950898
Lincoln, Nebraska
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