Danger Over the Desert

Real Pilot Story

Kerry McCauley has been an international ferry pilot for several decades, flying countless planes around the world in difficult conditions. During one particular ferry flight from Fort Lauderdale to Bangkok, sequential vacuum pump failures and an extensive engine oil leak required quick thinking over the remote wilderness of the Arabian Desert.

While ferrying a Piper Navajo from Fort Lauderdale to Thailand in 2015, ferry pilot Kerry McCauley encounters a dust storm over the Arabian Peninsula.

In this real pilot story McCauley explains the chain of events that led to the mechanical issues, how he dealt with them in-flight to land safely, and his decision-making process in abandoning the mission.

ASI’s Real Pilot Stories allows pilots to share their encounters with a dilemma so others can benefit—while comfortable on the ground—from lessons learned the hard way in flight.

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