Last week, two of my Civil Air Patrol (CAP) comrades were out on a training mission in the vicinity of the Laconia, NH Airport in our CE 182. About five miles from the airport at 3000ft MSL they experience severe engine vibration and a loss in power. They had just reduced power to 19in manifold pressure after level off.
They immediately turned back to the airport, declared an emergency, and prepared for a downwind landing. As they approached the airport, they realized they had enough altitude for a normal landing and turned downwind for RW 26. On downwind, the engine operation returned to normal and the landing was uneventful. Subsequent engine runs by maintenance were normal. Further evaluation revealed a bent push rod and evidence of a stuck valve. Apparently it became unstuck on downwind.
At our next meeting we talked about the possible causes……LEAD, LEAD, and LEAD.
We also talked about the actions taken by the pilots who did a great job.
It was on the way home from the meeting that I thought of the point I wish I had raised at the meeting. What action does the pilot take if this same situation occurs with no airports nearby? The engine is vibrating severely for unknown reasons and there is no apparent corrective action. Do you make a precautionary landing off airport with power or keep going until the engine quits and land off airport without power?
Our CAP unit does fire patrol for the State of New Hampshire and it takes us to some very remote areas of this beautiful state. There is lots of mountainous terrain and very few airports!
I asked the very experienced pilot who was flying the aircraft at the time of the incident what he would have done if the event had occurred in a remote area. After some thought, he said he would head towards the nearest airport, wherever it was, hoping to land on a runway, but always be ready to land if the engine quit.
What would your answer have been? It could happen to you! It might be good to have a plan!
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Great comments Cary. The perspective of one who has been there, done that is worth its weight in gold. I certainly agree with your most insightful instructor that we can never be “too good” at emergency landings. Thanks for sharing your story. Very powerful!!!
5 years ago this past March I had my first total engine failure in (then) some 33 years and 1800 hours of flying, mostly singles, a lot in mountainous Wyoming and Colorado. I had severe vibration after total loss of oil pressure–a rod had frozen to the crank, breaking it and sending the rod through the top of the case. I did everything to shut down the engine, fearing it would break loose. I landed in an unimproved field without incident and without any significant damage–cracked the wheel pants was all, due to the vibrations in the field. Since that time, I’ve become much more aware of potential landing sites, as I still fly into and over the mountains, same airplane (1963 Cessna P172D, with 180 hp Lycoming and CS prop).
At least in this part of the country (Colorado and Wyoming) there aren’t a lot of mountain strips, though there are some here and there–hard to recognize them if you don’t know about them already, however. But there are many potentially good landing sites, so that a safe landing could be made if necessary. There are roads, and “parks” (bare areas without trees) galore. Granted, the airplane might get pretty banged up, but the landing would be relatively safe for the passengers.
I owe my successful landing 5 years ago to a combination of luck, God’s grace, and extremely good primary instruction back in 1972. I learned to fly in Alaska at a USAF aero club, and my instructor, Dick Sharp, was annoyingly picky about off-field landing practice–sometimes as many times as 6 in one lesson! His response to my complaints was, “Someday you’ll thank me.” And I would, if I could locate him–but publically I do so any chance I get–so Thanks, Dick! He so thoroughly ingrained the proper responses in me that when the real thing happened, it was just a matter of automatically doing what I’d been taught 33 years ago. It helped that I’d recently practiced emergency landings as well, but you don’t know what you haven’t done, and I’m really glad for what Dick insisted I do.
This would be my decision. I would choose to land in a field or on a road with power befor contiunuing on to a airport. I know you were in montainous terrain and at 3000ft so I would be decending looking for that field or road. As you know the most important thing is to get on the ground and then worry about how your going to get your Airplane fixed. I’m from Utah and not familar with Maine so don’t know much about mountains there. I too am a CAP member so we know Safety well. Twice a month here in Utah. Your Story was very interesting and the kind I like to read where there were no Fatalitys. End of Message, Don
(A) PITCH Vg
(B) PICK A PLACE AND COMMIT,( WITH MIN ALT) COMMIT IS IMPORTANT!
(C) IF ALT ALLOWS, TROUBLE SHOOT
(D) IF THE VIBRATIONS WERE BAD ENOUGH,THE LAST THING YOU’D WANT IS TO HAVE THE ENGINE DEPART IT’S MOUNTS OR A PROPELLER TO SEPARATE FROM THE AIRPLANE. SO AFTER BEST SPEED AND BEST FIELD, I’D PROCEED WITH THE SHUTDOWN PROC.
These days I fly gliders and of course every landing is dead stick. If I ever get back to power (where I first started) it will have been wonderful training. That said, I’d recommend more student and (at least) low time pilots get some glider practice. Even a flight or two would help. Just understanding that an airplane can go a fair way without power, if you plan it right, could save them a lot of grief down the road.
Boy do I like that logic Tommy!
Since most accidents occur in the landing phase of flight, the go around is a GREAT option. It’s a shame we use it so seldom. I wish pilots would integrate it into their routine so that it becomes natural for them to go around.
Make it a positive event rather than a negative one!
Plan every leg of flight as I will need to land and evey landing as I will need to go around and be prepared for both before I take off.
Love your comments Don! Given that it could happen to any of us at any time we ALWAYS need to be ready. And, we only get ONE shot at getting it right. Sounds like you’ll be ready!
Every situation is different. Whether you continue with what power you have, close the throttle, turn around, or look for a landing spot, the actual emergency situation is not the time to learn to fly without an engine. I practice dead-stick landings from 1000′ AGL straight in, and with 90, 180, 270, and 360 deg turns to touchdown. Helps me to “feel” the plane so I can keep my eyes on the terrain and intended point of touchdown. Try it with cross winds and slight gusts to really hone your skills. It may come in handy some day.
Here in British Columbia we fly all year round in mountainous terrain. That being said, a
mountain checkout is a must here. Almost everywhere and anywhere flown in B.C. are
mountain strips cut out of the woods to be used in emergent situations such as loss of power. Some are tended by flying clubs and some by government agencies such as the Forest Service.
Might be something to check into cause if they do have them they will issue notams or location site if they are asked for.