Experienced a Little Glimpse of Mortality Today...

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Ignacio

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Some may know that after I had a sheep encounter last August and wadded up my '14 ES..I didn't go right back out and buy another new bike to replace it. While I still have the '05 and Adventure bike I put some money into working on my pilot's license. And I'm about 3/4 of the way through with 35 hours, been doing flying by reference to instruments, and even schedule my first night flight for next week.

Today was a toss-up between a long-distance trip with tough wind conditions once we got there or do some pattern work with a more moderate local cross-wind. We went for the latter and my instructor demonstrated an engine failure on take-off.

It went pretty well...except for the part shortly after simulating the engine failure and nosing back towards the runway to gain airspeed. We descended like a rock in what I believe was a wind that sheared to no wind and landed hard enough to crumple landing gear, skid to a stop, and he split his lip open. Wing was bent as well, the nose wheel crumpled, and prop shortened to a sub optimal length as well.

We did both open our doors, walk away from the plane, and weren't hurt otherwise. I cannot overemphasize this point enough. We walked away!

So, he was in control of the plane and the FAA will investigate.

Meanwhile, I think I have one less of my nine lives, said to myself after we edged over, "I guess it's going to fly better in a second.......uh no.......we're gonna hit....but this still is better than the time I hit the sheep on my FJR.",

I'm also pretty sure I'm going to want to go over the procedure about 87 times before I'm asked to perform this maneuver for check-out.

Unfortunately, there's one less Cessna 172 flying around now.

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No scars? Dude!

The saying goes: Pain is only temporary, glory lasts forever, and chicks dig scars!

You need a scar to go along with that story my friend. Next time try harder.

So what does mom think of all this?

 
You need a scar to go along with that story my friend. Next time try harder.
So what does mom think of all this?
I got the mother of all scars only 10 months ago. And I still have a costro-condral rib that like to dislocated.

The landing gear that crumpled...sort of Cessna's version of an airbag. To get scars on this particular adventure we would have landed on a wing, more on the nose, or maybe the roof....all of which could easily skipped the story-rich chick-magnet scar and straight to body bags for two.

Mom was less than thrilled...but still made me birthday dinner.
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A GLIMPSE of mortality? That sounds like you took a good, long, up close and personal look at mortality. I am pleased you came through this one unscathed.

And Happy Birthday.

 
Curious, did you know he was going to simulate the engine failure or was this one of those things where they surprise you and see how you are able to react when you can't plan for it?

I like how the article stresses that there was no engine failure. Ha! Well, maybe simulated.

 
I am not a flight instructor just a private pilot with 1100 hours but sounds like pilot error. There is a world of difference between just pulling the power back and shutting off the engine with the mags or pulling the mixture back. With a dead engine and a wind milling prop the drag is like having a parachute with the same diameter as the wind milling prop holding the plane back. Carl

 
Way back in 1978 I had a similar experience while learning to fly in a Cessna 152.

I was shooting touch and goes and the wind came up of the Chesapeake Bay at Martin State Airport near Baltimore.

I was solo flying and failed to recognize it. Just in time i recognized that I wasn't going to clear the high tension lines before the runway .........

I firewalled the throttle and managed to clear them. Short Check - dirty.

The next time I was flying doing Touch and Goes I followed a US Army C-123

Fairchild_C-123K_Provider_USAF.jpg


on Final - I'd been taught to touch down beyond the larger aircraft's point of touch down to avoid turbulence. I must have misjudged but about 200 feet above the ground I was flying with my left wing pointed at the ground. Somehow, I know not how, I managed to level the wings and go around.

I made one more touch and go, landed, paid my bill and stopped at the Porsche Dealer and bought a new Porsche on the way home - thus ending my aviation experience. JSNS

 
Happy Birthday, Matt. I started taking flying lessons right after I got my A&P Licenses at 18 years old. I got to the point where my next flight was going to be my first Solo. When we landed the instructor says: Well, you're a natural, kid. You're ready. So, do you like this? Is this what you wanna do? I had to honest and said, No. That's when I realized that my love affair with airplanes had nothing to do with sitting in the left seat flying them. It was keeping them in flying condition so other people can fly them.

Now I'm the guy that the NTSB calls to check that airplane out for hidden damage so the insurance company can fix it or total it. I like being on the ground playing with airplanes better. The adrenaline junky in me is quite happy going to the EOMs and scraping pegs on the twisties. I'm glad you were able to open the door and walk away from that one. Those are the best landings ever. :)

 
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I don't think you just got a glimpse, I think you got the whole Kodak moment...moving pictures and sound an everthin.

Glad you made it out alive.

 
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Curious, did you know he was going to simulate the engine failure or was this one of those things where they surprise you and see how you are able to react when you can't plan for it?
I did know as we talked about it as part of the pre-flight. And he'd done once before.

There is a world of difference between just pulling the power back and shutting off the engine with the mags or pulling the mixture back.
And to be clear--he pulled the power back to idle. He didn't stop the engine.

The closest I've found to the experience is this video. Remember this video is NOT me...just one demonstrating the maneuver we were doing.

Start at 0:53 and that's where we were taking off from a stop.

Power to idle 1:13 the same way as the video. We were about the same altitude.
Except imagine smacking at 1:18. We dropped like a rock and would have hit just a bit before where that runway crosses at. Also imagine that big view of concrete (it was even biased to my left side like the video) getting bigger...at a faster and faster rate. So, just that part different is different the video.

Well, that and the sound of aluminum skidding down asphalt for a hundred yards until you get to the edge and on was a different.... ;)


 
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