Pre-flight checks

[Flyboy]

As the old saying goes...It's always the last thing checked that is the problem.  The other day one of my computer gadgets was not working properly. After spending way too much time checking all plugs, connections, and other do-dads I gave up. The next day I found that the USB ac/dc converter was bad. Never in a million years would I have checked that first.  I guess we need to make sure that the solution to a problem is number one or two on the troubleshooting list, huh? 

As my first flight instructor told me many years ago, "If you're flying along all fat dumb and happy and all of a sudden the big fan in front of you stops, undo whatever it was that you just did and it will more than likely fix the problem."  DUH!!!

I have had that happen and tried that solution. It didn't fix the problem. 

 

[Foto-n-T]

I have had that happen and tried that solution. It didn't fix the problem.

Yup, twice.  The second time I actually managed to make it to the runway.  But the adage does still have merit.

I had an old friend who was a sailplane fanatic.  He used to regail me with stories of how peaceful it was with just the sound of the wind blowing over the canopy.  The first time I had an engine failure and the fan quit spinning (#6 jug on an O-300 deployed into the cowling) I made a point of getting in touch with him later and letting him know that I did not share his "peaceful" feeling while trying to pick the least objectionable place to plant a '59 172 that I was ferrying.

 

[Alfa38User]

Those fans sure help keep a pilot cool!!! You should see how hot he gets when it quits!!!!

 

[Larry N.]

Yup, twice.  The second time I actually managed to make it to the runway.  But the adage does still have merit.

I had an old friend who was a sailplane fanatic.  He used to regail me with stories of how peaceful it was with just the sound of the wind blowing over the canopy.  The first time I had an engine failure and the fan quit spinning (#6 jug on an O-300 deployed into the cowling) I made a point of getting in touch with him later and letting him know that I did not share his "peaceful" feeling while trying to pick the least objectionable place to plant a '59 172 that I was ferrying.

Let me assure you (personal experience) that the main difference in your two attitudes is in what you expect should happen.  : ;D I can tell you that the (relative) silence in sailplanes is wonderful, but in a C-172 it's rather less than desirable.

 

[Foto-n-T]

WOW!!  I'm surprised that the engine stayed bolted to the firewall after losing that much off a prop tip!!

 

[Larry N.]

WOW!!  I'm surprised that the engine stayed bolted to the firewall after losing that much off a prop tip!!

It was like a great big hand grabbed hold of the aircraft and started shaking it. Fortunately, I recalled reading that if you slow to near a stall the prop would stop, so I did after pulling throttle and mixture back -- it worked, a good thing, since now I could read the gauges (I was IFR in IMC at the time).

 

[Foto-n-T]

I was IFR in IMC at the time

That'll get your blood pumping.

I almost lost a friend that I worked ferrying with years ago when he lost part of a prop on a Cessna 340.  Before he could get the power pulled it yanked the engine right off the wing.  He managed to walk out of the wreckage but it gave both of us a new perspective on pre-tripping those big meat cleavers before we turned over an engine.

I miss flying but I've got to say I get paid a lot better driving trucks than airplanes.

 

[Larry N.]

...but it gave both of us a new perspective on pre-tripping those big meat cleavers before we turned over an engine.
...

I had checked the prop (a habit since my first flying days), and the FAA investigator couldn't find any indication that I should have found something on preflight (he was surprised).

 

[Kevin Means]

You brought the aircraft to a near stall to get the prop stopped in IMC! If I hadn't seen the pictures I'd have been more than skeptical. You da man Larry.

Kev

 

[Larry N.]

I didn't have a lot of choice, Kev -- the vibration was too intense, even with the throttle and mixture pulled all the way back (engine shut off, in other words, but still spinning) and I had to find a way to stop it as quickly as possible. Obviously I succeeded, and the only damage to the aircraft (other than the missing piece of prop) was a crack in the alternator mounting bracket.

You can imagine the relief I felt when I broke out (probably about 800 AGL) and saw that gorgeous pasture in front of me. Landing was a piece of cake from there.

As far as stalling in IMC, it's really no big deal, any more than when visual, if you're current on the gauges (better be, if you're in IFR/IMC) and you have some altitude (this started at about 4,000 MSL just west of Oke City).

 

[skyking1]

Nice story Larry, especially the ending.
Mine was on my first cross country flight as a student pilot, all of 21 hours under my belt. I thank my instructor for instilling in me the proper landing technique; I landed the 150 with a 225 foot ground roll on grass.