Ozexpat
I posted this over in Flight Deck Forum/Questions (yeah I'm still trying to remember that airstrip) and, as you have requested stories, here's that one......
"Thanks Oz and Herc. Yeah I am a bit vague but it has been quite a few years. I will do some more research and get back to you guys with just where this place is. It's bugging me now. I remember circling down in the valley next door and then flying up a river. We sighted the threshold only seconds before touchdown.
Yes I remember Fane well! Beautiful place. Nice vegies and a nice place for lunch - if you timed it right. Way back in the early 80's a Douglas Nomad took off out of there and it got real exciting real quick. This aircraft had the pre-mod engine cowls.Without getting too technical, the chin cowl had a spring loaded intake mouth wihich loaded against the compressor lip. It had a type of sponge rubber that could compress and expand to allow the removal and refit of the cowl. Well you know how often those prop boxes use to make metal and the chip plugs had to come out. The sponge got oil soaked and disbonded.
This particular aircraft had had copius amounts of Jet 11 leaked all over this sponge and just as the Nomad rotated off the end of the strip - BANG! The sponge let go and sucked down the compressor throat. The engine spooled back to idle and the Nomad "fell" off the end of Fane.
He picked up speed "on the way down" into the valley and took the scenic root back to Moresby out to the coast.
Nice job by the pilot in a ****-my-pants situation.
"