Chieftain down in SA

[Two_dogs]

Neither Navajo nor Chieftain is my favourite piston twin. I was told by a very old hand in the game that if one got low and slow in a Chieftain, do not add a little power, add it all, as the time taken to overcome the drag and accelerate is much greater than the time to decelerate to VMC..., or some such.

I once saw a Chieftain conducting training at Eulo, south west Queensland, in the winter, about 5 deg C, and 1030 mb., well above ISA conditions. I'm assuming it was training a training flight as the pax got off and then the two crew (one old fart and one young buck) got back in and took off. I watched them conduct circuit work including asymmetric approach and go-rounds.

The poor old thing was still descending in the go-round 2 out of 3 times at training weights. Pilot mishandling... not likely.

Realistically, most GA pilots get to train in this scenario one per year, at training weights, and they know it's about to happen. They (we) still sweat profusely. In the real event, in an average 40 year old piston conducting charter, I think the best scenario may just be land straight ahead. Not to say it can't be done, just unlikely to have a positive outcome at near MTOW.

I hope to never be in that situation. One has to follow the mandated initial actions, whilst it may just be worsening the situation. Fortunately all of my 'abnormal situations' have occurred at altitude.


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