kabz emergency
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 263
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From: Texas, USA
kabz emergency
Well, declared my first emergency on my first solo ifr flight.
Did Houston to Beaumont (about 80 miles East), shot a couple of approaches, then was climbing out of 4000 feet about 4 miles SW of the airport, there was an almighty BANG, and severe vibration.
"Oh no, I don't believe it!!!! Why is this happening?"
Oil pressure and temp ok, no alternator light, no fire.
I declared an emergency, and Beaumont gave me a turn back to the airport. I messed with everything, but it would only run properly at 1500 or so RPM ... so I had a pretty easy powered glide back to the airport.
Arrived at 2000, about 2 miles out from runway 12, so cut to idle and did the best slip I could and stuck it smack in the TZ, and had enough power at 1500 rpm or so to taxi in.
The a/c owner flew in and picked me up, looked at the a/c, pronounced a bent valve and flew me home.
Nice to have got through that one, and nice to be on the ground safely. Pretty glad it wasn't at night, and kinda sobering to think I'd flown over a bunch of water, in total IMC at 3000 feet. (AXH to VUH, V70 SBI).
Did Houston to Beaumont (about 80 miles East), shot a couple of approaches, then was climbing out of 4000 feet about 4 miles SW of the airport, there was an almighty BANG, and severe vibration.
"Oh no, I don't believe it!!!! Why is this happening?"
Oil pressure and temp ok, no alternator light, no fire.
I declared an emergency, and Beaumont gave me a turn back to the airport. I messed with everything, but it would only run properly at 1500 or so RPM ... so I had a pretty easy powered glide back to the airport.
Arrived at 2000, about 2 miles out from runway 12, so cut to idle and did the best slip I could and stuck it smack in the TZ, and had enough power at 1500 rpm or so to taxi in.
The a/c owner flew in and picked me up, looked at the a/c, pronounced a bent valve and flew me home.
Nice to have got through that one, and nice to be on the ground safely. Pretty glad it wasn't at night, and kinda sobering to think I'd flown over a bunch of water, in total IMC at 3000 feet. (AXH to VUH, V70 SBI).
Guest
Posts: n/a
Well done Kabz, sounds as if you handled it professionally.
Another piece of evidence that not all engine failures are total
(per some of the responses to my recent thread.)
Still I guess until you've touched down, there is one hell of an element of doubt as to how long the engine will keep turning.
Well done again.
Another piece of evidence that not all engine failures are total
(per some of the responses to my recent thread.)
Still I guess until you've touched down, there is one hell of an element of doubt as to how long the engine will keep turning.
Well done again.
High Flying Bird
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,297
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From: Old Sarum ish
Well done mate, glad to hear you coped with it so well.
Don't you just hate it when things go BANG in the air? I was flying a Beech Baron when that happened. Luckily I had the owner in the front too and I caught his expression as we both turned round to see what had caused the noise. It turned out to be a window catch in the back that hadn't locked properly...
Don't you just hate it when things go BANG in the air? I was flying a Beech Baron when that happened. Luckily I had the owner in the front too and I caught his expression as we both turned round to see what had caused the noise. It turned out to be a window catch in the back that hadn't locked properly...
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,414
Likes: 2
From: Europe
KABZ,
Well done to you and the engine for hanging in there! They do indeed not always stop there and then!
Does make one think about hard IFR/watercrossings/inhospitable terrain in SE machines.
Booked the mulitengine course yet?
FD
Well done to you and the engine for hanging in there! They do indeed not always stop there and then!
Does make one think about hard IFR/watercrossings/inhospitable terrain in SE machines.
Booked the mulitengine course yet?
FD
The Original Whirly
Joined: Feb 1999
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 4,327
Likes: 2
From: Belper, Derbyshire, UK
Well done kabz . 
You kept calm and did all the right things, not as easy as it sounds when something you don't understand happens in an alien environment.
You kept calm and did all the right things, not as easy as it sounds when something you don't understand happens in an alien environment.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
From: Texas, USA
hehehe, thanks folks, actually I did flap a bit right at the start, but held it together and made it safely down.
Whirly: It did actually happen on Earth, so it wasn't quite that alien an environment
Whirly: It did actually happen on Earth, so it wasn't quite that alien an environment
