"Richard Lamb" wrote in message
ink.net...
kd5sak wrote:
I've seen several references to crashes occuring from pilots trying to
turn back to a runway when they had a reasonably flat bit of terrain in
front of them. It's been said that Post knew better, but had the family
fortune tied up in the plane he and Will were traveling in and just let
that drive his decision making. What do some of you actual pilots think?

Harold
KD5SAK


It's hard to put any iron clad rules on it before hand as the situation
you are dealing with could be quite different each time.

I've never had one quit completely on me.
But I did have a C-85 sag rather dramatically on takeoff to the south
from Crystal River in Florida.

I had been idling too long and the plugs loaded up on me.
(Leo had trouble starting the T-Cart and I went to help him.)

I "burned them off" by running up a bit until the mags checked ok,
but at about 300 feet the thing went sour again.
I just got in a hurry to catch up with my lead.
Foolish lizard.

Hotel about 1/2 mile straight ahead(!), Interstate with bumper to
bumper traffic to the right, and a 4000 foot paved runway directly
below (cross ways). I mean directly straight down...

Damn it but that hotel suddenly looked real big!

I turned left for the cross wind runway, crabbing away from it in order
not to be blown further north, with the idea that if it did quit I'd
rather "land" someplace on the airport that in a parking lot.

The engine cleared in a dozen or so (very extremely way too long!) seconds
and I decided to abort the abort and head on home.

But I think the upholstery pattern is still imprinted on that pair of
jeans...

Thinking back on it (way after the fact), I probably should have turned
a little further north and let the wind blow me across the runway to set
up for a right base. I don't think I'd have made the runway if the engine
had quit from where I was. It would required a real tight turn from base
to final - down wind.

But I may have been a _little_ distracted and didn't think of it in time.

Sonny sez, "The problem with aviation is that you can't make the same
mistake
_once_". He has a point, you know.

Richard

Thanks for the reply, after reading about it so often over the years I've
often
wondered what actual pilots might think. Nearest thing I've had happen was
motorcycling.
Cornered a long curve much too fast and drifted off the road and shoulder
until I wound up paralleling a 4 strand barbed wire fence about two feet
away at speed. Don't know how fast but had slowed some by then. Stayed out
of it and finally crossed back onto the road but kept thinking, "self, you
should have layed it down".I think it's almost always better to be lucky
than smart when critical decisions are necessary..

Harold
KD5SAK