A FLT INSTRUCTOR SUBMITS A TALE OF AN; APPARENTLY; FICTITIOUS ACCIDENT INVOLVING AN ATTEMPTED TURN BACK TO THE RWY AFTER AN ENG FAILURE.
Synopsis
A FLT INSTRUCTOR SUBMITS A TALE OF AN; APPARENTLY; FICTITIOUS ACCIDENT INVOLVING AN ATTEMPTED TURN BACK TO THE RWY AFTER AN ENG FAILURE.
Narrative
'THE C182 TOOK OFF AND; WHEN IT REACHED 200 FT; THE ENG FAILED. THE PLT AND HIS PAX WERE KILLED. THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.' THAT IS SUBSTANTIALLY HOW THE LCL NEWSPAPER RPTED THE ACCIDENT. NOT MANY OF US WOULD FLY IF WE THOUGHT IT WAS AS SIMPLE AS THAT. WE KNOW THAT WHEN AN ENG FAILS; THE AIRPLANE BECOMES A GLIDER. IN FACT; IT HAPPENS ON EVERY LNDG WHEN WE CLOSE THE THROTTLE A FEW FT ABOVE THE RWY; OR EVEN A FEW HUNDRED FT ON THE APCH. NO; THERE WAS MORE TO THE ACCIDENT THAN THE ENG FAILURE. IT TAKES JUST A LITTLE GIFT OF THE IMAGINATION TO PICTURE WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE ENG FAILURE. WE BELIEVE THE PLT MADE A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE ARPT WITH A STEEP TURN AT A LOW AIRSPD AND THE WING STALLED AT TOO LOW AN ALT TO MAKE A RECOVERY. MANY YRS AGO; I WAS PRIVILEGED TO FLY WITH A GROUP OF PLTS WHO HAD BEEN TRAINED AT AN EXCELLENT SCHOOL IN BELGIUM. ON EVERY FLT; THE LAST ITEM ON THEIR TKOF CHKLIST WAS TO RECITE 'ENG FAILURE BEFORE 500 FT; TURN NO MORE THAN 40 DEGS R OR L.' LIVES WOULD BE SAVED IF OUR OWN INSTRUCTORS WERE TO ASK THEIR STUDENTS TO SIMULATE AN ENG FAILURE IN A CLB FOLLOWED BY A STEEP TURN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN ALT -- ALL AT A SAFE ALT; OF COURSE. ADDING THE BEFORE TKOF RECITAL COULDN'T DO ANY HARM.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.