"Ol Shy & Bashful" wrote:
Have you ever done one? Have you ever looked at the area you were in
while driving down the road and asked if you could land safely there?
Ever tried to walk through a field of cotton, soybeans, tomatoes,
alfalfa, or ???? Do you know if there are furrows or irrigation rows?
How about trying to land in a field of corn? Ever tried to walk thru
one?
OK ...how about landing on a road. What about the road signs, wires,
bridges, poles, or other obstacles?
When was the last time you surveyed an area to see what the conditions
were or how you would make a landing with an engine out away from any
runway or airport?
Hmmmmm ...getting out my old brown colored stick and reaching for the
proverbial pot.....
Now that we are approaching winter weather should we start talking
about the peculiar conditions with wet and freezing conditions? Of
late here we are seeing frost on our wings with the attendant
problems.
Any discussions ... any one?
Ol S&B

Yes. Oil cooler split on start-up, but gauges were normal/green during a
normal run-up and takeoff. Six minutes into the flight (long enough to
get away from the airport!), we had no oil pressure, and about 10
seconds after that, the engine seized. Thank goodness, we were over the
desert and not over buildings. But what looks good/flat at 100 feet,
doesn't look so flat at 50, and even less flat at 20. Coincidentally, I
was with my glider instructor, also a CFI-G and FAA DPE. Would have
rolled out okay if we hadn't hit a berm that launched us again. Slammed
back down, gear broke off. Plane was destroyed, but we thankfully walked
away, albeit shaken up. Just because it's dirt doesn't mean it's flat...
but still a lot better than the alternative. Look at the pavement behind
you when you taxi away (put it on your checklist!)...and have your oil
cooler flushed/pressure tested.

P.S. We had just practice simulated engine failures *2 weeks* prior, and
yes, it definitely helped during the real deal.