Big scare story

My altitude was excessive - I was that close-in doing the teardrop. I
accepted I would probably overrun 9R with the tailwind, but somehow it
didn't happen.

In hindsight, I wonder if maybe I might have been able to nurse it
around the pattern at partial throttle, but there just wasn't time to
do any experimenting.

nrp wrote:
My altitude was excessive - I was that close-in doing the teardrop. I
accepted I would probably overrun 9R with the tailwind, but somehow it
didn't happen.

I'm glad it worked out for you, and I'm sure that your perspective has
been enhanced by that experience.

I encourage everyone to compare performance charts for your aircraft's
takeoff over a fifty foot obstacle v landing over a fifty foot obstacle,
with and without flaps. That can be very illuminating in trying to get a
mental picture of what to expect when tempted to do a "180" back to the
runway after engine failure on takeoff. A comparison of full flap rates
of descent v takeoff climb rates for the given atmospheric conditions
can also be quite handy to have previously sorted out. When one gets in
the habit of making power-on approaches in light planes, which most do,
the angle and rate of descent of the power-off, full flap approach can
be a surprise. Airspeed control throughout MUST be precise to achieve
the book figures for the configuration used.

A study of the feasibility of turnbacks after engine failure has been
published on the web, and the parameters for success should be well
understood by all of us.

http://www.nar-associates.com/techni.../possible.html

and,

http://www.nar-associates.com/techni...e/aiaa1col.pdf


In the sailplane community we actually get to practice this sort of
thing (the "rope-break" on departure, or "pt3" -- premature termination
of the tow) as part of our basic training, and on BFR's. However, I know
of none who teach, demonstrate, and/or practice it in the power
community -- for what most would consider good reasons. Still, there's
nothing like having seen it, or as close a simulation of it as you can
safely manage with an experienced instructor, before you need either to
do it, or to decide not to do it, for real.

In helicopter operations a comparable thing (auto-rotations to a
landing) is a normal part of training. In fixed-wing ops, for those
times when landing straight ahead or within 90 degrees or less of the
runway heading is not a good option, we need to think anew about the
kind of training we are giving and getting. With the ever-increasing
encroachment of development around our established airports, there are
fewer and fewer acceptable alternatives for emergency landings in single
engine operations.


Jack

I wouldn't recommend anyone to do what I did especially at 400 hrs TT.
I can remember though that the forced landing situation got much better
as I turned left from 270 deg heading. I don't think it was my plan to
do a full 180 until I realized that there was still enough altitude
left for another 90. I was scared of a stall or spin but the airspeed
was there according to the A/S indicator so I just kept coming around
with those barndoor flaps down. The real problem was getting back to
the runway after over correcting.

The real pro in this was the tower controller, who caught my only
transmission ("gotta problemdoinga180"), made someone go around on that
parallel runway, then shut up & watched.

I wouldn't recommend anyone to do what I did especially at 400 hrs TT.
I can remember though that the forced landing situation got much better
as I turned left from 270 deg heading. I don't think it was my plan to
do a full 180 until I realized that there was still enough altitude
left for another 90. I was scared of a stall or spin but the airspeed
was there according to the A/S indicator so I just kept coming around
with those b ig barndoor flaps down. The real problem was getting back
to the runway after over correcting.

The real pro in this was the tower controller, who caught my initial
transmission (gotta problemdoinga180), made someone go around on that
parallel runway, then shut up & watched.